Branching Out

I have decided that senile rants on crappy customer service might be getting a little tiresome, so I will henceforth be branching out on other blogworthy subjects.

As you know, we are very much a copycat nation, with everyone copying the latest trends regarding everything from handbags to automobiles. This occurred to me while watching TV, as it struck me that commercials on televison now almost always fall into one of two categories. The first category is the commercial that makes no sense and leaves you wondering, "what the heck was that all about and what does it have to do with the product they want us to buy?" The second category is the commercial featuring talking animals, which is definitely the new rage. In fact, I predict that before long every single commercial will feature a talking animal and will make no sense.

Starbucks Misadventure #1

After my morning bike ride to work in Oakland, I usually stop at Caribou Coffee for a coffee and a little bite to eat. I prefer Caribou over Starbucks because 1) they have better air conditioning at Caribou, 2) it's usually less crowded at Caribou, and 3) I just hate Starbucks. Unfortunately, for some reason the line at Caribou was really long this morning so I headed over to the Starbucks across the street. Sure enough, the air conditioning was tepid. And wouldn't you know, they totally forgot my iced coffee order. I think the baristas are so focused on the fancy half caf mocha choca ya-ya drinks (sorry - I am plagiarizing from a Jerry Seinfeld routine), that when a simple iced coffee is ordered, it just doesn't register. And also pissing me off was the fact that an iced coffee, pastry, and newspaper at Starbucks cost about $1.50 more than at Caribou!

Starbucks Misadventure #2

I normally avoid Starbucks like the plague, but while in Somerset recently I had an uncontrollable urge for iced coffee, so I was forced to pay a visit. There's one in Somerset right off the turnpike exit. So I walk in and I notice that they have no prices posted for either hot coffee or iced coffee. When I bring this to their attention, they just say that they only put up the signs with the items and prices that Starbucks Central ships to them. This I figure is just a lame excuse for laziness or inattention to detail, or both, so my visit is not getting off to a promising start.

I then order my grande iced coffee and they ask me the usual (sweetened or unsweetened, room for cream?). I answer unsweetened and room for cream, please. So when I get my beverage, they have already added the cream! I mean what is this, Dunkin Donuts? They seemed to be totally nonplussed (I always have wanted to use that word) when I told them they're not supposed to put the cream in. Anyway, if you happen to visit the Starbucks in Somerset, PA be prepared for some surprises.