Secret Starbucks Coffee

allIcouldwishfor

yummum wrote:

Don't forget if you buy a cup (very expensive option) you can take it in a get the drinks cheaper... I think its 10 or 15p??? No one ever did this though. I might start since I've no staff discount now :sad:

I take my 12oz flask (£1.99 from wilko's) in to starbucks get a coffee to take with me to "mums & tots" groups and get a 10p discount. I hate weak, instant, rubbish coffee, but I do get some funny looks when they ask me at the playgroup whether I want tea or coffee and I say "Just an empty cup please!" If I drank 35 cups a day I'd probably have to learn to tolerate half measures of supermarket brand gold instant coffee, but I only have 1 or 2 a week so if I have a coffee, I wanna "proper" coffee.

I think I'm getting a reputation as a coffee snob though!:cool:

JulianPeterson

They do sell "short" drinks in London but they DO NOT make a loss from selling them!

Seriously, buy yourself an espresso machine and make your own Lattes etc - each one costs 20p or so and you can make it better (and actually tasting of coffee) within a couple of days.

Starbucks : 2 double tall Lattes per day x £2 x 261 working days a year = £1044 (after tax) = Say £1273.68 per year before tax & NI

Your own machine £125 + 20p per coffee + not queuing + not walking to the office before discovering it is cold + not having someone else grab yours off the counter etc etc

:T

RufusA

JulianPeterson wrote:

Your own machine £125 + 20p per coffee + not queuing + not walking to the office before discovering it is cold + not having someone else grab yours off the counter etc etc

:T

True except that I did the same with a £20 espresso machine from Argos, you don't need to spend big bucks on designer looks to make a decent coffee. Only downside was IMHO vacuum packed (even Lavazza Gold) coffee isn't as nice as correctly ground freshly roasted coffee (which Starbucks sometimes is). And the odd tamping failure that resulted in high pressure hot coffee grinds being blown at my suit.

Sadly current employer doesn't allow staff to bring in own electronic equipment, but they do have Starbucks at subsidised prices on the premises. Coffee is cheaper, but extra shots are more (25p vs 15p).

YMMV - Rufus.

optique

chatmonkey wrote:

(Btw I'm not just a geek, I'm in the process of setting up an independent coffee bar!)

Good luck, and I hope your experience is the exact opposite of this heart-breaking report from New York!


"I opened a charming neighborhood coffee shop. Then it destroyed my life."
http://www.slate.com/id/2132576/

Kazonline

The story on that link made me chuckle - I've known a few people like that. It sounds as though you're doing your homework first though Chatmonkey - I hope it works out for you.
Kaz x

chatmonkey

optique wrote:

Good luck, and I hope your experience is the exact opposite of this heart-breaking report from New York!

"I opened a charming neighborhood coffee shop. Then it destroyed my life."
http://www.slate.com/id/2132576/

Kazonline wrote:

The story on that link made me chuckle - I've known a few people like that. It sounds as though you're doing your homework first though Chatmonkey - I hope it works out for you.
Kaz x

Thanks

Yeah, a good couple of years of homework, including quitting my job and working in Starbucks for a year to learn the ropes.

Glad their marriage survived in that cautionary tale. The best bit for me is that it's someone else's money (thank God!) and they're employing me to set it up and run it - and they have the same vision for what sort of place it should be.

Anyone near Watford, give us a month or so then pop along - it's gonna be great, better than the chains, with lots of sofas, nice staff and everything!!
:beer:


downside is that it's hard to switch off at night! :doh:

t8769

Tip to save money.

If you're with a friend, get a large and put it in two cups, still lots to drink and only £1 ea

Alien18

mm66 wrote:

recovering_spendaholic wrote:

In US you get a refill of drip coffee for 50p if ordered in the shop within one hour of the first drink...UK as usual refuses to do it!!

US Starbucks is a million times better than UK from what I've heard now...

They get cheap refills and free WiFi!!! I'd love to be able to use my PSP in a starbucks but because you have to pay it forces you to a website which the PSP can't do. So it just doesn't work - even if it did we get charged about £5/hour!!!

terf

ultrak3wl wrote:

Do starbucks have wireless? Might start going in if they do.

Yes they do - check out
http://starbucks.co.uk/en-GB/_Our+Stores/Wireless+at+Starbucks.htm

terf

also another reason to go "short" is that a tall latte has 200 calories!
http://starbucks.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/A1F93080-B168-41AF-85AC-2F42764B6FB9/1351/Leaflet_BeverageNutritionSKU191973.pdf

which is more calories than in a chocolate bar
http://www.weightlossforall.com/calories-chocolate.htm