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The Starbucks debate: Are fancy coffees just too complicated?
By Hannah Thomas on Friday 20 August 2010
Lynne Rosenthal, a literature professor at New York’s Mercy College, caused a stir this week when she was thrown out of a branch of Starbucks in Manhattan’s Upper West Side after arguing with staff over a bagel.
Professor Rosenthal went into the coffee shop chain and ordered a 'plain bagel', but soon became enraged when an employee repeatedly insisted she clarify whether or not she wanted it 'without butter and cheese.'
'I yelled, "I want my multi-grain bagel!'' Ms Rosenthal explained.
'The barista said: "You're not going to get anything unless you say butter or cheese.'
The Professor was concequently asked to leave the branch after the argument escalated, narrowly escaping arrest after three policemen were called to the scene.
‘When you go to burger king, you don’t list the six things you don’t want,’ Lynne told the New York Post.
‘Linguistically it is stupid, and I’m a stickler for correct English,’ she added.
The Economist heavily attacked Professor Rosenthal, claiming that her position was verging on insanity.
‘Most twenty-first century Americans understand that when ordering quick take-out food at a counter, you will often be asked if you want various options. This is not limited to Starbucks,’ the article read.
But it seems it is not just Professor Rosenthal who has become frustrated with what she calls the chain’s ‘linguistic fascism’.
Customer Gary Pretsfelder said he refuses to use Starbucks language on principle, ordering a medium tea instead of using the term grande.
Rick Angelastro, another religious customer of the famous coffee house, said that although the constant questions can be frustrating, he couldn’t live without Starbucks.
Angelastro added, ‘They hooked me years ago. I’ll order it the way they sell it.’
Do you think it is impossible to order a simple coffee these days without being asked to part with more of your money for an extra dollop or cream or an unusually flavoured syrup? Does the multitude of options leave your head in a spin? Or is it all just part of the Starbucks ethos, which helps make your coffee so enjoyable?
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Friday 20 August 2010
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I find all the descriptions confusing but really dont care as long as its starbucks coffee. I just wish they'd ask me if I'd like an extra shot.
Comment by Jan on August 20 13:03
Large is LARGE in English !!!!
So why do I have to say it in Italian American?
The worst staff to try and make any sense of are in the central London outlets... there you have to deal with heavily accented staff who don't understand the menu themselves....
Make it simple English please!
Comment by carol on August 20 13:07
I cannot stand Starbucks, nor any other 'coffee' shop that creates stupid names. What the heck is a frappuccino? Dumb.
Comment by Fred on August 20 13:09
If I go anywhere to order a coffee, I simply ask for a large coffee with a slosh of milk in the top. Job done. All these fancy terms are just annoying!
Comment by claire on August 20 13:32
Is it really so hard to understand three names for a size of coffee? If it is I am sure the staff can translate your order for small, medium or large. If people want filter coffee with milk, don't go to Starbucks as they speacialise in milk based coffees. Those of us who do like them won't have to wait behind people trying to prove a point and I can get my grande decaf skinny latte quicker!
Comment by Kay on August 20 14:01
I think with fancy names, oversized cups and flavoured syrups Starbucks are just hiding the fact that their coffee is actually not very good at all. Not surprising - I mean Americans are not really well known for their excellent coffee, are they?
Comment by Petra on August 20 14:02
they take so long to ask everything!, maybe thats why the price is so high here in Cyprus.
A coffee is just a coffee after all.
Comment by j Place on August 20 14:12
Im a big fan of all kinds of coffee,I love coffee shops but not if your going to be hassled.I will make my own choice.
Comment by penny miller on August 20 14:20
I have lost count the amount of times I have been given two coffees at Starbucks when I asked for a tall as the staff have not been able to understand my common West London accent. I prefer Costa anyway as it does not charge extra for soya milk.
Comment by JJ on August 20 14:28
I prefer Costa anyway - in my experience they're cleaner than Starbucks & they make a better flat white!
Comment by Deborah on August 20 15:30
I love Starbucks and cannot live without my usual grande skinny caramel macchiato with sugar free syrup!!
Comment by Kirren on August 20 19:06
I've been buying coffee--Starbucks and not--for a very long time now and have never had a problem ordering large, small, grande, or anything else. This story is weird, and probably a case of two uptight people overreacting. As for things like 'latte', 'cappuccino,' and 'coffee', they're all different products, so yes, you'll have to order the one you actually want. (This is probably, actually, the 'linguistic' problem with ordering a plain bagel...a plain bagel is not a multigrain bagel, so they need to make sure they get the order right, and what you actually want is a multigrain bagel with no butter or cheese.) Get over it already.
Comment by Vivi on August 21 02:42
I think Lynne Rothenale was just plain rude for having a go at the staff. For one, it is not their fault that the company has decided to use unique language to sell. They are just doing a job, and were probably having a tough enough day before she started on them. I also think that starbucks offers a good service. You know you're living in crazy times when people start complaining about having too much choice! I say take a chill pill and enjoy fancy options..
Comment by sharon on August 23 10:02
I think it's ok to have multiple choices because I then can get the exact coffee I want. :) I try to be as friendly as possible and have never yelled at someone.
I don't understand how it was so hard for the professor to just state what she wanted, in a friendly way.
Comment by Nîn Meleth on September 18 12:15
Dont get it!!!???
Been in Starbucks on lot of occasions and say coffee..get ..large or small..whats the problem?? No fancy language ...weird..
But ..MacDs coffee is the best anyway...
In the end lattes..just plain milk coffee that my gran used to have at bedtime or teatime..haha
Staff just work there and if u are nice to them. they are always nice back....in that awful modern phrase....'job done'!!!
Comment by anon on October 12 16:24
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