re: #515 Learned Mother of Zion

Starbucks in Seattle knows how to brew a good cup of coffee. It can’t do so anywhere else. Maybe it’s due to the Seattle coffee scene and so many better competitors, or the need to burn the heck out of the coffee to make it consistent, or maybe it’s just that the workers at Starbucks don’t clean the gear as well as they should, so the bitter bits stick around from batch to batch.

I’ve had Starbucks roast and brewed it at home and it’s a damned sight better than the stuff in the chain’s stores. That, to me, says it’s a store-problem.

In any event, if I’m on the road, I’ll take either McDonalds or Dunkin’ Donuts over Starbucks every time (or Tim Hortons (hears a who) if I’m heading into New England or Canada). Better, cheaper, and faster.