Posted by shaym at 4/10/08 4:20 p.m.

I am a Starbucks barista. I've been with the company for four years. YES. It was a huge pain in the rear to learn the lingo,but there is a rhyme and reason to it which isn't meant to be snobby or make customers feel dumb. They way we say the drinks coincides with the way the barista writes the cups, to make sure nothing is missed. That's why the person ringing calls it to the barista and the barista calls it back.
If a customer orders a drink in a different way, I never correct them, but if I'm ringing, or taking the order in drive through, I say it back the way I have been trained, to ensure the drink is made properly.
On a lighter note, my sister in law is so mortified of seeming stupid, that she always will call and ask how to order a new drink that she wants, to make sure she says it right. It's also a sense of pride for her to able to go into a Starbucks and order the drink like she is on the "inside".
It's no big deal, people shouldn't be intimidated by it. On the flip side, I totally panicked the other day when I went to a little coffee stand and wanted to be discreet and NOT SOUND LIKE a Starbucks barista when I ordered. It was hard to say "twelve ounce" instead of tall, and equally intimidating for me.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/10/08 4:39 p.m.

This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen in my life.

I wish you wouldn't have posted about it.

Posted by fletc3her at 4/10/08 4:40 p.m.

I can't see that Starbucks lingo is any more annoying than McDonalds. I recall Short and Tall being the traditional sizes for espresso drinks. At least these terms were used at many coffee chains other than Starbucks. They do make sense. A Short drink is one shot of espresso in an eight-ounce cup. A Tall drink is one shot of expresso in a twelve-ounce cup. This does contrast a bit with beverages like soda. The coffee drinks contain the same amount of caffeine while a larger soda contains more caffeine than a smaller soda.

Anyway, then we get Grande, two shots in a sixteen ounce cup, and Venti, which is getting kind of goofy, three shots in a twenty ounce cup.

Now, over at McDonalds we used to have small and large sodas. Then large was renamed medium and a new large was released. Then the super size was added above large. Then super size was renamed large and large was renamed medium, and medium was renamed small, and small was changed to the child size. Most of the fast food places have had a similar evolution.

Now what about the Double Big Gulp?! That's some unsnobby naming there.

Posted by fletc3her at 4/10/08 4:49 p.m.

My sister just reminded me of one time when we were in line at Wendy's in the drive thru. My mom was ordering some meals and the lady on the other end of the telecom asked if she wanted to "Biggie" size her meal. My mom lost it. She was laughing so hard she couldn't answer. The idea of "Biggie" sizing something just did her in. It was hilarious. I had to complete the order from the passenger size of the vehicle.

Biggie is no less goofy than Venti, but I don't hear people complain about it. And yet there are dozens of sites complaining about Starbuck's sizing. It's just stupid.

Posted by Hawksfan12 at 4/10/08 5:01 p.m.

I find the dunkin donuts ads a tad xenophopic. I see nothing wrong with Starbucks coffee.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/10/08 5:11 p.m.

-venti is actually two shots in a 20oz cup

Posted by unregistered user at 4/10/08 5:12 p.m.

At times it is.....I was behind a belvue barbie wannabe and she ordered a low flat carmel latte......Huh

Posted by Will in Seattle at 4/10/08 5:22 p.m.

Everyone knows Tim Horton's is the best. Or Peet's here in Seattle.

Posted by shaym at 4/10/08 5:42 p.m.

venti is is two shots in a 20 oz cup if it's hot. iced venti is three shots in a 24 oz cup.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/10/08 6:03 p.m.

I personally think that the Starbucks coffee lingo is fun! And it's amusing to think that a little coffee vendor from our own Pike Place Market grew up and stole these two fast-food giants' slice of the consumer coffee market.

I don't know if you remember this but before Starbucks showed up on the scene, the coffee these two food chains forced upon us was as bitter and weak as the ads they are now using in an attempt to gain that market share back.

Go Starbucks!

Sincerely,
JT
(a proud member of the coffee culture)

Posted by Onyotaka Lukwe at 4/10/08 7:03 p.m.

I can't see how being served coffee by Ronald McDonald can't possibly be construed as annoying, as well

Posted by unregistered user at 4/10/08 7:11 p.m.

The people taking orders at any coffee store understand me when I ask for a 1 or 2 shot espresso or a small, medium or large latte with how many shots I want. No special language is needed.

Posted by jope at 4/10/08 7:30 p.m.

Despite their attempts to upscale into the latte niche, whenever Dunkin Donuts is mentioned, the first and last thought that goes through my head whenever I hear their name is still "youtube.com/watch?v=iY0Ecn393qI"

Posted by jbottero at 4/10/08 10:54 p.m.

Of course no one here is going to admit to even considering coffee from McDonald's, this is the land of coffee snobs. But if the grounds are half decent, McDonald's will gain market share, Starbucks is without question overpriced. And please, skip the "barista" nonsense, Starbucks uses computerized machines, a chimp could work the machines at Starbucks, brewing their burnt beans into obscenely priced cups of snobbery.

Posted by zohan at 4/10/08 11:22 p.m.

The mega-merger between Dunkin' and They Might Be Giants is reason enough for me. Other hits: Alarm Clock Catastrophe, Karate Mom, and Freezing at Pee Wee Hockey. (Although I think the Starbuck's Chuck ad [the cheer section at the job interview] was clever in a non-snob way, too.)

Posted by zohan at 4/10/08 11:45 p.m.

Definitely non-snobby and just have to share (energy drink at Dunkin'):

[object width="425" height="355"][param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VzySzu1Zcu8&hl=en"][/param][param name="wmode" value="transparent"][/param][embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VzySzu1Zcu8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"][/embed][/object]

Posted by litlnemo at 4/11/08 1:23 a.m.

Short and Tall are not Starbucks-specific. Skip the Grande and Venti if you want, but Short and Tall are the normal names for the short and tall sizes at American espresso bars. Ordering a "small" sounds more pretentious to me: as if you're trying to be anti-Starbucks or something.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 2:40 a.m.

Starbucks is aspirational, and the names are part of the fun. McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts are, as nearly as I can tell, for people who have given up on both aspiration and taste buds. (Fun Fact: jetBlue currently serves Dunkin' Donuts "coffee," which means that people accustomed to *not* taking their caffeine in the form of Superman's urine are well-advised to carry a few Excedrin or BC powders on cross-country flights. Or, you know, hit the 24/7 Starbucks at the airport before you board. Five hours in flight is a long time to cope with the smell of coffee but no *access* to potable coffee.)

I've seen those commercials and wonder why anyone would want to give their money to businesses basically making the pitch that the customer is too stupid and/or tasteless to patronize nicer places, but then again I'm the one who saw the first "(whatever) For Dummies" on the shelves and couldn't believe anyone would actually buy books with pre-printed insults on the covers. Starbucks is friendly conversation, comfy seats and a tasty treat; McDonuts is rote service, plastic chairs and drive-thru-window utility beveraging. That some people prefer the latter way of life is their loss, not my problem.

Posted by jbottero at 4/11/08 2:44 a.m.

Typical snob nonsense from people addicted to brand names. You Coffee Snobs may turn your nose up at (gasp) Millstone or Kirkland's Best, but at least it's not over roasted and overpriced like your beloved Starbucks.

Posted by jbottero at 4/11/08 2:46 a.m.

Of course in a city where a "starter house" runs half a million, the price issue is no issue. But one would think you all would be able to tell the difference between good coffee and an over-hyped brand name.

Good grief.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 3:36 a.m.

j bottero is right!

first off... in a taste test of drip coffees, MCDONALDS WON!!

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/beverages/coffee-tea/coffee-taste-test-3-07/overview/0307_coffee_ov_1.htm

people want to think they're getting something special when they double yuppie soy chai, but all they're getting bad coffee flavored with ingredients that are probably just as fattening as a dunkin donut.

i have no loyalty to mcdonalds, dunkin donuts or starbucks, i just call it like i see it.

wake up and smell the donut

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 3:55 a.m.

aye aye.

i personally hate the starbucks lingo, but i cant blame the loyal customers- they dont know any better!

it's just frustrating when those customers come into my coffee shop and want "venti" (made up by starbucks) or a "macchiato" (starbucks doesnt actually serve a macchiato) or an "iced cappucinno" (uhh doesnt work) or even a "frappucinno". but heck, these poor people just dont know any better and i hate to make them feel stupid. so i guess you've just got to spread the knowledge.

my personal pet peeve about the "lingo" is not the actual lingo, but how many options starbucks decided to give people. milk options should be: 2%, nonfat, soy and rice. flavors/addins: caramel, chocolate, honey, sugar, cinnamon, hazlenut.

cut everything else out!

Posted by ldrider51 at 4/11/08 6:39 a.m.

Starbucks, like other successfull companies, has become the "one to hate."

It's been a long time since I've seen a Dunkin' Donuts that looked clean enough to walk into.

I'll buy coffee anywhere, doesn't matter to me, as long as it tastes OK. Do wish Charbucks would back off the roast a bit.

LD

Posted by touchthemic at 4/11/08 6:40 a.m.

When I originally saw the DD commercials, I laughed a bit. But after severals viewings I felt that DD was telling Americans that they have little confidence in our intelligence as a consumer and I started to feel insulted. "Why can't I, no why shouldn't I learn something new." I think DD envisions dimwitted, obese Americans to walk into a franchise and point to their donut and drink of choice as if their mouths were already stuffed with something. The fatties at my local DD's seem like their to preoccupied with deciding over chocolate creme or boston creme to figure out what they are washing it down with.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 6:45 a.m.

Someone mentioned Tim Horton's which I visited once in Vancouver. The coffee wasn't memorable, and my sandwich was a throwback to the white bread/Wonder bread nightmare of the 1950s. I needed a magnifying glass to find any filling inside. Although the chain is highly touted in BC and I travel there about six times a year, I take my coffe and meals elsewhere.

Posted by PatBateman at 4/11/08 7:15 a.m.

I would like a McSmall McCaffe, a McRib with McSauce, and some McChicken McNuggets.

I'll take snobby over embarrassing any day of the week. That said, I buy coffee from coffee shops, not donut places and especially not burger stands. McDonald's and Dunkin' are just revealing their insecurity that their brands do not represent premium coffee, and they never, ever will. I don't think Starbucks is all that great, but at least their brand means coffee. Oh, and they're nice to have whenever you're outside of Seattle.

Posted by Felon for Rossi at 4/11/08 8:05 a.m.

Dunkin Donuts has the best coffee period. When I am forced to go into Starbucks I always tell the clerk "large coffee, regular". Of course we then argue for 5 minutes what that means and they still don't put sugar and cream in it. Dunky's clerks speak Spanish but don't turn their menu into it and will gladly put the cream and sugar in your coffee, add a cover and charge half the price. Plus they have the big sizes like 24 and 32 oz which Starbucks don't....

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 8:37 a.m.

I get my coffee at 7-11. I fix it myself, it's half the price, I don't have to wait, and I don't have to talk to anybody. It's a win-win-win-win.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 8:38 a.m.

Starbucks has nothing to do with snobbery. Eating at McDonalds is fine if that's all you can afford. Nobody would CHOOSE to eat at McDonalds if they could afford to eat at say the Red Mill inn or someplace that serves real burgers. I'm on food stamps and I wouldn't eat at McDonalds under any conditions. It's much healthier to dumpster dive than eat there. Honestly. NOBODY should push McDonalds. Bad food that is bad for you. Starbucks is just overpriced coffee and if you make it at home it's about 35 cents per cup... pretty good price and your not supporting the "Further Piggening of America"...

Poor, non-fat, percolating starving artist

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 8:42 a.m.

Starbucks specializes in MILK based drinks even though they would have you believe that they are in the coffee business...DUNKIN is the only true coffee based business...they perfected coffee...starbucks proves if you add enough steamed milk to anything it can be palatable but lets face it NO ONE wants a cup of coffee from them..

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 8:44 a.m.

No. Espresso originated in Italy, and Starbucks attempts to be consistent with what you will get anywhere in the world. Note though that a with a caramel macchiato, the caramel is the "macchiato" and not the milk.

Posted by Stuartsw at 4/11/08 8:54 a.m.

It's aaaall about branding, folks. The talk is only annoying to people who really don't want an espresso drink. Starbucks has moved far from its espresso roots. A real espresso drinker doesn't get a low-fat, no-whip mocha Frapp.
I've had non-Star baristas look at me funny and correct me when I order in StarTalk. Counter people at Starbucks might repeat your order to the barista differently, but they never put you down for not speaking their corporate language.
P.S. I HATE Starbucks espresso, but you can't beat the availability.

Posted by DL Byron at 4/11/08 8:56 a.m.

Robots despite recent advancements, don't make a good espresso -- they make a consistent espresso. In ABCNews feature on Shultz, he said that the fast-food chain's coffee was swill; that arrogance is what's driving Starbuck's front in the coffee wars and I think telling.

Posted by taint at 4/11/08 9:24 a.m.

no matter where i go to get a cup i order a small/medium/large. if they have a problem with that then they can show me the cups and i can point...i'm not using their nonsensensical made up words. i just want a hot cup of joe, y'know?

Posted by ozmafan at 4/11/08 9:28 a.m.

I saw the new McDonald's commercial and thought huh? People think Starbuck's is snobby? Maybe I've been in Seattle too long, but I really don't think that the lack of snobbiness that McDonald's is advertising is going to drive people into their stores. It might be that their drinks are less expensive, but not less snobby. I'd actually be more intimidated to order espresso at McDonald's than at Starbucks...

Posted by Rafael at 4/11/08 9:35 a.m.

Sorry to burst anyones bubble, but Starbucks doesn't employ baristas: From wikipedia:

"When using the term in English jargon, 'barista' refers to one who has acquired some level of expertise in the preparation of espresso-based coffee drinks"

Pushing a button on a machine that dispenses watery dreck does not qualify one to be a barista.

If Howard Schultz wants to know what went wrong with Starbucks, all he needs to do is visit The FareStart Café @ 2100, located at 2100 24th Ave. South just off Rainier Avenue.

The cafe trains baristas using donated Starbucks coffee using actual burr grinders and a real espresso machine, and the difference between an espresso served there and one served down the street at the genuine Starbucks outlet at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rainier is like night and day.

But the secret to Starbucks isn't good coffee: they abandoned that concept years ago when they first expanded out of state. The goal now is a consistent experience, bad as it is, at any of their outlets.

Posted by stam at 4/11/08 9:39 a.m.

I agree with Stuartsw. I never go to Starbucks unless I'm travelling in Folgers' country where they look at me and say "expresso?" After a few days without any coffee, even a $4 SBUX tastes great.

Posted by SeattleRaven at 4/11/08 9:50 a.m.

Sigh. When I go somewhere, I will use the terms on their menu. Starbucks=venti. Senseo unico=Venti (yet nearly half the size) 7-11=Large. Worse comes to worse, most of those chalk-drawn menus say what size is how many oz, so you can always say, "I want the 20oz---".

Coffee, however... I am a self-avowed tea snob. Coffee, to me, is only drinkable when it IS flavored and creamed enough to not taste so much like coffee and basically be my ingestion of caffiene and sugar for the day. (I don't drink sodas) Yet, having had coffee drinks at the Tim Horton's up in Van in Burnaby and near Guilford town centre, there is NO comparison. Even un-coffee-cultured I can tell the taste isn't faintly burnt or stale like a lot of places down here.

And McD's doesn't have decent coffee. Watch the supplies. It's Tully's, and even I think that stuff tastes like heck.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 10:02 a.m.

I've never seen the Dunkin Donuts commercial before. It certainly makes their average customer look pretty dumb.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 10:32 a.m.

"When I originally saw the DD commercials, I laughed a bit. But after severals viewings I felt that DD was telling Americans that they have little confidence in our intelligence as a consumer and I started to feel insulted"

Sorry to tell you but Americans aren't that educated and they will become easily confused. Most people can't even tell well Europe is or South America.

Posted by dawgh8ter at 4/11/08 10:58 a.m.

I think Starbucks jumped the shark with the Venti. A Big Gulp coffee for almost $5. God who can stomach that much milk or coffee before it goes cold? Then, over-expansion, poor QC on personnel, diluted branding (Starbuck record label, anyone? WTF?), and I swear lower-quality coffee. I drive by 10 shops on the way to work (not including the 15 in grocery or department stores) and I can't be bothered.

You can't have ubiquity, quality, and exclusivity at once, Starbucks. I do like that they brought quality coffee into the mainstream. In great part to them I can get 6 different decent brands at the grocery store. I make my own coffee, and it's never been better. So, thanks for that, anyway. Oh, and thanks that I can get a good cup with my Big Mac, too.

Posted by BIS at 4/11/08 12:58 p.m.

First off, I'm not a coffee or food snob by anymeans. However, like I always tell my lady, life is too short for bad food(drink). Starbucks isn't the best coffee out there, but it's not terrible either. I go their because you always know what you're going to get - taste wise. When you go to some of the local coffee joints let's just say some are really good but not alwys consistant in taste. Other coffee joints sometimes you get a real big suprise. By suprise I don't mean a pleasant suprise either.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 1:38 p.m.

Its clear that DD and McDonalds have realized that they cant compete on the coffee, Starbucks is way superior. Instead they they both go after lame non issues like Starbucks lingo..which lets face it, is not half as challenging on cultish as its made out to be.

Posted by Dawgboy at 4/11/08 2:20 p.m.

#116915Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 1:38 p.m.

Its clear that DD and McDonalds have realized that they cant compete on the coffee, Starbucks is way superior. Instead they they both go after lame non issues like Starbucks lingo..which lets face it, is not half as challenging on cultish as its made out to be.


Funny, Howard things he's in a do-or-die war with DD and McD. Are you saying Howard has nothing to worry about?

Posted by Onyotaka Lukwe at 4/11/08 5:09 p.m.

Fair Trade beans from trader joe's

Old popcorn popper

Value Village coffee grinder

Newspaper

All you need

Posted by jbottero at 4/11/08 6:01 p.m.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/11/08 1:38 p.m.

Its clear that DD and McDonalds have realized that they cant compete on the coffee, Starbucks is way superior.

I'm sorry, what? That's just way too much! Over-roasted, over priced, made by robots that spew out mediocrity. Please, feel free to flame McDonald's, but do try some coffee from a REAL coffee shop, which is not Starbucks. Even Tully's beats Starbucks.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/12/08 3:37 p.m.

So they think Latte is English...

Posted by unregistered user at 4/13/08 10:23 a.m.

That Dunkin Donuts commercial is giving the message that Dunkin Donuts customers are too stupid to learn and use new words. It also confirms the stereotype that we Americans are too stupid to learn foreign languages.

IMO, Dunkin Donuts screwed up on this one, it's pretty insulting actually.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/13/08 11:14 a.m.

This topic is fueled by the marketing of DD & McD that suggests coffee drinkers are not able to adopt the language of the Italian heritage of espresso. To suggest that Starbucks should "Americanize" its beverage names would be no different than suggesting that Italian restaurants "Americanize" the names of their dishes. Most people I know enjoy experiencing food and beverages of world-wide cultures. That's why we have so much diversity in our dining choices. Why should Starbucks be cast differently? I applaud Starbucks elevating the quality level of coffee we can enjoy, and the names come with the territory.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/13/08 7:59 p.m.

i think these commercials from mcd's and DD are ridiculous, and they make their own customers look stupid. seriously. how hard is it to say "grande"? i've never had a barista at starbucks not make my drink because i ordered a medium latte. so if someone can't say "grande", just order it medium - they'll still make you your drink.

mcd's and DD are still calling it "espresso" and "latte"! it's part of the language, duh. starbucks was inspired by italian coffeeshops, no? mcd's and DD can't say the same. they were just inspired by the money starbucks was making and wanted a piece of it.

the only POTENTIALLY difficult word to say on the menu is "macchiato". that's it. to say that ordering at sbux is too difficult is to say, "hey, you're too stupid to say 2 syllable words at starbucks, so come to our place so you can just say "large"." whatever.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/14/08 8:25 a.m.

I would like to defend Starbucks, but lately it is not clear that their product is much different from McD. If you have been going to Starbucks for years, you should notice a trend. At one point, coffee was center stage. Now, many times, they are out of brewed coffee and are completely shocked if you don't order one of their glorified milkshakes. When they added egg McMuffins, I knew we were in trouble. The snobbery doesn't necessarily offend me, but the pretense of quality against the reality of mediocrity does. Starbucks needs to get back to their roots!
Chris

Posted by Dawgboy at 4/14/08 11:25 a.m.

i think these commercials from mcd's and DD are ridiculous, and they make their own customers look stupid. seriously. how hard is it to say "grande"? i've never had a barista at starbucks not make my drink because i ordered a medium latte. so if someone can't say "grande", just order it medium - they'll still make you your drink.

Typical snooty SBUX drinker. Or "partner."

mcd's and DD are still calling it "espresso" and "latte"! it's part of the language, duh. starbucks was inspired by italian coffeeshops, no? mcd's and DD can't say the same. they were just inspired by the money starbucks was making and wanted a piece of it.

Welcome to capitalism. Are you saying SBUX doesn't care about making money like DD and McD? How unAmerican of them.

the only POTENTIALLY difficult word to say on the menu is "macchiato". that's it. to say that ordering at sbux is too difficult is to say, "hey, you're too stupid to say 2 syllable words at starbucks, so come to our place so you can just say "large"." whatever.


SBUX was inspired by snooty coffee shopts in Italy and Italian coffee drinkers who look down at SBUX in general? Guess it was the money after all.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/20/08 6:15 p.m.

Did you know that espresso is a SWEET drink (w/o sugar). SBUX will not pass that test. Try the non-chain coffee shop around the corner that has a real Barista and lower prices but is struggling because of the amount of money that SBUX can use on marketing. And BTW, the WiFi is probably FREE and easy to access.

Posted by unregistered user at 4/26/08 7:15 p.m.

I wouldn't have a problem with Starbucks and their "cultured" lingo except for the fact that Starbucks isn't from anywhere near Italy. It's a Seattle chain. Yet it acts like it's an Italian transplant. Come on. It infused itself with fake culture. It's an American brand that's obviously trying to snob it up. Then it names itself "Starbucks" oh HOW cultured.

That could just be me being "reasonable" again.

Posted by unregistered user at 6/18/08 1:14 p.m.

I admit to being a coffee snob, yes, but it's hard to go back to McDonald's coffee after living in Venice and Biella! Mostly I make my own now, because Starbucks isn't even close either, and NOBODY seems to make bicerins! It's really very depressing when you think about it. So no, the language doesn't bother me.