In Defence of Starbucks in Bangkok

[tartempion]

Starbucks coffee an oxymoron!

But I remember I had a decent coffee in Seattle around 1990, might have been a Starbucks shop. That came as a big surprise since I never had a decent cup of coffee in the USA, I rather called it dishwater.

Someone know where to have decent coffee in Montreal where I will be half September?

But I will bring my Thai coffee from Udon Delices with me, I know the Montreal GF has a coffee grinder.

In Canada, it's all about Tim Hortons. There are 26 of them in Montreal so you should have no problem finding one.

Ah yes, saw Tim Hortons all over the place, have to try one

[tonytigerbkk]

Worshiping coffee is the task of a fool. Coffee is vile!

Well this is about Starbucks so if you don't like coffee, you have come to the correct thread.

[kblaze]

I recently was fortunate enough to have another visit to Bkk.

I always stay near Ari, so I arranged to meet a Thai friend at the Starbucks next to Ari BTS. But she was late (big surprise there), so I sat in the Starbucks for about 30 minutes and had a chance to survey the field.

There were so many 20 something Thai/Asian/Western people who were obvioulsy camped out there - they had their mobile phone, laptop, and God knows what else. And a cup of coffee, and from what I could tell, they never bought another. If they had a tent they would have camped out there.

I felt sorry for Starbucks, if that is possible. We all love to complain about the price of coffee at Starbucks, but in Bangkok I believe that they are not a coffee company, they are a company that rents air-conditioned space with good wifi and comfortable chairs.

A little off topic but I quite remember macdonalds having that issue of people 'camping out' and they brought in a '1hr Stay Rule'.. This would have been 1-2yrs back.

Anyone see that?

Yes

[TheSpade]

I'm a weird guy who only wants a large BREWED BLACK COFFEE.

Isn't that just an Americano?

Until about 16 months ago till I moved to BKK I'd barely ever been in a coffee shop (or drank coffee except for occassionally in Latin America)

But through trial and error and ordering different stuff on the menu I found that I liked an America best and that seems to be pure black coffee.

They sell those in every coffee shop I've been in since including Starbucks. Both in BKK and elsewhere.

[Jingthing]

I'm a weird guy who only wants a large BREWED BLACK COFFEE.

Isn't that just an Americano?

Until about 16 months ago till I moved to BKK I'd barely ever been in a coffee shop (or drank coffee except for occassionally in Latin America)

But through trial and error and ordering different stuff on the menu I found that I liked an America best and that seems to be pure black coffee.

They sell those in every coffee shop I've been in since including Starbucks. Both in BKK and elsewhere.

No! Not an Americano!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caff%C3%A8_Americano

[Jingthing]

Worshiping coffee is the task of a fool. Coffee is vile!

Not sure that addiction and worship are the same thing.

[JSixpack]

Starbucks coffee makes me sleepy...

Starbucks-bashing threads make me sleepy but we just gotta have one every couple months or so for our Brits and Ozzies if no one else. Call it a form of Starbucks addiction.

[Diplomatico]

Starbucks coffee makes me sleepy...

Starbucks-bashing threads make me sleepy but we just gotta have one every couple months or so for our Brits and Ozzies if no one else. Call it a form of Starbucks addiction.

Which is pretty funny, considering the Brits overwhelmingly consume delicious instant coffee back in Old Blighty.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-26869244

[Jingthing]

Maybe people are taking coffee naps there?

http://www.vox.com/2014/8/28/6074177/coffee-naps-caffeine-science

[DogNo1]

Back in the days before Starbucks existed, I used to have to trek up to Cafe Trieste on upper Grant in San Francisco to get my cafe mocha. It was a great place to hang out because on Saturday afternoons the owner and his family presented a free concert of Italian songs and opera selections.

I don't know if anybody remembers the old days but American percolated coffee was pretty insipid and places that served decent coffee were few and far between. I'm grateful that there are places that serve good coffee now. BTW, does anybody remember drinking Thai coffee with sweetened condensed milk? The coffee grounds were kept in a large filter-cloth bag which was hung over the glass while hot water was poured through it. I haven't seen Thai-style coffee around for quite a while. Maybe it still exists in the rural areas.

[mca]

The majority of the value for me lies in hanging out in a comfortable place and checking out the talent.

The circus?

[JSixpack]

Back in the days before Starbucks existed, I used to have to trek up to Cafe Trieste on upper Grant in San Francisco to get my cafe mocha. It was a great place to hang out because on Saturday afternoons the owner and his family presented a free concert of Italian songs and opera selections.

Caffè Trieste. Wonderful place w/ a great history. Hard to find a seat in there (but now there's a Starbucks in North Beach ). Never cared for mocha, always expresso!

[californiabeachboy]

Back in the days before Starbucks existed, I used to have to trek up to Cafe Trieste on upper Grant in San Francisco to get my cafe mocha. It was a great place to hang out because on Saturday afternoons the owner and his family presented a free concert of Italian songs and opera selections.

I don't know if anybody remembers the old days but American percolated coffee was pretty insipid and places that served decent coffee were few and far between. I'm grateful that there are places that serve good coffee now. BTW, does anybody remember drinking Thai coffee with sweetened condensed milk? The coffee grounds were kept in a large filter-cloth bag which was hung over the glass while hot water was poured through it. I haven't seen Thai-style coffee around for quite a while. Maybe it still exists in the rural areas.

I remember that!! I would walk to North Beach in The City and stop at Cafe Trieste for a great Italian coffee. I must have listened to "That's Amore" 100 times. The Italians know how to make coffee.

Regarding Thai coffee, I have a Thai friend who goes to a hi-so Bkk coffee place and orders a coffee with caramel and a double shot of blah blah blah, and when I take a sip I only taste sugar and milk.

Then when I go to a coffee cart in Bkk and order a Thai coffee with condensed milk, again I only taste the sugar and milk. The only difference is that I pay 15 baht instead of 120 baht, and the guy at the coffee cart could not put the little squirly design (flower?) on the top.

Edited August 31, 2014 by californiabeachboy

[AlexRRR]

Starbucks is a great example of how people are completely full of shit.

Every person you talk to will say they hate Starbucks, their coffee is awful and they know somewhere far better, and yet there are multiple stores in every town and city around the world with most of them busy. Go figure.

NOT in Australia mate....we do actualy have better, and its for real.