starbucks challenge 1.0 prizes
All the way from London, City Hippy mailed me these prizes for winning Starbucks Challenge 1: coffee, hot chocolate, and tea from Clipper.
Starbucks Challenge 2 is underway.
November 22, 2005
November 20, 2005
college park, md: starbucks challenge #6
There was never a Starbucks in College Park while I was in grad school, although they served SBX coffee in the student center. Now, however, there's one the size of a warehouse right on the "main drag." And wouldn't you know it? They have the same apathetic customer service that (almost) all College Park establishments have.
Location: 7338 Baltimore Avenue; College Park, MD
Date: October 30, 2005.
Barista: Hello.
Me: Hi, could I get a cup of Cafe Estima, please?
Barista: We don't have any brewing.
Me: So, I cannot get a cup of the Cafe Estima?
Barista: Nope.
Me: Okay, thanks.
It was not busy in the least, yet they couldn't wait to be done with me. Nice. Then, in the parking lot, a girl driving an enormous SUV while chatting on her cell phone almost ran me over. I can neither confirm nor deny reports that she ended up with half-chewed pumpkin muffin all over her back window. See what happens when you don't have fair trade coffee, Starbucks?
November 1, 2005
yay me!
I'm City Hippy's choice as the winner of the Starbucks Challenge. I'd like to thank the academy...
And I still have 3 challenges to write up:
- New Town: Fair Trade success.
- Hyattsville, MD: Fair Trade success.
- College Park, MD: Fair Trade failure.
October 28, 2005
annapolis, md: starbucks challenge #5
Yesterday afternoon, after a delicious crab cake, and after walking by a man in colonial dress riding a Segway, I stopped in at the Starbucks at 124 Dock Street in beautiful Annapolis, Maryland.
Barista: Hello, how are you?
Me: Hi, I'm great. Could I get a cup of your Cafe Estima?
Barista: I can French Press a cup for you.
Me: That would be perfect.
Barista: It'll take about four minutes.
Me: That's fine.
[Four minutes later.]
Barista: Here you go [handing me a short (8 oz cup)].
Me: What do I owe you?
Barista: Oh, it's free. It's a sample.
Me: Okay. Thanks!
So, I received the usual friendly, professional service I've almost always received at Starbucks, and I was offered a French Press without having to ask for it. But why give me the small size as a free sample? Why not sell me a larger size, which is what I had in mind? And why is it that whenever I've ordered a short at Starbucks (any Starbucks) in the past, they've stared at me blankly like they've never heard of such a thing?
Right now I'm enjoying a double Americano at Hard Bean Coffee and Booksellers, which offers several Fair Trade blends (not just one) from all over the world. I also managed to snag a bargain-priced copy of Linda Colley's Captives : The story of Britain's pursuit of empire and how its soldiers and civilians were held captive by the dream of global supremacy.
Technorati Tags: fairtrade, fairtradecoffee, starbucks, starbuckschallenge
October 18, 2005
new town: starbucks challenge #4
Success! But weird. Barista 2 seems to try to convince me that Cafe Estima is not Fair Trade. This location had a prominent display near the register promoting Fair Trade month and offering bags of their Cafe Estima.
Barista 1: Good morning.
Me: Good morning. Do you have any Fair Trade certified coffee brewing?
Barista 1: Um.
Me [spying the Cafe Estima label]: That's it [pointing], I'll have the Cafe Estima, please.
Barista 1: Okay.
[At this point, for some reason, Barista 2, who is working the espresso machine, joins the conversation.]
Barista 2: That's not Fair Trade. It's like Fair Trade, but it's not the same.
Me: No, it's Fair Trade. [Picking up bag of beans.] See, the label says "Fair Trade Certified."
Barista 2: I understand that, but it's not the same as Fair Trade.
Barista 1: Here's your coffee.
Me: Thanks. [Moving away to add cream to my coffee.]
Barista 1: Barista 2, what are you saying? [Saying something else I cannot hear.]
Barista 2: I understand that. I understand that. But what I'm saying is it's a different blend.
[At this point, I realized Barista 2 thought I was ordering their now discontinued Fair Trade Blend.]
Guy next to me [popping the lid off of what he ordered]: He was so busy talking to you, he forgot to finish my order.
So there you have it. A Starbucks that's actually brewing their Fair Trade offering but trying to convince customers it's not "really" Fair Trade.
technorati tag: starbuckschallenge, starbucks, fairtrade, fairtradecoffee
October 12, 2005
peachtree city, ga: starbucks challenge #3
Starbucks gets it right at this location (mostly). The staff was very nice:
Location: 316 City Circle, Peachtree City, Georgia, USA
Date: October 12, 2005
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Barista 1: Hi, May I help you?
Me: Hi, may I get a cup of Fair Trade certified coffee?
Barista 1 [looking a bit confused]: Barista 2, do we have any Fair Trade certified coffee?
Barista 2: Yeah, it's the Cafe Estima.
Me: Great. Could I get a cup of that.
Barista 2: Oh. No, we don't have any brewed, but I could do a French press of it for you. It would take about 4 minutes.
Me: That's kind of a lot. Could I just get 12 ounces of it?
Barista 2: I'm sure you could. Let me go check. [At this point she disappeared into the back, returning a second or two later with someone. A manager? Manager enters some stuff into the register to see how much a French press order is. Then she goes to another manager who is sitting at a table doing paperwork. She returns a second later.]
Manager 1: It's $3.45 for the French press.
Me: Can I just get 12 ounces? I don't need that much coffee.
Manager 1: No, I'm sorry.
Me: Okay, I'll just have some regular coffee, then.
The good news is that I was offered the French press option without having to ask for it. The bad news is that I don't want that much coffee at one time. Also, there was no prominent display, as at the Newnan store, identifying October as Fair Trade month. And there was no Fair Trade coffee brewed and ready to serve.
I'll count this as a successful trip, though. I'm tweaking my rules a bit, though; I don't think I should have to tell the Barista that it's possible to French press a cup of Fair Trade for me. If they don't offer without being asked, then it's not a successful trip. Today, I felt weird making such a fuss, even though it really wasn't a fuss. But it's going to be uncomfortable any time you get all four people involved in order to get a cup of coffee.
Most of the time, I'm not going to want that much coffee at once, but sometimes I will. Ideally, Starbucks would do an espresso drink with Fair Trade coffee (e.g. my beloved Americano) or they would offer to French press just 12 ounces. Measure the appropriate grounds and put in 12 ounces of water. Why not?
As for the discomfort issue, when I lived in downtown Kansas City, I would sometimes walk to the Starbucks down the street from me. The staff there got to know me, and I would not have felt uncomfortable asking them. And if I went in every day ordering the same thing, they probably would have begun to fix me the amount I wanted. But when you're stopping by unfamiliar locations, it's not quite so easy.
technorati tag: starbuckschallenge, starbucks, fairtrade, fairtradecoffee
October 11, 2005
newnan, ga: starbucks challenge #2
So I was able to get a massive quantity of French-press Fair Trade certified coffee on my second try in Newnan, Georgia. (See also the account of my first try.) Here's what happened today:
Location: 733 Bullsboro Road, Newnan, Georgia, USA
Date: October 11, 2005
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Barista 1: Hi, may I help you?
Me: Hi, could I get a cup of Fair Trade certified coffee?
Barista 1: Well, we don't have any brewed today, but we do have [went on to name the available coffees, none of which are Fair Trade certified].
Me: Well, I see that Cafe Estima is your featured coffee this week, and I'm wondering if I could get a cup of that.
[At this point Barista 1 went into the back along with another Barista. They returned after a few seconds.]
Barista 2: They were supposed to send us the Fair Trade coffee to brew, but they didn't, so we don't have any available.
Me: Could you French-press some for me?
Barista 2: Oh, sure. It'll take a few minutes, though.
Me: That would be great.
After a few minutes (maybe 8?), I walked out with 32 ounces of French-pressed Fair Trade coffee from Starbucks. That's really way more than I wanted, but at least they fulfilled the official policy saying that any store will serve you a cup of the stuff if you request it.
Given that Green LA Girl mentioned my experience yesterday when she had her chat with a Starbucks representative, I wonder if the Newnan store got a call from corporate headquarters. Today I got a vibe from them that suggested they were putting 2-and-2 together. Nothing unpleasant, mind you, just a feeling I had. I should emphasize that the Baristas were very nice.
Furthermore, by the entrance was a prominent display promoting their Cafe Estima and letting customers know October is Fair Trade month. However, I think it would be good if they provided more information to customers about what Fair Trade means.
I'm left wondering why they didn't have what they needed to brew up a whole pot but they were able to French-press an individual order for me.
technorati tag: starbuckschallenge, starbucks, fairtrade, fairtradecoffee
October 10, 2005
the starbucks challenge meme
Fair Trade certified coffee ensures a fair price and fair working conditions for coffee farmers and harvesters. Starbucks is one of the most popular coffee joints in the world. If they were to get gung-ho about Fair Trade coffee, they could make an enormous difference.
I went to the Starbucks in Newnan, Georgia to take the Starbucks Challenge, which I learned about through a recent comment on this blog. Starbucks' website says (PDF, 20k) Fair Trade certified coffee "can be brewed by coffee press during store hours upon customer request."
Here's what happened today when I requested said coffee:
Location: 733 Bullsboro Road, Newnan, Georgia, USA
Date: October 10, 2005
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Barista: Hi, may I help you?
Me: Hi, I see that you have some Fair Trade certified coffee beans for sale. Could I get a cup of Fair Trade certified coffee?
Barista: [Looks over shoulder at menu board.] Well, we don't have any brewed today, but we do have [goes on to name the available coffees, none of which are Fair Trade certified].
Me: Okay, thanks.
Strike one, Starbucks. I intend to do this in as many Starbucks as I can. If, after ten tries, I succeed five times or fewer, I will no longer buy coffee from Starbucks, and I'll encourage everyone I know to do the same.
I hereby declare this an academic blog meme. I know very few academics who do not stay fueled on caffeine. Go try your own Starbucks Challenge and see what happens. [You do not, of course, have to pledge to boycott.]
technorati tag: starbuckschallenge, starbucks, fairtrade, fairtradecoffee