Starbucks closes 3/4s of it's stores in Aus

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Originally Posted by Xiahou

Anyone that servers Kona at a "reasonable" price is likely duping you via deceptive marketing. Real Kona coffee is outrageously expensive- I've seen green prices at over $30/lb, and roasted would cost even more. Most "Kona" coffee you see in stores is really, upon close inspection, "Kona style" or "Kona blend" or some such nonsense.

I've never wanted to shell out for Kona for my home roasting, so I can't definitively say it's overpriced- but to justify the premium, it would have to be life-altering. A good, bright Kenya coffee is usually all I need and it costs a fraction of the price.

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Cheapest I've seen 100% kona is 24$'s (green/27 roasted, your preference) lb + shipping. I've gotten a lb for a birthday, it's definately worth shelling out the 30$'s once in your life to try it.

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Originally Posted by Xiahou

IIRC, McDonalds coffee beat Starbucks handily in the Consumer Reports taste test.

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Wouldnt supprise me at all really. McDonalds has been making a large deal out of improving their coffee recently. Honestly it isnt half bad, better, faster and for the most part more convient then starbucks.

Problem in Aus is that Starbucks charges a premium on items that you can get for 2/3rds the price and better quality in the same street.

Most large (double shot) coffees cost from $2.80 to $3.30 here, with some outside this range.
While Starbucks will start at about $4.50 for the basic coffee and been poured too hot (burnt taste).

So they are more expensive and worse tasting... the syrups can make up for that. But most of the local shops already had the same brands or better...must admit I like the hazelnut one (then I skip 2 teaspoons of sugar) when going with coffee from shops that aren't quite as good (between Starbucks and the norm).

The advantage Starbucks had was when I was traveling in to KL Malaysia... they were a known quantity and fairly consistent... slight local variation. That advantage lasted until I found a Dome cafe...

The only coffee I've ever liked was the stuff I had in Costa Rica. Most coffee I find disgusting, this stuff I actually enjoyed drinking. The only other thing close to coffee that I can sometimes stomach is a Tim Hortons Iced Cap.