Starbucks Gossip

"The big challenge for Starbucks Corp. in India will be to foster a culture of coffee-drinking in a country where tea has long been the most popular hot beverage though coffee drinking in India has risen markedly in recent years," notes the Wall Street Journal. It's asking readers in India what they want to see in Starbucks stores.

Any thoughts on what should be on Starbucks' "Indianized" menu?

What should Starbucks sell in India?

Employees of the Army and Air Force Exchange Services-operated Starbucks say their bosses (AAFES) secretly videotaped them and accused them of stealing beverages and pastries on the job. AAFES says the baristas now owe money to the Starbucks licensee; the amounts range from $3.75 to $13,951. Read the story, then comment if you want. Or discuss anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD.

I saw this posted on another blog:

"I don't know how many people actually read the markout sheets but I was looking through it and I noticed this whole new section of different pastries. Including apple pies, cherry pies I believe and other various things.. I know that bux used to sell pies before so I'm kind of excited if this is them bringing them back since I never tried them before."

Are pies being served in any test markets at this time? Please share any information you have -- size, price, etc.? Thank you.

Starbucks Gossip reader "JC" -- one of the lucky people who got the "12 Days of Giving" $19.95 free-coffee tumblers -- writes in another thread's comments: "Today is the last day for free coffee at Starbucks, I will be having my last cup later, and it will be the 100th FREE cup for the Month of January. Thank you Starbucks..."

Yes, farewell Code #775!

I was also lucky enough to get one of the tumblers, and I'm guessing I had about 120 free cups in January. (Starbucks is pretty much my office). How about the rest of you free-coffee-in-January tumbler owners?

My appeal to Starbucks: Please repeat this promotion in December!

Remember the Starbucks partner who wrote to Starbucks Gossip about his forced transfer, and started quite a discussion here? It took some prodding on my part, but he's finally sent us an update. Here's what he writes:

Hi, I'm the partner that sent in the e-mail we're all discussing. I'm so sorry I didn't get back to this inquiry, as I hadn't realized that it was posted, let alone had been sitting up here for days and days. Sorry guys! I'm so thankful for your posts, some of you gave some great advice, thanks! That said, here's the deal: my SM was hard to get in touch with because he runs two stores and is seemingly never in ours (a small cafe location) because his drive-thru across town is a high-volume location.

On two separate occasions after sending my e-mail to Starbucksgossip, he responded to me via text and assured me that I wasn't transferring out. HOWEVER, last Wednesday my DM dropped in to do an unannounced QASA inspection (not typical behavior, but another of her stores just got a low-80s score and she's on edge) and asked me if I could spare a minute for a one-on-one. As it turns out, I am going to be transferring, but only after (drum roll, please) I finish my RMT! Our district's short on SMs (clearly), and I am (despite some of the comment's implications) a high-performing shift and coffee master (under both the old and new master programs, woot). That said, I'm super psyched to get through RMT and ASM so I can get behind the wheel of my very own store. Thanks for all of your comments!

What do you think of this barista's screed that was posted on Gawker? Here's an excerpt: "Upper management decided that we did not need a break room anymore, and if we wanted, we could sit in the cafe with the customers, but we were not welcome to eat and relax in the one space we previously had. Unfortunately, our cafe is always fun [full?] of customers. We literally have no where to sit. Have you ever worked an eight hour shift at a low wage, thankless job? Sometimes, you just need to sit for a few minutes." Discuss this or anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD.

Starbucks reported after the markets closed today that it made $382.1 million in the first quarter ending Jan. 1, on revenue of $3.4 billion. Still, shares fell in after-hours trading because the company's outlook isn't as rosy as analysts hoped for.

"A very successful holiday season drove strong global same-store sales, which, combined with continued operational efficiencies, delivered record results despite continued commodity cost pressures," Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said in an earnings release.

Starbucks reported that CEO Howard Schultz was paid $16.1 million in the fiscal year ended Oct. 2 -- $1.4 million salary and the rest in in stock, options and other equity compensation. The coffee giant also said that it added 241 new stores during the quarter -- it's biggest quarterly growth since the summer of 2008.

ALSO: Over 100 million Starbucks- and Tazo-branded K-Cup® packs shipped in Q1 following the November 1st launch.

Starbucks posts double-digital gains for the quarter || Read the press release

In a scientific national telephone poll, Americans were asked:

Do you think that it is appropriate for Starbucks to serve beer and wine? Overall, 39% said yes, 39% said no, and 22% said they were undecided.

MORE SURVEY RESULTS: Men and women disagreed in their responses, with men favoring Starbucks selling beer and wine 49%-34%, while women oppose it 45%-30%.

Among age groups: 18-29 year olds 44% yes, 32% no; 30-44 year olds 44% yes, 36% no; 45-64 year olds 39% yes, 39% no; 65+ year olds 26% no, 55% no.

Whites favor it 44%-38%, and blacks oppose it 58%-25%. * Men, women at odds over Starbucks beer and wine

This question was asked on the Q-and-A site, Quora.com and got this response from a former Starbucks partner. I thought customers would be interested in it, and baristas might have some observations too.

Overall, in the five years I worked at Starbucks, I had many customers who ordered their drinks "extra hot." Their main reasons were:

* Preference for beverages that are HOT not "very warm"

* Taking the beverage elsewhere to drink and wanting it to still be warm upon arrival.

* Slooooowwww beverage drinker (the kind that can sit in the cafe and drink one cup of coffee for an hour)

* Cold weather. (When I worked at Starbucks in North Dakota, the temperatures would reach -30F plus wind chill, so drinks cooled down QUICKLY if taken outside/ordered in a drivethru)

* Used to temperature of brewed coffee or tea (much hotter than a milk-based espresso beverage at Starbucks)

Back when I first started working at Starbucks, the acceptable range for beverage temperature was around 145-165 degrees. That's not really all that hot. Many people, my mother included, prefer their drinks to actually be much warmer than that. Tired of hearing her complaints (since I worked at Starbucks, she would always tell me about her disappointments with various other Starbucks and drinks), I told her to order it "extra hot." This works (sort of), but because it's nonspecific, she again would get a range of temperatures that would either be too cool, too warm, or just right. So we experimented one day when she was at my store, and hit upon 180 degrees as her "perfect" temperature. Because it's the MILK that is being steamed to 180, it didn't really make her espresso shots taste any better or worse, and it did help counterbalance the cooling effect of the mocha syrup in the bottom. (For what it's worth, other than her favorite french pressed dark roasts, her "perfect" drink is a triple tall four pump nonfat no whip 180 degree mocha)

DISCUSS THIS OR ANYTHING ELSE STARBUCKS-RELATED IN THE OPEN THREAD.

This question was asked on the Q-and-A site, Quora.com and got this response from a former Starbucks partner. I thought customers would be interested in it, and baristas might have some observations too.

Overall, in the five years I worked at Starbucks, I had many customers who ordered their drinks "extra hot." Their main reasons were:

* Preference for beverages that are HOT not "very warm"

* Taking the beverage elsewhere to drink and wanting it to still be warm upon arrival.

* Slooooowwww beverage drinker (the kind that can sit in the cafe and drink one cup of coffee for an hour)

* Cold weather. (When I worked at Starbucks in North Dakota, the temperatures would reach -30F plus wind chill, so drinks cooled down QUICKLY if taken outside/ordered in a drivethru)

* Used to temperature of brewed coffee or tea (much hotter than a milk-based espresso beverage at Starbucks)

Back when I first started working at Starbucks, the acceptable range for beverage temperature was around 145-165 degrees. That's not really all that hot. Many people, my mother included, prefer their drinks to actually be much warmer than that. Tired of hearing her complaints (since I worked at Starbucks, she would always tell me about her disappointments with various other Starbucks and drinks), I told her to order it "extra hot." This works (sort of), but because it's nonspecific, she again would get a range of temperatures that would either be too cool, too warm, or just right. So we experimented one day when she was at my store, and hit upon 180 degrees as her "perfect" temperature. Because it's the MILK that is being steamed to 180, it didn't really make her espresso shots taste any better or worse, and it did help counterbalance the cooling effect of the mocha syrup in the bottom. (For what it's worth, other than her favorite french pressed dark roasts, her "perfect" drink is a triple tall four pump nonfat no whip 180 degree mocha)

DISCUSS THIS OR ANYTHING ELSE STARBUCKS-RELATED IN THE OPEN THREAD.

A Starbucks Gossip reader sends this email:

"I've been with SBUX for four years now. A friend that works at another store down the road told me she heard I was transferring to a different location. I corrected her, telling her that I was only going over there to cover one shift. However, when I arrived at that store to help them cover in an emergency, the store manager greeted me and said, "You must be the shift supervisor that's transferring over here, it's nice to meet you."

"This is all very strange to me because my SM has said absolutely nothing about transferring to me. Further, we're understaffed at my present location, especially during closing shifts which I cover five days a week. On top of that, of all the shifts at my store I live the furthest from the supposed transfer location.

"Has anyone else had a similar experience? Does anyone know why a high performing shift who leads his store's coffee master program would be forced to transfer? Any ideas on what corporate policy is regarding this situation?"

Anyone?

Until Jan. 3, a tall coffee at a Starbucks in Manhattan cost less than $2. Then prices went up; customers are now forced to find two bills -- and a penny. One coffee-drinker tells the New York Times:

"It’s the stupidity of it. It’s what I’d call ‘the annoyance factor.’ It’s ridiculous. Why the extra penny? Who has pennies? Didn’t anyone think this through? Couldn’t they round down or even up? Why leave it at a penny?"

Apparently some baristas are helping customers by dipping into their tip jars for the penny -- "a practice that would cut the baristas’ income, if it continued," notes the Times writer.

Baristas in Manhattan stores -- what do you think? (Other employees and customers are invited to weigh in, too.)

* A Starbucks price increase to a not-so-round number

Some baristas were told by their bosses that they'd be written up if they were caught telling blonde jokes during the launch of Starbucks' Blonde roast. Apparently the warning came from "rogue managers," as Starbucks' PR department says:

Starbucks has no policy or directive to penalize our partners for joking about our new Blonde Roast coffee or any other product. We are not aware of a company meeting discussing this false policy nor was a meeting to discuss such a topic ever scheduled.

Discuss the inconsistent message -- you can't tell blonde jokes!/you can tell them! -- or anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD.

It's Blonde day at Starbucks! Your thoughts on the new lighter roast? Are customers showing interest in it? Baristas: How many blonde jokes have you had to put up with? Tell all in this thread. * Starbucks' lighter Blonde roast debuts in U.S.

This is from the comments section on another topic:

I had a customer come in this evening to use a gift card because she "forgot to tell her brother she was boycotting Starbucks." I was attempting to inquire why, but all she gave me was "our HR person on 60 minutes rubbed her the wrong way." I tried looking up some clips, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Anyone might have an idea or leads? My co-workers and I are kind of curious because of how strange she was acting.

Starbucks' human resources veep is Kalen Holmes (photo above). Does she rub anyone the wrong way?

DISCUSS THIS OR ANYTHING ELSE STARBUCKS-RELATED -- including next Tuesday's "Blonde" coffee launch -- IN THE OPEN THREAD.

The price of some Starbucks drinks went up today in the Northeast and Sunbelt regions. Any fallout? Or did customers shrug? (There's good news for Chicago-area Starbucks customers: their drink prices went down a bit because of a lower sales tax that kicked in with the new year.)

A U.S. District Court has affirmed lower court rulings against Starbucks, which has claimed since 1997 that family-owned Black Bear Micro Roastery has infringed on its trademark with Black Bear's "Charbucks" roast.

The attorney who has been working for free for the New Hampshire roaster insists that "there really is no harm that can be inflicted on Starbucks by this tiny little company in Tuftonboro" using the name Charbucks.

Starbucks' response:

"We only filed the suit after a prolonged, but unsuccessful attempt to enlist Black Bear's cooperation and to resolve this matter without litigation. We are currently reviewing the ruling."

* Roaster of "Charbucks" beans prevails vs. Starbucks

From 2005: Starbucks loses battle with Charbucks roaster (summary only)

Thanks to Starbucks Gossip readers for a great 2011. Your "news tips" resulted in three stories that broke here, went viral and became national headlines. * Starbucks confirms it's covering power outlets at some stores || Is this still happening? Please update us! * Starbucks barista fired after his rant song goes viral || What are you up to these days, Christoper Cristwell? Let us know. * Meet the grossest Starbucks customer in New York City || Is Mr. PeePee still masturbating in Starbucks bathrooms? I don't want to know!

A woman who calls herself Suzy Coffee writes to Starbucks Gossip: I was a store manager for Starbucks in the bay area for over 3 years. During that time, we had an 80 percent store manager turnover. Some stores turned over managers 3 times. The pressure was awful, and we were never acknowledged for what we did or how hard we worked.

I ended up quitting a job I could have loved had there been some stability in upper management. Our DM’s were leaving and our RM was an emotional wreck. No one liked or trusted her.

I still feel this might have been a great opportunity for me.

How is working for the licensed stores? Do they differ in the politics, the pressure and the high manager turnover? I am considering a District Manager position.

Are they more or less supportive of their people?

Just curious.

Suzy Coffee. Paging current and former licensed store employees! What advice do you have for her?