[Mara]

well, they say it is. Personally, I find it undrinkable black, which is the true test of a good coffee in that it is delicious black; if it needs cream or sugar or weird flavorings added, it's bad coffee. Practically no one drinks starbucks coffee without heavily doctoring it, so I suspect most people don't like the way it tastes.

That's my test as well. I will very often put half-n-half in my coffee just because I feel like it or (most likely) because the coffee is super hot and I don't want to wait to drink it. A couple shots of cream cools it down to the drinkable point.

But I don't want to HAVE to put stuff in my coffee. I'd better be able to drink it black without making faces if I so choose.

[PeteyPie]

I too, find that I don't care for Starbucks without a lot of cream and sugar. The last time I was there, I ordered a drip coffee medium roast. It was the first time trying this, because I always order dark roast. What a revelation! It was SO much better than the dark roast!

[danceronice]

well, they say it is. Personally, I find it undrinkable black, which is the true test of a good coffee in that it is delicious black; if it needs cream or sugar or weird flavorings added, it's bad coffee. Practically no one drinks starbucks coffee without heavily doctoring it, so I suspect most people don't like the way it tastes.

Uh, I put cream in it. (Or milk, if I'm being good.) I think that people's real problem is it's much too intense (a couple of their blends cross the line from acid to bitter for me) and people are used to really weak coffee.

You can, in fact, brew coffee at home.... It's remarkable really.

My main point, which is apparently lost, is that you and lots of other folks have been conned into driving to a separate store to buy coffee. You have been conned into paying much,much, much more than it should/could cost you to drink coffee. You've been sold a bill of 'cool' that it's a necessary part of the modern wardrobe to be carrying around a brand named cup of coffee.

Or we don't want to pay umpteen bucks for a single-cup coffee maker (and French presses aren't actually as good, and have actually been shown to have more of the less-beneficial chemicals in coffee than drip-brewed or percolated), and don't always feel like brewing an entire pot for one person, or just want a better cup of coffee than they get at home on their way to work, or are driving (the #1 time I get McD's), or they want to go use the free wifi at SBUX, or want to sit somewhere and have a cup of coffee.

I know the OP of the thread was being rather light hearted about it. But really it's not that lighthearted when you think of the billions spent on 'gourmet/take out' coffee that could be spent on, I dunno, health care, etc.

That's rich on THIS forum. When you think of the thousands members on here waste on $200 breeches, $4000 saddles, and five-figure horses, when it's perfectly legal to buy the much less expensive alternatives that are readily available and no one NEEDS any of those, you could find a lot more to save on than a $3 cup of coffee if you're going to criticize people for wasting discretionary income. If you took what people flushed down the toilet on rated shows and horses around here, you could supply health care to a LOT of people.

I think I'll go out of my way in the car tomorrow to try the new place that just opened in town (was going to anyway, the owner's the mother of one of our servers, but I had been planning to walk.) I usually don't make a special trip for coffee, but just for you.

[Windsor1]

My main point, which is apparently lost, is that you and lots of other folks have been conned into driving to a separate store to buy coffee. You have been conned into paying much,much, much more than it should/could cost you to drink coffee. You've been sold a bill of 'cool' that it's a necessary part of the modern wardrobe to be carrying around a brand named cup of coffee.

Right, so you really weren't "kidding" at all originally.

Who died and made you the arbiter of what everyone else should and shouldn't buy?

For a woman, you've got some balls. One of the more arrogant, self-righteous and presumptuous posts I've ever read on any forum.

[Isabeau Z Solace]

Right, so you really weren't "kidding" at all originally.

Who died and made you the arbiter of what everyone else should and shouldn't buy?

For a woman, you've got some balls. One of the more arrogant, self-righteous and presumptuous posts I've ever read on any forum.

I do believe the appropriate phrase is "brass ovaries."

[War Admiral]

I agree with Isabeau, frankly. I come from a college town which has always been blessed with FABULOUS mom-and-pop coffee shops and no one except cityfied fashion victims and college freshmen who don't know any better yet frequents either Starbucks or Dunkin'. They all soon see the light. Better coffee and less corporate environment at a fraction of the price!

Now that I no longer live there, I have definitely developed a Keurig's addiction. My law firm just got a Keurig and I'm getting really spoiled working there!

[Windsor1]

I do believe the appropriate phrase is "brass ovaries."

I think yours might be titanium!!

[Windsor1]

They all soon see the light. Better coffee and less corporate environment at a fraction of the price!

Like I said earlier, I LOVE Dunkin's coffee, and DISLIKE the coffee at the popular locally owned place within walking distance. Not to mention that when I was rushing to work in the mornings, there was no "mom-and-pop" coffee shop between my apartment and I-95. For me, Dunkin' was both on my way/convenient AND delicious. And I wasn't going there for the atmosphere, corporate or otherwise.

I'm all about supporting the locals. But not when I think their product is inferior.

Oh, and I live in a college town myself.

[Heinz 57]

Y'all just reminded me.

Allan Bros is my closet favorite. It's too spendy for me, so only a few times a year do I go there.