8/21    Everytime I mention that I like Starbucks' coffee to someone they
        always make snide comments.  Why don't people like Starbucks?
        \_ I don't know about you, but I think people are pretty stupid
        to pay 5 bucks for a 25c beverage. Then again, they pay $1 for
        16 oz of water, which is practically free. Anyway, coffee isn't
        good for you, drink water.
        \_ I don't know about you, but I think people are pretty stupid to pay
           5 bucks for a 25c beverage. Then again, they pay $1 for 16 oz of
           water, which is practically free. Anyway, coffee isn't good for
           you, drink water.  [formatd]
        \_ personally, i just hate coffee culture and everything that
           goes with it, including the stupid ass coffee snobery
           seen below.  all in all, starbucks is less infuriating than
           some of the indy coffee shops.  at least there's room to sit.
           on the other hand, they are a symbol of the faceless yuppie
           strip mall that is replacing the concept of american community.
        \_ Cuz they have bad coffee.
        \_ Try Noah's Bagels coffee. Taste the difference.
           \_ Tully's, or any number of the downtown berkeley cafes...
              There are such better options than starbucks.  All you're
              buying is the brand..
        \_ I like Starbucks, too, but there are better coffee's out
           there. Sometimes the quality varies even within the same
           store, so find out who makes the best coffee, and go there
           when they are on shift.
           \_ Is making coffee really such rocket science?  How hard can it be?
              --non-coffee-drinker
              \_ If you can boil water you can make coffee. The difference in
                 taste of coffee is like the difference in taste in wine.
                 It's a load of bs propogated by arbitrary connoiseurs trying
                 to market what basically is a drug. People don't drink coffee
                 for the taste, they drink it because they're addicted to
                 caffeine.
                 \_ and people who drink wine drink it because they're addicted
                    to alcohol?  grow up.
                    \_ strawman.  try again?
                       \_ just using your comparison.  Saying people don't
                          drink coffee for the taste is an utterly baseless
                          claim.
                          \_ It wasn't my comparison and you're still a
                             strawman whereas the person you strawmanned had
                             lots more to say which you ignored.  Now for my
                             personal take on it: coffee is vile and
                             disgusting.  It reeks.  It tastes bad.  The only
                             way someone could start coffee drinking is through
                             peer pressure and the only way to continue on to
                             that nasty "wakes me up in the morning" habit and
                             the X-many cups/day habit is caffeine addiction.
                             Try to stop drinking it without a caffeine sub.
                             You can't.  You'll go through caffeine withdrawl
                             and get sick until your body recovers.
              \_ It's a combination of the coffee bean, the roasting method,
                 the freshness of the grind, the water, how it was prepared,
                 and how long it's been sitting around. Decent coffee, like
                 many things, takes some effort. You can tell bad from good,
                 but most folks can't tell good from great. And there's
                 nothing wrong with that.
        \_ I guess it's the idea that like "real men go to local stores".  For
           example, "real handymen go to ACE Hardware instead of Home Depot",
           "real photographers go to Looking Glass instead of Ritz Camera".
                 \- real photographers buy over the net. this is generally
                    more about price and what is stocked. this is not a good
                    analogy.
                    \_ Not every real photographer is computer-literate.
           Something like that.  It gives them pride.
        \_ Because of the number of stores and it's distribution system,
           Starbuck's has less quality control than smaller stores. It does
           actually tastes worse than Peet's and a few of the smaller chains.
           That and their emphasis on pricey sugary milk/coffee combos means
           their coffee quality suffers.
        \_ "Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, but every night all the men would
            come around and lay their money down."
        \_ Good use for a Starbucks:
           http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2002/08/141433.php