Starbucks used to be one of the most popular coffee house chains in the world—I’m old enough to remember when they still had real couches, and if you were staying in to lounge on those couches, you’d get your coffee in an actual mug instead of a to-go cup. The entire business plan of creating a warm, cozy third space for people to spend time in has gone out of the window, but the company is making moves to get back to what it was once famous for. “While we’re making good progress, there is much more to do to build a better, stronger, and more resilient Starbucks,” CEO Brian Niccol said in a recent statement. These changes can’t come too soon: Starbucks customers are furious about the direction the company has taken over the years and made their opinions known. Here are five major complaints long-time fans have with the chain.
Unfriendly Interiors
conniej238/Tripadvisor
Starbucks customers are fed up with the cold, unfriendly interiors. “They do it to get people in and out as quickly as possible. It’s all about profits for them. It hasn’t felt like a real cafe for years now,” one customer complained. The chain is actually making an effort to redo the interiors to make them more welcoming, and locations where that isn’t possible are being shut down.
Terrible Music
Shutterstock
Starbucks employees say they have no control over the playlist, or ability to turn it off, and customers say they leave early to avoid listening to it. “Is that the purpose of the violin cover songs playing nonstop, with no way to permanently switch away from the playlist? I was convinced Starbucks was trolling us baristas. Glad to know it’s a universal experience,” one Redditor said.
Long Waits
Sorbis / Shutterstock
Mobile orders are apparently causing super long wait times. “My mobile order is never ready when I order and get there at the time it’s supposed to be. I always end up waiting 5-10 minutes past the time to get my order,” one customer said.
High Prices
Shutterstock
Many customers say they can’t justify paying high prices for coffee anymore. I used to scoff at people who said Starbucks was too expensive. I went all the time with my own mug and ordered a single shot of espresso for less than $1,” one Redditor said. “I had a gift card so I went the other day and the same single shot of espresso, nothing added, was $2.50. I had to finish the gift card so I went back and got a regular drip coffee in my own mug, plus a small breakfast sandwich. It cost more than my gift card, so more than $10! That’s insane. Even my local bougie coffeeshop is less than $2 for a drip coffee. For that price I could get an actual breakfast.”
Inconsistency With Quality
Shutterstock
Not only are the prices too high, but there is wild inconsistency for quality control. “The standards and consistency across the board have declined,” one customer said. “I travel a decent amount and the variations in drinks from ordering just a nitro with sweet cream is pretty funny.”
