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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!)
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.
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.
Yes, today is the day. Starbucks will begin servings its new line of “breakfast pairings” (don’t call them value meals!). For $3.95 you shall receive coffee and an egg sandwich, oatmeal or coffee cake. It’s all part of Starbucks’ latest effort to rid themselves of the perception that they are overpriced — which is probably going to be kinda difficult.
From the archives, Aug 29, 2007 : In today’s go-go economy, savvy companies know it’s important to draft official policies for a variety of circumstances and surprises that can crop up in the middle of a busy workday, and ensure they are clearly communicated and readily available. [More]
Corey pointed out to us that the Dunkin’ Donuts advertising for their 99 cent latte is a bit misleading. He writes,
Here’s something that you don’t often see — a Dunkin Donuts employee got so mad at a guy who decided not to wait for his coffee (because it was taking too long) that he left the store, pulled out a folding knife, and slashed the customer’s tires. All. Four. Of. Them.
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Freebruary? Apparently some McDonald’s are offering a free McCafe drink from 5-8am during the month of February. Not all locations are participating, so its best to call first. [Fool]
Good news for those of you in Seattle and Chicago who just can’t wait to try Starbucks’ new instant coffee — you’re getting it first at $1 a packet. It’ll be available at Starbucks stores as well as Target and Costco starting in March.
Do you like instant coffee? Oh, so you’re the guy. Well, this is great news for you, dude. Starbucks has made a “breakthrough in soluble coffee,” and it will be bringing it to a cafe near you. The chain is expected to announce the product, called “Via”, next week.
Starbucks announced today that they will be laying off 870 assistant store managers and not filling 530 vacant positions. In addition, 500 non-store positions will also be eliminated. Read the memo inside.
CEO Howard Schultz once vowed he would never have value meals at Starbucks. Hey, he lied. As foretold, Starbucks has just unveiled their new “breakfast pairings” which is the Starbucksian code for a value meal. For $3.95 you can get a drip coffee and a hot sandwich or a latte and a bowl of oatmeal or cinnamon swirl coffee cake.
Starbucks is closing an additional 300 stores, says the Seattle Times, and will eliminate 700 non-store and 6,000 store jobs. The store closings will save the company $500 million per year. Meanwhile, the company is trying to sell a fancy corporate jet it bought last month for $45 million. Read CEO Howard Schultz’s memo to employees inside.
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If you’re looking for a cup of decaf in the afternoon, be prepared to wait a few minutes at Starbucks. The chain will no longer be continually brewing it. [Starbucks Gossip]
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Starbucks will give a free tall coffee to anyone who pledges to volunteer in their community for five hours, placing the value of community service at roughly $0.35 per hour. [AP]
Jim needed to replace the gold-tone filter on his $70 Hamilton Beach coffee maker, but the filter recommended by Hamilton Beach’s website clearly didn’t fit. When Jim called to complain, a customer service representative insisted that Jim’s coffee maker didn’t come with a gold-tone filter, and that if Jim thought otherwise, he was entirely out of luck and would need to buy a new machine.
This video shows how a variety of food products have shrunk over the years, while the price remains the same, and the tricks manufacturers use so we don’t notice the differences. She stacks up the coffee cans as they go from 16 oz to 11 oz. At one point, Maxwell House says that while the size is going down, the potency is going up. “We’ve fluffed the beans!” they say. So then why do the instructions on the side of the can for the amount of coffee you use to make a perfect cup stay the same? Though we don’t really mourn for lost Maxwell House value, the example is illustrative of standard industry tactics, even on food that doesn’t taste like crap.
Starbucks delivered their new “healthy choices”…
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