Starbucks

I go to Starbucks for the consistency of my coffee drink, and they just couldn’t get it right at this location the day I visited, a rare situation for a Starbucks.
Messed up both of our drinks. After 2 attempts, I gave up, and got a refund.
Staffing the day we were here seemed to lean towards the newly hired. It was busy, but not super busy, it was manageable with the 4 – 5 workers (Saturday) they had, but it takes extra time when orders need to be redone.
No line at ordering, probably 10 – 15 people waiting for their drinks.

The oatmeal is less to be desired for, however, they still are doing good on the breakfast sandwich department. My drink was made to order and the lady at the til was super friendly in spite of having to deal with a diva customer in front of me. Baristas could work a little faster to get the line going, however, other than that this was okay.

Most time this shop is pretty good, but sometimes in break time like 11 am to 2 pm, or before work in the morning like before 8 am, its super busy at those time. If I go here in busy time, there are so many people wait in line for their coffees, there is not enough space for people to wait, and the wi-​fi is a little bit slow, and there is not enough chair for people to sit.
But the coffees in this shop such as cappuccino and Latte is so great, I this it is a little bit better than any other Starbucks in downtown, and the dessert is good as well.
So I like it!

Oatmeal review:
In my quest to avoid the gauntlet of breakfast sandwiches, I picked up an oatmeal from Starbucks. It was horrible! Hot water pour directly over a measly amount of steel-​cut oats. Fully hydrated, there was hardly a full cup of oatmeal, filling only half of the container. How misleading, since I ordered based on the size of the container. The ‘fruit and nut’ topping was a small packet of craisins and seeds — maybe a tablespoon’s worth, and the only flavour in the product. I was so unsatisfied, I ended up getting a breakfast sandwich from A&W anyways.
Went to Tim Hortons the next day. Their container was 50% bigger, and filled to the brim — basically 3Xs more oatmeal. Creamy, lightly sweetened, and topped with a generous amount of fresh berries. Same price, so much better. It’s a few more calories, but at least it tied me over until lunch.
Starbucks also fails in the bagel category. A cold, un-​toasted bagel and a packet of un-​spreadable cream cheese was another regret I will always have. Starbucks needs to stick to beverages and stop offering food products they are not sincere about.

Not my favorite Starbucks, more of a city urban feel. I like my Starbucks associates or partners to smile when they take my order or chat like the typical neighbourhood store.
Now one might say that it’s downtown, but the Bucks on the corner of Robson and Thurlow does just that. Urban Bucks with a neighbourhood feel, the folks great you, chat, smile and make it fun.
I only go to this location when I’m desperate and short for time before heading to my office.

My favorite location because its close to work and the staff are really nice and friendly. #30DaysOfYelp

Came here to pick up a free Refresher drink, and boy were they efficient. They brought out entire trays, each one carrying a dozen. There was a sizable lineup out front but the turnover was under 5 minutes. Beautiful.

The next instalment of my reviews of oatmeals:
Price was, I believe the Starbucks oatmeal was the costliest. It is watery, which is a detractor. I did get dried fruit and nuts, giving me a nice boost of carbs (albeit with added sugar, tsk tsk Starbucks) and some protein (yay, Starbucks).
The taste of the oatmeal is still really the same as all the others. I don’t really sense much of a difference between them all.
Of the three, Starbucks, McDonald’s and Tim Horton’s, the winner is really Starbucks for its added nuts and dried fruit. McDonald’s wins on its price.
My suggestion: buy one of those big bags of oatmeal and take some to work in a container. Add milk/​water and enjoy. Way less sodium and other non-​natural stuff in it.
Next possible challenge: the breakfast sandwich wars.

Convenient location, right by Burrard and Georgia.
The staff are efficient. If you know what you want, and if there’s no line, they pretty much have your drink out and ready before you know it.
This can be handy if you’re sitting in the passenger seat, scootin’ along in rush hour traffic. Hypothetically, you could hop out of your seat, run in and place your order, and be back in time for the driver to be positioned right in front of Starbucks.
That said, not sure about how to write a review for Starbucks, cause the core of their marketing strategy is location, right?

Geez its an expensive addiction, especially during the holidays!
The holiday drinks are such a treat, but a wallet sucker if you plan to have more than one a day! :(
It can get crowded, but then again which Starbucks doesn’t?
i do love the unlimited options they give their customers and I love the mugs.
why god why…

I have a personal rule to spend my coffee dollars at non-​starbucks cafes, but in downtown Vancouver I could only find Blendz Coffee, Tim Hortons and Starbucks… and only Starbucks had wifi.
Starbucks wins, I lose.
Wait…no…I’m actually glad I got Starbucked *Canadian style* because their baristas were super cheerful, they were hiring (which allowed me to fantasize about moving to Vancouver), and the hot vanilla latte with 2 pumps of vanilla was very tasty on a drizzly day. Anti-​Starbucks rules were meant to be broken I guess.

Today I used my birthday drink voucher to try one of the new frapps! Venti extra coffee caramel

Friday is my coffee day, the only day of the week where I indulge in the hot caffeinated beverage to wake me up. Today was a grande skinny cinnamon dolce latte sort-​of-​day. I used up one of my Xmas gift cards to pay for this little treat, so I was not as offended as I have been in the past for the re-​dink-​ulous amount they charge for a small cup of flavoured hot water. ($ 5.50 for a grande soy gingerbread latte?! Wtf?!)
The service today was so unbelievably fast that I was still standing at the counter with my mouth hanging open (yes, I am a mouth breather, just like Napoleon Dynamite) two minutes after they had called out my drink. I looked around… silence… no one else was waiting for anything, so I asked the lady behind the counter and I was amazed that it was mine. I thought there was no way that it could have been made so fast, when I have stood at the Starbucks by my house, (Cambie &18^th) for days waiting to be served and then waiting even longer to get my coffee. How is it that this little Starbucks could be in the middle of one of the busiest areas in downtown Vancouver and be so efficient? Perhaps after I finish my beverage of choice, and the little hamster in my brain starts running again, the answers will be clear.

New Drink Alert!
It is the apple chai! Originally, I wanted to get a caramel apple cider without the whip — but the whole effect is lost (since the whip is the best part). I didn’t want coffee so the barista suggested the apple chai… so I decided why not?
Boy was it yummy in my tummy. The drink was sweet with a hint of spice, which put away my cold shivers… Another awesome drink for my drink-​buds!