Business – Today, Starbucks wins

In for my morning coffee “tall” [small] coffee and newspaper at Starbucks.

Number One – NO NEW YORK TIMES!  It is now 50/50 whether they will have the Times in the morning.  Come on, I’m a senior citizen, and I have to walk all the way across the street to CVS  to buy the Times.

Actually, I don’t blame Starbucks for not having the paper.  Fewer and fewer people are buying printed newspapers.  Paper newspapers are expensive to produce.  So, each month, fewer NYTs are delivered  to coffee shops and newsstands.  Actually, The NYT wants you to download the paper to your iPad or laptop and “Go Green” save the trees [and their fast sinking bottom line].

I don’t blame Starbucks – yet.

I order my standard tall Pike Roast. 

Pike Roast is the Starbuck’s “we always have it” standard coffee.

“Sorry, no Pike Roast.”

 I ask, “Pike Roast is the coffee you always have but you don’t have it.”  And, I couldn’t resist, “And, you don’t have any New York Times either.”

For some reason, my soft voice and calm  martial arts master demeanor attracts the manager,

“Sir, would you like a machiado subaru???”  Or some other made up pretentious coffee name I don’t recognize.

I politely say, “No, thank you.  I want the coffee you always have expect when you don’t have it.”

The manager could  have thought and prayed, “It’s going to be a  long day, please, Lord, save me from this old jerk.”

However, I don’t believe she did think harshly of me. 

She made a second try, “Would you like to try our new Marichino pomagranito??? – complimentary?”

I like the word “complimentary” because it means FREE.

Still, I am spoiled, “No, thank you, I don’t know what that is.  I wanted the Pike Roast.”

As I start to turn and walk out, she made a third attempt, “I can brew a new pot of Pike Roast in five minutes.”

I said, “No, but thanks, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

The fourth attempt got me, “Come on, five minutes and I won’t charge you.”

Starbucks wins. 

Starbucks is lucky to have this young woman as the store manager.  She persisted to victory.

Five minutes later, I have my delicious hot tall Pike Roast but I can’t get to the milk dispenser because it is being blocked by these two inconsiderate women pushing a baby carriage.  But, that’s enough complaining for today.