all of this marketing is clearly working on me. it's gotten me to cross the street and go to starbucks every morning. ok, maybe it's because the seattle's best in my building mysteriously closed last week. coincidence? i think not. anyway, going back to starbucks got me thinking about my love/hate relationship with the coffee shop. their new coffee has me loving more than hating lately, but some of the shops out there are just painful to go to.
so i present to you, my superlatives of the
best overall starbucks: metro center, 11th & e.
this was my starbucks when i worked over on 11th street. any given morning there were at least 10 people working. and not just working, but working well together. and the store was set up well to handle the flow of customers from the in door to the out. i definitely don't miss that office (gross), but most morning i miss that starbucks.
worst overall starbucks: route 7 (next to panera).
this has the potential to be a great starbucks. it's rather large and there's lots of seating (even tables outside). the problem? well it must be the management because the staff there are all incompetent. regardless of when i go in there it always takes ages for me to get my drink. now with starbucks literally on every corner it's easier to avoid that one, but you'd think after all these years they'd get their act together.
best seating: charlottesville, on the corner.
the coveted chairs downstairs in the window were always hard to get (i think i sat there once in my four years), but luckily there were plenty of places to sit upstairs (haha. i joke). but when you could snag a seat it was nice. especially to just sit on the couch and read. it was a little disturbing when lots of people got talking, but it looks like they got that under control now. figures they made it better now that we left!
most inconsistent: gainesville, route 29.
this is the starbucks that i inevitably stop at every time i drive down to charlottesville. the problem is i almost always have to use the bathroom too, so i'm forced to go in. because you know this is a fancy schmancy starbucks - it has a drive thru! the inconsistencies arise when you choose to go into order or to drive through the, well, drive thru. the process is seamless when you drive thru, but when you go inside it takes forever to order and/or get your drink. what's the deal?
most animated staff: georgetown, m street.
it seems like forever ago that i worked in georgetown. in reality it's been just over a year. weird. and since we brewed starbucks coffee in that office i didn't go up the street to get coffee every morning, but when i did it was worth it. the staff at that shop were crazy (in a good way). they always seemed like they were truly enjoying themselves, which always makes it more pleasant for the customer. [side note: this is not the starbucks that had a triple homicide back in 1997.]
best bathrooms: new york city.
ok, so maybe they don't have the best bathrooms. but if i'm looking for a public restroom in new york city odds are i'll end up in a starbucks. mainly because they're on every corner (literally). but also because they keep them clean (enough). i just hate how the prices for the same drinks are more expensive up there. it makes no sense.
most cramped: pan am shopping center.
luckily this one is never too busy [knocks on wood] because if it were it would be insane. there's room for about five people in line and after that you're out the door. the one redeeming factor is the outdoor seating. but it's not like i'd use it because everyone just sits there and smokes. gross.
and you know what? there are probably so many i'm forgetting or i've never been to...
1 comment:
i second that the worst starbucks ever is the one on Route 7.
i also second the comments about the starbucks in gainesville!
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