Consumerist
coffee
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subscriptions
Seattle Coffee Direct Decides You Need $40 Worth Of Coffee Per Day
If you've been tempted by Facebook ads promising cheap "introductory" offers from Seattle Coffee Direct or World Bean Cafe, located in the world coffee capital of Evanston, Illinois, readers Adam and Ivan say, "don't do it!" The ads promise t-shirts or a free coffee grinder as an incentive to sign up, or tempting introductory offers. But you're really signing up for a coffee delivery service for close to $80 per month. Or more, as reader Ivan learned. He says that the company accidentally billed him for, and sent, two bags of coffee per day. More » -
jesus, you're early
Starbucks Decides It's Time For Christmas
A reader wrote in on November 3rd to let us know that Starbucks has busted out the holiday-themed coffee paraphernalia. This gives us an idea. More » -
7-eleven
Adorable Japanese Mascot Invades U.S. Convenience Stores
Would you like your morning coffee with a side of Domo-kun? In one of those odd twists of globalization and marketing synergy, the mascot of Japanese public television network NHK has found his way onto 99 cent cups of coffee and special Slurpee cups at 7-Eleven stores in the United States. More » -
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amusing
Starbucks Birthplace Coffee Tastes Just As Burnt As Everywhere Else
I visited the epicenter of Starbucks this weekend. It's a nice little store that adheres to the Pike Place Market historic district guidelines. The logo on the exterior is the original brown, nippled mermaid. Inside, it's not that large and theres a converted tackle supply shop feel to the place. The ceilings are made of painted white wood slats with lots of low white lights hanging. Otherwise, the coffee tasted exactly the same. Yes, no matter which corner in America you visit, whether the first store or the last, you can be assured of enjoying a consistent, smooth, burnt flavor. More » -
i keep the tip jar in my pants
Baristas Flash Their Hoohas At The Grab-n-Go, Get Charged With Prostitution
We're not at the "full body latte" stage just yet, but Grab-n-Go Espresso in Everett, Washington has apparently taken us right up to that edge with their espresso stands where baristas show skin while serving coffee. Now five Grab-n-Go baristas have been charged "with multiple counts of prostitution and violating the city's adult entertainment ordinance." More » -
Tastes Burnt
Starbucks Lowers Some Drink Prices, Raises Others
Starbucks has raised the prices of some of their drinks and lowered others, in an effort to differentiate their mixed coffee drinks from those currently offered at McDonald's. By making them more expensive, apparently. More » -
fast food
Mickey D's Profits Rise 4.3% Thanks To "Fancier" Items
McDonald's sales rose 4.3% on the tongues of customers clamoring for a taste of the good life for cheap. McCafe coffees, which offer a proxy of brews found in places like Starbucks, and Angus burgers drove sales. [Bloomberg] (Photo: andinarvaez) -
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suggestion box
Starbucks Barista Offers Advice To CEO Howard Schultz
Sun Min Kimes, a behind-the-counter barista at a Starbucks in Ashburn, Virginia has written a guest post on the Fortune magazine blog "Postcards" that offers advice for the CEO of her company, Howard Schultz. Starbucks has been going through some lean times lately, and are trying everything from removing their branding from their coffee shops to... well... making their employees put a Mr. Potato Head toy together over and over again. More » -
grounds for concern
Southwest Jet Grounded Due To Horrific Burning Smell: Turns Out It Was Just The Coffee Maker
An early morning Southwest flight headed to Orlando from Connecticut only got as far as Long Island this weekend, after an inexplicable burning smell at the back of the plane forced an early landing. Turns out the unexplained smell was, well, something we're only too familiar with: airline coffee. The plane was quickly cleaned up and put back into operation. But let's call it a brewed awakening. More » -
free stuff
Mocha Mondays At McDonald's Until August 3
On Mondays through August 3, between 7am and 7pm get a free sample (7 oz. cold or 8 oz hot) of the McCafe Mocha — an espresso with steamed milk, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream with a chocolate drizzle. More » -
Tastes Burnt
The Only Thing Left For Starbucks? To Just Stop Being Starbucks
Starbucks just keeps trying to reinvent itself — and it seems that they've tried everything. The only thing left to do is just to stop being Starbucks. So that's what they're doing. More » -
Barnes & Noble's new iPhone app comes with a virtual coupon—there's a one-time-only code you show the in-store barista to receive a free cup of coffee. [MocoNews.net]
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disabilities
Man On Scooter Denied Drive-Through Coffee Service
Here's pretty much the same story about a customer on a motorized scooter not being allowed to use the drive through, this time at a Tim Hortons coffee establishment in Nova Scotia. He's not going to sue, but plans to appeal to Nova Scotia's Human Rights Commission. More » -
overcaffeinated
Economy Thwarts Man's Goal Of Visiting Every Starbucks On Planet
I was impressed when I heard that someone managed to visit every Starbucks store in Manhattan in one day. There were 171 at the time. Then I learned about Winter, who takes Starbucks-visiting to a whole new level, aiming to visit every Starbucks in the world (9,000 to date.) Not in a single day, or even in a single year, but still an ambitious goal that attracts some media attention. More » -
Did you know that in California, if you ask the Subway sandwich mechanic (or whatever they're called) to toast your sandwich, you'll be charged a sales tax, whereas if you go untoasted you won't? Crazy! Thomas Hawk says you should always order your coffee to go at California restaurants, even if you plan on drinking it there, to avoid a similar crazy tax. [Thomas Hawk] (Thanks to Glenn!)
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sufi coffee
This Coffee Shop Has A Lot Of Rules
Little-known fact: some coffee shops can be havens of passive-aggressive behavior. Reader Paul discovered what might be the most passive-aggressive coffee shop we've ever seen, and he'd like to share its dysfunction with the world.
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shopping
5 Big Retail Mark-Ups To Watch Out For
The Lansing State Journal has put together a list of 5 marked-up retail categories to be aware of when you're making purchasing decisions, most of which you hopefully already know. If you can't find wholesale sources or DIY replacements, then at least make sure you do a lot of comparison shopping to get the best deal. More »
