VENTI, SKINNY CHOCO MACHOCINNO WITH A DOUBLE SHOT TO GO!! (Starbucks)

Member Name: Purdypops

Product:	Starbucks
Date:	13/02/05 (1494 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Variety

Disadvantages: Price

The Starbucks invasion has come to Northern Ireland - albeit in the shape and form of 3 stores so far, although we do have one on the way and expecting the arrival of more imminently! There are two stores in Belfast city centre itself - Castle Lane, Cornmarket (a stand alone store), and in Castlecourt Shopping Centre. The first Starbucks to open its doors in the province back in August 2004 was at Junction One shopping village, in Antrim. We will soon have one available for travellers at Belfast International Airport also. So in the space of around 6months Starbucks have spread like wildfire!

Most people have decisive opinion on Starbucks - you either love them or hate them. I think if lm being honest l probably fall into the first category - although perhaps love is too strong a term. What l do like is the fact they are now a player in the coffee shop market others in the province have had to pull their socks up and play hard ball. Now we have Café Clements - a heavenly place for coffee- and a personal favourite of ours - with a loyal card scheme, in which every time you purchase a coffee your card is stamped - collect 10 stamps get a free coffee. Paul Rankin (he of celebrity chef fame) is in the midst of empire building - he has numerous café/delis around Belfast and a new one on the way. In my mind this is no bad thing.

Having been over the pond numerous times and experienced the coffee culture - l have to admit l love it. Grabbing a take away latte and going on your way is great. Starbucks or other chains of the same ilk are on the corner of every other block in most self-respecting US cities. When its cold there is no better hand warmer!

The issue l have with the Starbucks that have opened in Belfast so far is this - l spend a lot of my working day driving and making calls with people, and at times l have no time for anything more than to grab a sandwich in the car. During the afternoon l would dearly love a latte, to sooth my frazzled nerves and to give me a chance to take time out away from people for 5 minutes - but the ones which have opened so far are no where near somewhere l could get to conveniently. Why not open around the student area? The student trade would surely bring in the business and its in such an area that l could pull up nip in grab a coffee and hit the road again, with my coffee in tow! Café Clements is winning in my Starbucks v all other coffee shops battle because of their availability for want of a better word.

So Starbucks - the who, what, where and why?

© Seattle, Washington State - 1971 - we see our first Starbucks open in Pike Market. The name came from the 19th century novel by Herman Melville's Moby Dick
© Howard Schultz joins the Starbucks Empire in 1982. After some travels in Italy he sees the potential to bring the Italian coffee house genre to Seattle - things go from strength to strength.
© During the 1990s Starbucks fever hits the USA and then travels beyond. It is during this decade that Starbucks shares are traded on the market.
© The phenomenon continues - well over 6000 stores are placed in over 30 countries worldwide - are Starbucks taking over the world??

So what will you experience when you enter a Starbucks?

I'm doing this with Starbucks Cornmarket, Belfast in mind.

Firstly, if lm in Belfast city centre it's a weekend. Paul nudges me and says "I could just do with a wee latte" - so we trundle of to SB. The first thought that hits you is - l am not standing in that queue! The place has a continuous queue - as l have said before SB is new to NI therefore it's a novelty at the moment.

The shop itself is bright - the usual SB logo and familiar grass green colour is the same the world over - instantly recognisable. The shop in Belfast is floor to ceiling windows and two floors, actually when l think about it even with those SB l have been to in America this Belfast one is a bit of a flagship store - quite large indeed. There are a mix of tables, chairs and sofas; there is a buzzing atmosphere, its never quite. It is actually a great place to while away the minute's coffee in hand and people watch. On the plus side you don't feel rushed, you don't feel as though you have to gulp down your coffee of choice in record time scalding your throat and tongue and get out. Sit in coffee is served in mugs - strong huge sturdy things. You can even purchase them should the urge take you. Customers don't have this luxury in the States l noticed -unless they bring their own thermo mug - its take away cups all the way. Now, some may consider me odd (l know Paul certainly does), but l am the customer and my wish is the barrista's command (so to speak) - l don't like my latte in a mug - l prefer it to be in a take away cup with the plastic cap on top - yes l said l was odd!

The barrista's - this is your coffee server - that is it is the staff in NI are all-new to the position and are finding the ropes. They do not have the in your face flair of those in USA - and to be honest in NI, that just would not go down very well! I mean your average Belfast person would want to know what "y'er man/woman" is on if the barrista's started with they "Hey you guys, how are you today?" malarkey!

In saying this l have had one guy, using his imitative l must say, wander up and down the queue to get orders so they could get the right coffee mixes prepared - he tried to advise people what to take - l ended up with a vanilla latte experience - must say l don't go in for the flavoured coffee, l should of just stuck to my regular latte!

In another store - in Antrim - we were grabbing a take away latte for a car trip- l was patiently waiting on my two-venti lattes - one skinny one regular - to appear. When they did the guy lifted one by the plastic cap, which was not correctly secured, and whoosh l was coffee/foam covered. Now accidents can happen - but the guy sort of pushed some paper towels at me and scurried away - l wasn't burnt but my new sweater was covered in coffee - there was no real apology, offer of free coffee or rush to write the accident in the health and safety log.

Now in America (specifically Boston, MA) - and this will explain the title - we noticed having visited a few different branches that the till operator would ask the customer their name. This was to identify you with your coffee - they wrote your name onto the take away cups. In actual fact it is probably a very good idea - given that in Belfast it is often a rugby scrum to get your actual coffee! We found this hilarious and in the usual Irish manner we decided lets take the piss out of the American. Well l found it hilarious - Paul looked stupid! It was Paul's turn to buy - so he gave the order - two venti lattes - one regular one skinny. The reply came back with a "Sure thing no problem. Can l get your name sir" Now in the queue we had decided lets think of ridiculous names for them to get their tongue around -we had chosen Dougal (after mooting out strange traditional Irish ones - you know Caiombe, Niamh, Aine, Turlough!!). The thing was (at this point l walked away and found a seat to giggle into my hand) when asked his name Paul hesitated for a good 10 seconds before giving the name Dougal!! Now no one hesitates when asked their name - plus then come up with something silly (now at this point l will apologise to all the Dougals out there l have just offended), which the guy behind the till knew was not Paul's name! Still l had a laugh and Dougal (spelt Doogel in a Starbucks in Boston) got his two coffees!

The Coffee

So what will SB offer their customer - to be honest the range of available coffee mixes is phenomenal. There is a choice of coffee, with beans from around the world - though note if you do buy fair trade not all the beans/coffees will be so therefore check. What SB is famous for doing is bring to us the new brand of ridiculously named and priced coffees. No longer do people simply settle for a cup of tea, or coffee - or for the then more adventurous a cappuccino - no now there is a wealth of tongue twisting coffees to consume.

The following list is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wealth of drinks you could consume:

© Café Latte - frothed milk with a shot of expresso coffee
© Café Mocha - steamed milk, expresso, cream and a shot of chocolate
© Carmel Macchiato - steamed milk, expresso, vanilla and topped with a caramel sauce
© Strawberries & Cream Frappuccino - a cold flavoured coffee blend
© Tazo Frappuccino - flavoured blend not with a coffee base

The list is endless - you could grab a latte - add a shot of mint or butterscotch should the mood take you.

Now SB is not cheap - to buy coffee for two don't expect much change from a ten-pound note.

As well as the coffee, there is a selection of sandwiches, muffins, cakes and deserts available for diners. Again not cheap, nothing spectacular of adequate quality.

Starbucks are forever hitting customer with gimmicks - this weekend l have no doubt the unsuspecting public will be hit with some sort of love potion coffee. At Christmas the cinnamon and ginger is aplenty - thrown into coffee at all points. Even the take away cups took on a red festive theme - with Christmas tree imprints. Actually l miss these cups they make the standard cup look so dowdy! Expect to pay well for these festive/seasonal treats.

Now what more can one coffee shop sell - well how about the SB merchandise - pick up your own SB mug, grab some coffee beans, a coffee grinder perhaps or your very own expresso maker!

I have no doubt that Starbucks will go from strength to strength in N Ireland and it will not be long before we see more branches in the provincial towns. I do like the place, in some ways - in others it's a con, a rip off and they really could do with making their coffees warmer!

Thanks for reading

Heather ©

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