So hate to start off with another etiquette post (cause I'm feeling a little like the etiquette police)  but alas, it's gotta be said.

Starbucks Condiment Etiquette : 

New Policy:  When you've picked up your fat free Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte, from your favorite barista...  PLEASE.....  for the love of god be cognizant of the fact that there are other folks in the world who'd like access to the condiment bar before BP is done cleaning up the gulf coast !!!!!  Can I get an amen ??? 

Today.... and several times before today, I've witnessed a fellow Starbucks patron take up the entire condiment section (you know... where they have the creamer, sugar etc.)  literally adding 1 pack of sugar or a dash of cinnamon, stirring, and then tasting to ensure that the last addition to his or her twenty dollar drink is absolutely, positively perfect!   PLEASE  people.... have the courtesy to scoot the hell over and share the damn condiment bar!  And for the love of god..... in the future do us all a favor and simply remember how many splenda packs or how many dashes of vanilla powder you like in your drink so you don't stand there like a GOON!   Listen.... after spending $20 bucks on a coffee,  you deserve to have it taste just the way you want.... but have some common courtesy for your fellow caffeine junkie!   

Repeat Customers: 

Apparently I am not as hip or cool as my wife as I'm not a Starbucks frequenter like she is....  I love my coffee like the next guy... but it pains me to pay two bucks for a large coffee. That's exactly what I call it by the way when ordering, 'cause I feel like such a tool when ordering a "Venti" coffee. Next door at 7-11 it's just a large coffee when you get it yourself.   Come to think of it....  I think it's $1.69 @ 7-11 so maybe 'ole Starbucks is gettin' competitive.  Anyway,  I digress.   I started out with the notion that I haven't been to Starbucks in a while and the other day the Barista.... (which I also feel like a tool saying)  gave me a blue receipt.  Thank god she explained it to me,  cause I didn't know what it was for.  The "blue" receipt,  for those of you not in the know (which apparently isn't many)  means that if you show your receipt later in the day before 2pm you get a cold drink for $2 dollars.  What a great concept I thought! All the business books say ... "the easiest way to increase sales is to sell more to your current customers."   What a neat idea to get people to come back into the store... if they felt guilty at all for spending the dough in the morning... at least they'll feel better in the afternoon when they've received a discount right ?  Genius !!

Hustle:

Another observation made today is the hustle that Starbucks uses.... I'm not sure if it was just the particular starbucks employee, or location or what.... but man they're good.  Apparently they are pushing the summer drinks.... makes sense.  But rather than passively doing so,  they have tasters set up where you order... how convenient !  And as if that wasn't enough... while sitting there replying to emails a "barista"  came up to me and asked me if I'd like to "sample" one of the cold drink flavors....  I wasn't into it...  (god knows how much sugar is in that stuff)  but was highly impressed with their hustle to sell more stuff.  It's not good enough for them to sell you a $20 coffee... they wanna get you for a scone and a cold drink later in the afternoon too !  Nice work Starbucks.....   you're like a legal pusher !