Is it like slow-cooked, steel-cut Irish oats? Or are we talking about a dinky packet of Quaker instant?

Danya Proud is...well, proud.

That seems like a decent price. And I'd imagine it tastes better than McDonald's.

Does hot sandwich = some type of egg McMuffin type thing?

@Ash78: People were going nuts when they introduced their oatmeal a while back..apparently it's pretty good. They've been handing out free samples at college sports games recently too.

Anyone here ever tasted the oatmeal? This doesnt sound like a bad deal at all. What size coffee?

@Ash78:

Apparently, their oatmeal has a loyal following amoung cats owned by consumerist staff members

Latte and oatmeal, yea! Starbucks knows what I like! The price seems fair, too. Seriously, I will totally go for this Breakfast Pairing.

@tc4b:

and can you supersize the coffee?

Had the oatmeal yesterday, and it wasn't bad. It's not a huge amount, but it also comes with a packet of dried fruit and brown sugar to mix in.

I like Starbucks. Why is everyone so mean to them?

Sounds good, but still so much cheaper to do it yourself. I have instant oatmeal packets (hey, I like them) at work and can nuke my cereal in a plastic bowl. I always bring a thermos with tea or coffee, and a banana.

Anyway, I guess this is a good deal for ppl who would rather pay someone else to prepare their coffee and food. Their baked goods have always been quite yummy in my limited experience.

Everyone is so mean to them because
1) They represent corporate mass-marketing at its best/worst

2) They charge $4 for a cuppa Joe. 'nuff said.

3) They really represent the worst in terms of western values- I know some vegan earth-firsters who bemoan the state of the third world, yet damn you to hell if they can't get their favorite coffee.

Hey, that's my breakfast. Except I buy it in bulk
8 O'clock Coffee - $6/bag
Old-fashioned Quaker Oats - $4/cannister.

So that's around $10 for about 10 day's worth of breakfast.

I'm cool with paying a little extra for convenience, but let's not pretend $3.95 is a "value".

I can get bottomless coffee and a huge breakfast at huddlehouse for 4.99. It's the depression special.

@downwithmonstercable: Not even close. I got one figuring it'd be mealish. It was smaller than an english muffin (I got one that was some sort of pastry dough, they do sell english muffin versions), and had very little in the way of fillings. Didn't hold me for an hour.

@tc4b: I've had it several times, it's pretty good. Comes with three different toppings. Of course, I did have a coupon and got it free.

@twophrasebark: It's the hipster code of ethics. You are only allowed to like little hole-in-the-wall type no-name coffee places. Along with that, you need to have thick rimmed trendy glasses, and read political science pieces, and rant on the blindness of the mainstream people. They are all wrong... but you, in the "underground"...you are in the know.

/rant

Considering I can make a 10 cup pot of coffee and enough oatmeal to make me curse life, the universe, and everything for half the cost, I'm not seeing much "value" here.

@downwithmonstercable: BTW that is not a shot at Meg. More like an overly sarcastic response, which is helping channel my frustration due to an already suckass workday.

@JGKojak: Gonna correct you on one thing here... compared to all the other major coffee brands, Starbucks does give a considerable larger share of its profits to the growers of the coffee. They aren't "Fair Trade" certified, but they are MUCH MUCH BETTER than any of the other nationalized coffee distributors out there.

There was a really interesting documentary on coffee that aired on PBS this weekend.

/Yes I watched it, why do you ask!?!? :)

@rpm773: Oops, I forgot the $2.50 or so for the pint of light cream for the coffee. It still works out, though.

@ElizabethD: I love love love their butterhorns. My sister-in-law's boyfriend briefly worked for the bakery that mass produces them and would bring boxes home. Those were the days.

I can make a lot of oatmeal at home for $3.95. Where is the value?

Considering you can buy 1 lb of hamburger meat for $1.20 and make 4 hamburgers, I'm not quite seeing the value of a dollar menu hamburger! In case you have not noticed, everything that someone else made will always have a convenience charge attached to it.

@downwithmonstercable: Side note--your excellent assessment reminded me of an onion article from several years ago:

Local Hipster Over-Explaining Why He Was At The Mall
[www.theonion.com]

@Plates: the value is you're also keeping a smug, self important, condescending "barista" employed

Serious Eats did a review of "fast-food" oatmeal options; it looks like Starbucks came out near the bottom. Au Bon Pain and Jamba Juice are the best options; they offer actual slow-cooked steel cut oats, which might be worth it to me as I don't have the time to make those most weekday mornings. Starbucks on the other hand just uses a quick-oats pack, which are gross and can be bought in bulk at the grocery store for a lot less.
[newyork.seriouseats.com]

@downwithmonstercable: As a wise man once wrote, more or less, I am so unhip it's a wonder my bums don't fall off. I make that same rant against Starbucks customers but, clearly, I am aiming at least one level too high in the hipster hierarchy.

Seeing how you can already get a tall coffee and a toasted bagel for $2.75 (incl. tax where I live), I don't see this as much of a revelation. Sometimes, they'll even throw in a free cream cheese, or butter, depending on the person at the register. Order the coffee in a grande cup and make yourself a "ghetto latte."

@undefined: @twophrasebark: Because they are everywhere and the coffee they make tastes like hot garbage.

@JGKojak:
Their espresso drinks may be $4, but that is comparable to the local coffee shops around me. Their regular coffee is a lot less.
That being said, I generally make my own coffee or hit a local shop when I want a cappuccino

@rpm773:

I'm with you. I buy quick oatmeal at my local bulk store, $4 for three pounds. Can't beat that! Some raisins, and cinnimon, and I'm set.

@cc82: The "quick" (8 minutes) steel-cut oatmeal at Trader Joe's pretty much rocks, too.

@twophrasebark: Because you can get a better product for way less money elsewhere. Plus ever been to Manhattan? It is filled with Starbucks, banks, and Duane Reades.

@ophmarketing:
Sounds good, I'll have to try those.

Most days I do the old-fashioned oats 2 minutes in the microwave, not as good as steel-cut, but a lot more convenient.

@twophrasebark:
I like Starbucks too. I'm there every couple of days enjoying coffee and my favourite treat APPLE FRITTER. Honestly, the fritter is so good it could probably bring an end to war if samples were passed around a battlefield.

But one thing I won't be ordering is oatmeal. Ick. I won't make it at home and I definitely won't buy it already prepared outside someplace. Ick.

Since I don't live near a hole-in-the-wall-hipster-approved-coffee-shop I have the choice of Tim Hortons or Starbucks. I don't like Tim's coffee. It's like bilge water.

Is Starbucks suffering in Canada too? Because the locations near me (6) are always packed to the door regardless of time of day. And they beg for employees.

@Ash78: I had the oatmeal there once, and it was absolutely fantastic. It was slow-cooked, and plain (you could pick dried fruit or nuts or brown sugar to mix in, if you wanted). It was a good sized cup, and very filling. I think it was $1.85 or something like that - and I'd rather eat some nice plain oatmeal than a nasty greasy sandwich.

@CaffiendCA: Was it burnt like their coffee? I think it'd be particularly lol if the meal was undercooked.

@rpm773:

Convenience and time value of money are things you aren't considering. If you want to do other calculations, it would never make sense for many doctors/lawyers etc to ever do anything but pick up quick breakfasts/coffee from places like Starbucks.

@JGKojak: They charge 4 bucks for a fancy cuppa Joe...

My coffee from there is 1.50ish.

@twophrasebark: Once you signed up for the site, Our Fearless Leaders were supposed to wipe from your memory any positive experiences you've had at Starbucks. In their place: "Starbucks coffee tastes burnt", "Starbucks charges OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAND for a small cup of coffee" and "there's two Starbucks in my neighborhood, so they're clearly a pandemic which must be exterminated". :)

I'd stay clear of any and all Starbucks food. If you're a customer, the next time you're in a Starbucks, ask a "partner" how many calories and how many grams of fat are in the lemon loaf or the pumpkin loaf if they carry it. It's something Starbucks doesn't get called out on enough, their food is a terrible mashing of fat and sugar and will probably give you diabetes and a heart attack or three. Buy some bulk oatmeal and save yourself the trouble. Or better yet, just don't go to Starbucks.

@JGKojak: Point the second, repudiated!

They don't charge $4 for a cup of coffee. Coffee drinks, yes, but their drip coffee is pretty much in line with Dunkin Donuts (where, as a New England resident, I am legally barred from speaking ill of their product).

@Ash78: It's instant, but it's not bad. Cats like it.

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@drjayphd: WHAT, NINE THOUSAND?

I hate when nobody responds to my over 9000 jokes.

@JGKojak: I can't bring myself to drink the coffee there, but they do give health benefits to all their employees, as well as the domestic partners of said employees. For that, I can forgive the insult to coffee.

@Meg Marco: OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM

@downwithmonstercable: I have a similar experience. One of my frat brothers used to be an assistant manager. Every night he would bring us the leftover pastries. Mmmm espresso brownies coupled with weed... Now your getting into some serious all night philosophy debates...

I miss college