No Decaf After Noon - Follow-Up

Thanks to Matt for bringing this to my attention.

I wrote earlier of my complaint that a Starbucks at a Target store that I went to stopped serving decaf coffee after 12:00 Noon, which I thought was rather strange. Well, it turns out that this is a new Startbucks policy that I missed!

To cut costs, the Seattle coffee giant has instructed its U.S. baristas to stop automatically brewing batches of decaffeinated drip coffee after noon, according to a memo reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by the company.

Instead, from noon on, baristas will brew decaf coffee only when a customer orders it, a process the company says will take an extra four minutes or so.

Stores that determine they have enough demand can continue to brew decaf regularly in the afternoon and evening. Starbucks spokeswoman Deb Trevino said the change shouldn't affect customers. "We're just saying brew it based on your store needs rather than a one size fits all," she said.

This makes very little sense! As I've said, one would think that people would want decaf coffee after Noon, and as the day progresses towards the evening. In fact, in that news article, someone mentioned the same thing.

I wonder if they're keeping track of how many people they turned away by this, and if they realize the amount of business they lost. Oh well. Looks like I'm visiting my Caribou Coffee joint more often now.

Zz.

No Decaf After Noon

Nothing fits better into this blogs intention of life's amusing musing than this blog entry.

I was at a Target store last Saturday in Niles, Illinois (6150 W Touhy Ave. Niles). On the way into the store, I notice that they had a Starbucks, so I stopped over to get a decaf coffee (I only drink decaf coffee nowadays, even their latte). After I asked for a grande decaf coffee, I was told by the person behind the counter that they do not serve decaf coffee after 12:00 noon.

WHAAAAAT????!!!!!!

I thought I heard or understood things wrongly, so I repeated something like "You stop serving decaf coffee after Noon?". And yup, I got the confirmation. I then proceeded to say thank you and walk away.

Now, obviously this is not a common policy of Starbucks. I know for a fact that I can get decaf coffee any time I want at the Starbucks in my neighborhood. The many times I've been in many different Starbucks in the city (and across the country), there was never any thing resembling a policy of not serving decaf coffee after Noon. So it is my strong suspicion that this silly policy is only unique to this particular Starbucks.

{Aside: I also do not know if this is an actual Starbucks, or only one of those that serve Starbucks coffee and other items, but not really a full-blown Starbucks}.

Now, obviously they can make whatever policy they want, but think of the rational behind this. One would think that, of all things, you WANT to start serving decaf coffee later in the day. That's when people are trying to wind down, and especially in the early evening, if they want coffee and still be able to sleep, they'd want decaf coffee. It is in the morning that, if they don't serve decaf, it would have understandable, since almost everyone want that caffeine jolt.

My friend who was with me suggested that I ask for a decaf latte, since they have to grind the beans anyway. I said no. If they are that dumb in making such policy, then I definitely don't want to give them any of my money.

I wonder who decided to do something like this....

Zz.