Random Starbucks review

After finding a blog devoted entirely to donuts in NYC, I got to thinking that there's not really any one food / food-type item that I purchase regularly.

And then I remembered Starbucks. We are (unfortunately?) Starbucks devotees in our house. We go to Starbucks far more often than I'm even willing to admit though I will 'fess up to changing up *which* Starbucks I'm going to if I think I've been to one often enough recently that the employees will think it's weird. Which is probably weirder on my part.

And we typically order EXACTLY the same thing when we go. Slight change-up with warm weather here now - I order my summer beverage now. But everyone else in the fam still gets the same (and I feel like we're very high maintenance but have been told that we're really not). And I do mean *everyone* in the fam - my 2yo gets all excited when we stop at Starbucks and it's not for a kiddie drink. Except for the extra extra whipped cream.

But I realized I have enough Starbucks experience under my belt now that I have some definite opinions on particular locations and Starbucks in general. So I thought I would share.

Starbucks in general:
Where do they train these people? Whoever created their training program - I hope you get a big-*ss bonus every year because customer service is almost annoyingly top-notch. I have yet to go to a Starbucks (except perhaps downtown Chicago and that's been a while) that doesn't have the friendliest / perkiest / most social employees *ever.* They want to know how I am. All of them. They want to make jokes with me. They frequently tell me what's going on with them - memorable moment at the Starbucks in Oswego (IL) - the guy at the window (yes, I'm mainly a drivethru girl) told me that working at Starbucks was his dream job and he'd asked for his first job application at age 12 and now that he was 16 he was thrilled to be working at a Starbucks. And they never question my asking for tall drinks in grande cups with lots and lots of whipped cream - and sometimes they put grande drinks in venti cups and only charge me for tall.

I guess I should have a ratings scale if I'm going to review these places - let's say cups out of four.

Starbucks 1 - Aurora, IL, corner of Ogden and Eola:
Closest to my house. Lovely location. Very good drinks every time. Never made a mistake (of course, they've also not been open for long). Weird guy at the window once made a joke that didn't make a lot of sense and then tried to cover for himself. Good frappucinos.
Above average frequency of being out of decaf mocha frappucino base.
Rating: 3.5 cups.

Starbucks 2 - Aurora, IL, New York & Asbury:
First to open at a convenient to my house location so it's a sentimental favorite. Generally very quick service and probably the most friendly around. Periodically out of the decaf mocha frap base. More often than other locations will give my kids a larger drink for the price of the smaller one. Rarely will screw up the soy order. Tables inside sometimes dirty. Not enough seating inside.
Rating: 3.5 cups.

Starbucks 3 - Naperville, IL, North Aurora Road by the train station:
I was pretty psyched when this one opened up because it was a drivethru convenient to the tollway. Not one of my favorites, though. Slow service about half the time - especially if you go inside, then the service can make you think they had to go roast the beans first. Drinks are always good though.
Rating: 3 cups

Starbucks 4 - Naperville, IL, 75th Street near Plainfield Road:
One of the oldest around here. Consistently good though the drivethrough is pretty much always busy and that can slow you down. Not the friendliest crew (not unfriendly but nothing special). Used to be a favorite but not as convenient for me now. Recently redone interior is very cozy.
Rating: 3 cups

Starbucks 5 - Naperville, IL, 7th Street by Costco:
Another one of those locations that had me really psyched. Not worth it. Never had a good frappucino there - the ice chunks are straw-blockers. Other drinks are only average. Service isn't good enough to make up for the fact that the drinks are better elsewhere. In fact, I always wish I had gone elsewhere when I do go there. You'd think I would learn.
Rating: 1.5 cups

Starbucks 6 - Plainfield, IL, Route 59 and 127th:
Consistently good, very friendly, not the easiest parking lot arrangement. Probably one of the best that we frequent. They don't mess up orders and sometimes upgrade.
Rating: 3.5 cups

Starbucks 7 - Aurora, IL, Orchard Road and Indian Trail:
Very good frappucinos; not the best of the best service but above average. Convenient to west Aurora and not much else.
Rating: 3 cups

Starbucks 8 - Oswego, IL, Route 34 near Douglas:
Probably the most anticipated of the many that have opened here in the last few years. We were so excited about it, we stopped as soon as it looked like it was open only to find that it wasn't *actually* open but they were opening the next day. I felt rather stupid and Peyton was pretty disappointed that he didn't get his mocha frappucino. As I shop a lot in Oswego, I go here . . . A LOT. Comfortable inside, very friendly people, excellent drinks. Quick service, inside and out. For some reason, the trash can is *always* full, even first thing in the morning. Somebody empty it!
Rating: 3.5 cups

Starbucks 9 - Shorewood, IL, somewhere near Theodore:
I've only been here once and I found it only because I figured with all the new development, there simply had to be a Starbucks in that area. Slow slow slow. It took us almost 25 minutes in the drivethru with about 3 cars ahead of us. Did I also say it was slow? It was out of our way and I won't do it again unless it's my only choice and I'm desperate for a frappucino or latte. BTW, it was really slow.
Rating: 2 cups

Starbucks 10 - Naperville, IL, Downtown, near Chicago and Washington:
Incredibly friendly service. Order was more complicated than usual (with food and a need for separate bags) and they figured it all out for me nicely and were even sweet about my 2yo being a bit of a terrorist. Complimented my eldest on no cavities at the dentist which came up as that was part of our reason for going there. More inconvenient than most since parking s*cks a big one there and there's a mini-Starbucks in the B&N across the street. But I still like it.
Rating: 3 cups

Starbucks 11 - Naperville, IL, in the SuperTarget:
I don't go here very often since I'm not willing to shop with a 2yo who wants to walk *and* have his own mocha frappucino. And I typically don't go to the instore ones since they don't carry the decaf mocha frap base; however, the one time I did ask, one lady actually knew how to mock one up and that totally impressed me. So I would be willing to try it again and it scored points for good training or at least good innovation and creativity.
Rating: 3 cups


Can't think of any others around here that we frequent but here are a few we've found on our travels:

Vacation Starbucks 1 - Sedona, AZ, The Shoppes at Pinon Pointe:
By the end of our week there, they knew when my husband walked through the door what he was going to order. Very friendly, sympathetic (we went there right after a really bad experience at a nearby restaurant and sympathetic is the best word to describe their response), consistently good. Or maybe it's just that a latte on vacation tastes even better than one at home?
Rating: 3.5 cups

Vacation Starbucks 2 - Camp Verde, AZ, I-17 and Hwy 260:
Slow but it could have just been the time of day. Our second visit there, the poor kid behind the counter was new and ended up not charging me for most of my order - I think I paid $11 for 4 drinks, two pieces of bread, a donut, and piece of coffee cake. So I have a bit of a soft spot for them. Probably won't be so lucky next time but I would definitely go back. It was all good.
Rating: 3 cups

Vacation Starbucks 3 - Avon, CO:
Slow, but they're usually very busy. Consistently made small mistakes. Friendly but not exuberant. Would go back if I was there again but only because it's the only Starbucks anywhere around.
Rating: 2.5 cups

Vacation Starbucks 4 - Breckenridge, CO:
Cute old building right in the middle of town. No drivethru but that's not the point in Breck. Always good and friendly and they happily recommend food items if you're browsing. Of course, I was also preggers and looking for chocolate, too. :)
Rating: 3 cups

Vacation Starbucks 5 - Frisco, CO:
No drivethru. Pretty quick for a first thing in the morning visit. Very good.
Rating: 3 cups

Vacation Starbucks 6 - Forest Lake, MN (I think):
It's the only Starbucks between the north side of the Twin Cities area and Duluth and as we weren't going to Duluth and hadn't stopped in the Twin Cities, we were pretty desperate. There's a great billboard on the side of I-35 that tells you to get ready for it and that's what we did. Not particularly convenient to the highway and they blew the soy order so Fiore didn't even get a drink. But we'd go back, if only because it's the only one available.
Rating: 2.5 cups


I'm sure there are others but I've been at this awhile and find it a little disturbing that I go to Starbucks so often. Probably not disturbing enough to stop though.