4 ms·

> Why support Starbucks when you can support a mom & pop coffee shop Because small, local is not always better. It's quite common to find coffee shops here i

> Why support Starbucks when you can support a mom & pop coffee shop Because small, local is not always better. It's quite common to find coffee shops here in the PNW that make a horrendous espresso. Most roasters here in Seattle are pretty mediocre and only capitalizing on the Seattle reputation. I can rattle off all the "local" and "small-batch" bourbon/gin/vodka distilleries that use sourced alcohol and are over-priced train wrecks powered only by marketing and no skill. At least with Starbucks, I get consistently bad coffee. I'm not risking over paying for coffee that I spit out. Definitely have been looking at st.ht but if github fulfills my needs better, I'm sticking with that.

petre 4y ago
> I'm not risking over paying for coffee that I spit out. That's exactly what happened to me at Starbucks. I had to wait for a small cookie shop to open up in order to buy an overpriced decent espresso. They had an Illy logo which helped a bit. In Italy and Greece you specifically want to avoid big chains as almost every small shop makes better coffee.
- flakiness 4y ago
  Comparing Seattle with Italy would be insulting :-/
  - petre 4y ago
    For Italy?
- OJFord 4y ago
  > They had an Illy logo which helped a bit. Interesting, does it? Obviously tastes differ, but I'm trying a tin at the moment because I ran out and could get it same day vs. waiting for delivery from my usual roaster subscription - I may as well be drinking any old thing off the supermarket shelf, don't find it superior at all. Possibly the blend just isn't too my taste, it also doesn't seem to be as fine as I think I would grind it, but I think the main thing is freshness. Despite its vacuum seal it's still months old, vs. I usually receive beans within a few days of roasting and grind on demand.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - petre 4y ago
    Maybe. I'm not a habitual coffee drinker, we buy roasted beans at home/work. It tastes better than Starbucks sludge or vacuum sealed supermarket stuff. Illy was the most decent supermarket brand, but in shops they use beans.
- snapetom 4y ago
  I remember getting a cappuccino from a train station vending machine in Italy and saying, "Hey, this isn't too bad! Much better than Starbucks!" Problem is that, I would say the majority of, small coffee shops in the US makes horrible espresso. Coffee isn't a craft to your average American no matter they claim, and they'll drink any swill. It's a way to get caffeine in you. Dark roast is the best selling roast. If I go to a small coffee shop and they ask me what I mean when I order a doppio, that's when I start looking across the street for a Starbucks. At least Starbucks baristas are trained on what doppios are, and I'll get a consistently bad one. There's a very good chance that small mom and pop one will make me cigarette ash juice if they don't know what a doppio is. I'll take bad espresso over ash juice any day.

petre 4y ago

> I'm not risking over paying for coffee that I spit out. That's exactly what happened to me at Starbucks. I had to wait for a small cookie shop to open up in order to buy an overpriced decent espresso. They had an Illy logo which helped a bit. In Italy and Greece you specifically want to avoid big chains as almost every small shop makes better coffee.

flakiness 4y ago
Comparing Seattle with Italy would be insulting :-/
- petre 4y ago
  For Italy?
OJFord 4y ago
> They had an Illy logo which helped a bit. Interesting, does it? Obviously tastes differ, but I'm trying a tin at the moment because I ran out and could get it same day vs. waiting for delivery from my usual roaster subscription - I may as well be drinking any old thing off the supermarket shelf, don't find it superior at all. Possibly the blend just isn't too my taste, it also doesn't seem to be as fine as I think I would grind it, but I think the main thing is freshness. Despite its vacuum seal it's still months old, vs. I usually receive beans within a few days of roasting and grind on demand.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- petre 4y ago
  Maybe. I'm not a habitual coffee drinker, we buy roasted beans at home/work. It tastes better than Starbucks sludge or vacuum sealed supermarket stuff. Illy was the most decent supermarket brand, but in shops they use beans.
snapetom 4y ago
I remember getting a cappuccino from a train station vending machine in Italy and saying, "Hey, this isn't too bad! Much better than Starbucks!" Problem is that, I would say the majority of, small coffee shops in the US makes horrible espresso. Coffee isn't a craft to your average American no matter they claim, and they'll drink any swill. It's a way to get caffeine in you. Dark roast is the best selling roast. If I go to a small coffee shop and they ask me what I mean when I order a doppio, that's when I start looking across the street for a Starbucks. At least Starbucks baristas are trained on what doppios are, and I'll get a consistently bad one. There's a very good chance that small mom and pop one will make me cigarette ash juice if they don't know what a doppio is. I'll take bad espresso over ash juice any day.