People Who Claim To Hate Starbucks Are Hypocrites
I went out for coffee with a friend a few days ago, and she ordered a very complicated drink. The guy behind the counter said, "You sound like a Starbucks customer." She thought that was funny, and replied, "Oh no. I work at a local coffee house. I never go into Starbucks." Now, I'd be fine with people whose PRIMARY complaint about Starbucks is that it doesn't taste good. That's a perfectly logical reason not to buy food from any shop. I don't eat food from several places because I don't like their food. That, however, is not the primary argument posed by 90% of the people who claim to hate Starbucks. It's a complaint, nonetheless, but it's not the PRIMARY complaint. BY FAR, the most common complaint about Starbucks is that it's "killing small business." That, ladies and gentlemen, is the stupidest and most baseless complaint you could have possibly come up with against Starbucks, and here's why: The people who complain this way are total hypocrites. They speak their piece against Starbucks while wearing Ralph Lauren sunglasses, listening to their iPods, eating Kraft macaroni and cheese, and wearing an American Eagle beanie. You cannot genuinely complain about big business taking over the territory of local businesses unless you stop shopping at the mall altogether. You'd only be able to eat food from local non-chain restaurants, unless you happen to live near a farm, then it's ok to eat food from the local non-chain grocery store, but only for the food that is grown on that local farm. You also cannot wear clothes that were not made by local clothesmakers. You cannot even buy shoes from PayLess, because that's a national chain. You see where I'm going with this? It is impossible to EXCLUSIVELY support locally owned and operated businesses. Besides, who works in a local Starbucks? I'll give you a hint: Starbucks doesn't send in ringers from NYC and LA to take over all the local barista positions. They're filled BY LOCALS. They're also managed BY LOCALS. Again, I don't want people telling me that it's also because Starbucks doesn't taste good. I'm only talking to the people who claim that it's "ruining" local business.
posted by Vaughan at
1:16 PM
17 Comments:
I love Starbucks. I have absolutely no problem with giving them my money. I don't have that chance very often living here in McCook. The closest Starbucks is 2 hours away, whereas at home in Friendswood, TX, I have 3 within a 10 mile radius of my home. I miss the city.
Ah, Starbucks my home away from dorm, oh and my job away from home. I hear many voices against Starbucks, sometimes while customers are buying their triple venti, half-caf 3 and half pump non-fat, light whip mochas. That always get me laughing, here you have your drink prefected to a science, which lets me know you've been here a few times before, and yet you spew anti- starbuckian sentements to me, who by the way is doing quite well by being employeed by one of those huge corporations "squeezing" out the locals. Ok, so it is a corporation, but if you look into Starbucks you'll realize they do excellent things for partners, community, coffee growers, environment, and literature. In fact the defining principles of Starbucks have been used as models for many young corporations looking to expand while maintaining their roots.
Wow, that was cathartic. I think I'm understanding why people drone on in blogs. today Starbucks... tommorrow the world or maybe I'll tackle... so many things so little time.
Wow. I'm honestly surprised that the response hasn't been, "You're a jerk and an enemy of small business!" Thanks for not making me look like that. I also remembered one more thing I'd forgotten to mention before. If it weren't for Starbucks, there WOULDN'T BE ANY COFFEE HOUSES AT ALL. That's right. The guy who got Starbucks to really take off did so with the idea of quaint little nooks that were all over Italy, serving coffee and finger sandwiches. We'd all still be meeting at McDonald's or the local diner for coffee if it weren't for Starbucks. So, if you like coffee houses at all, then you owe a great debt of gratitude to Starbucks for bringing the revolution overseas.
I never go to Starbucks not because I like or dislike corporations or small businesses. I just don't drink coffee and I don't like the high schoolers that go there (at least where I live).
Now THAT'S a valid excuse.
You're a jerk and an enemy of small business!
Actually, I just don't like shelling out 5 bucks for a frappucino when I could just go to 7eleven and get a slurpee twice as big for a quarter of the cost.
Actually, the cappucinos at 7/11 are really good, if you don't like the social benefits afforded by Starbucks' interior design. But, I understand that coffee's not for everyone.
Tonite I went to a little coffee Shop, Cafe Triste and had the loveliest espresso, different than Starbucks, and not being put out by it either. I know people who frequent both for different reasons.
Soccer God, I am not a high schooler
Tiffany- I really, REALLY wish you'd told me that before I asked you if you were hot. Now I feel like a schmuck. Thanks for that.
What Andrew, are relatives not allowed to be hot? And I'm pretty sure there's nothing illegal about marrying third cousins;)
Jessica, you goon, I know you're not a high schooler. I know you've been to Sugar Land, too. All of the people that go to Starbucks here are high schoolers and wannabe punk/emo kids that are really from the rich First Colony area.
I agree with everyone in that I like Starbucks--so far, they have the best blended coffees that I have ever tasted. Locally-owned coffee stores just can't seem to get them right, they are generally too sweet and melt too quickly.
Incidentally, since Tiffany brought up the subject, I'm your cousin too (your mother's father's brother's younger son's oldest son.) I didn't know about this blog until about a month ago, but I have been having fun reading it.
Chris
is everyone related to everyone in colorado?
Um, no. As far as I can tell, Tiffany and Chris are brother-sister or possibly cousins. However, almost everyone who lives in my town has a close connection in Southern California. Sometimes, they overlap and we find out we're friends with our neighbors' cousins or something. Kinda creepy, to tell you the truth.
Andrew, I would just like to assure you that I am not related to you.
Hehoff
I like Starbucks. I only wish I had purchased some of their stock a few years ago.
Andrew, don't you think you should keep track of your relatives? Or at least know who they are; such as whether the cousins are brother and sister, or the cousins are cousins, or whether the cousins have a rich great aunt once removed; and what their names are. You never know, you may be the next in line to claim someone's inheritance!
...just a thought.
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