What happened to Starbucks?

I don't think I've ever used this blog to gripe about something before. But there's always a first time, and sadly it's about a company that's always been near and dear to my heart. Starbucks.

I love cappuccino. So much so, in fact, that if there is nothing available but coffee I'll just have water. It all started when my former husband and I went to Italy in the early '80's and our dear friend Carlo Guidoni had a tray of cappuccino and croissants sent up to our room every day during our visit. I'd never tried cappuccino before, but boy, was I hooked after that!

When we returned to America I looked everywhere but there were no coffee bars like they have in Italy. So I bought my own cappuccino machine, which was my only source of cappuccino for years. Finally, I was happy to find a few small Italian places in Ft. Lauderdale.

Then one day, Starbucks appeared on the scene, and I was in Heaven! They, above all the other American coffee shops, really got it right. The atmosphere was great, and the cappuccino was perfect! I became Starbucks' biggest fan. If there was a Seattle's Best in the airport instead of a Starbucks, I would walk right past it, hop in a cab and go directly to the closest Starbucks. Same for Caribou Coffee, and (ugh!) Biggby Coffee. (Their cappuccino is really the pits. Sorry, I know they're from Michigan.)

I read Pour Your Heart Into It, the story of Starbucks by Howard Schultz, and enthused to all who knew me about how no one could compare to Starbucks. Only true "barristas" knew the difference between regular and slightly dry. I regularly bought the Starbucks gift cards and products. I loved Starbucks.

So it was only natural that I bought their Barrista machine. It was more economical and convenient to be able to make it at home. At $325, it was a bit expensive, but after all, it was Starbucks. The machine worked well for awhile, then just gave out. But, it had been 3-4 years and they are Starbucks. They had tons of credibility with me. So I gave it another try and bought the Sirena, which goes for more than $500. I figured if I moved up the scale I'd get a better working machine.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Soon after buying it, I began having problems. The blue light came on (which is supposed to signify low water) when the tank was full, and it just wouldn't work. I went back to the store, and was told they had nothing to do with the warranty after 30 days, so I had to call 1-800-starbuck. How inconvenient!

For awhile there it got so bad that, being a busy professional, I would actually send my clerk out to the local Starbucks to get my morning cappuccino! (I quickly wracked up over $100 on my Starbucks Gold card this way, I might add.) Except, the Starbucks near my office has barristas who were incompetent. Minutes after returning with the drink all the foam (which is the part I love) had fizzled out and I had...a cup of milky espresso.

My clerk managed to get around the water tank problem and I was in business again. Now, however, the filter basket has begun to leak. And the spigot that whips the milk into a froth, sometimes shoots the water out in pellets like a machine gun in the bottom of the frothing pitcher. All very frustrating.

There are still mornings when it works well, and there are Starbucks stores that make an absolutely phenomenal cup of cappuccino. But the quality isn't consistent, and the customer service on their products leaves much to be desired. Part of the Starbucks experience was that warm and fuzzy feeling that the company, right down to its stock holding barristas, were sharp and really cared about you. I regret to say that feeling is fading away.