Starbucks Challenge
Starbucks offers Fair Trade coffee for sale, but how hard is it to actually get a cup? That's the question asked by the people behind the Starbucks Challenge (found by way of Accidental Hedonist).
"According to its own policy, Starbucks will make Fair Trade coffee for you, any day of the week, in any of the 23 countries it is licensed to sell Fair Trade... But just how easy is it to get a Fair Trade coffee in a Starbucks in one of those countries?
Let's see how well a Honolulu Starbucks does. The rules are simple:
- Simply visit your local Starbucks and ask: "Could I get a cup of fair trade coffee?"
- Tell us what happened next. Was it hard or easy to get a cup?
I'm not the biggest Starbucks fan around, often prefering independent coffeeshop where they're available. Having said that, the Starbucks on the corner of Merchant and Bishop has the best reading couches in all of downtown and that counts for a lot.
October 20, 10:15 a.m. - Starbucks Coffee, 1000 Merchant Street
"Can I have cup of Fair Trade please?"
The woman behind the cash register stalled, "Uhhh." I'd spoken clearly and there wasn't much background noise. Her pause came not because she couldn't hear me clearly, but because it wasn't making a mental connection.
"A Fair Trade coffee, please." I repeated, clearly and firmly.
"Oh. What size?" Okay, we're back on track.
"A tall should be good."
She then turns and fills a cup from the coffee of the day, clearly labeled Yukon, and not one of Starbuck's Fair Trade coffees.
Stop. Rewind. This Starbucks had a training failure right at that moment. Do they actually offer Fair Trade as an option at this location? If they don't then she should have been able to tell me so, rather than bluff her way through by pouring Yukon. She works at Starbucks, for goodness sake, and doesn't know what I'm talking about when I say the words, "Fair Trade coffee." Stunning!
"That'll be $1.56." Notice she didn't repeat by rote, "Room for cream?" She was thrown her off her game, and just as confused as I was. I felt a little sorry for her just then.
I could have pushed the subject more by explaining Fair Trade and insisting she brew a cup-- me a customer, explaining coffee to her, the barista. But a line was building behind me and I didn't have the energy for a scene with the poor woman. As in over your head put it, "no one wants to be that asshole." Besides, I shouldn't have to be put in an awkward position just to get the cup of coffee I want.
Starbucks stores in Hawaii stand alone as the only franchise Starbucks locations in the country. As a result, it's possible they don't have the same policy that Fair Trade coffee be brewed upon request in any store at any time. Does Starbucks Hawaii offer Fair Trade coffee even when it's not the brew of the day? I still don't know.
Starbucks Challenge result: failure.
[Update: a second visit to the same location turned out somewhat better.]
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Aloha mā'ona! Thanks for joining the challenge :) I've added you to the feed.
I'll wait to hear back from Cindy of Starbucks about whether or not the store you visited is a Starbucks owned and operated store. Regardless, it's pretty shitty that your barista actually tried to lie and dupe you into accepting a non-fair-trade cup as fair trade. Gross --
In any case, mahalo (sp?) for joining us :) Hope you'll try the challenge again -- Better luck next time!
Hi Alan,
Interesting. I normally visit the Starbucks on Bishop (I wish Peet's were closer), so I'll try to give this a go. The people there know me, and would tell me if it's something they offer or not.
that happened to me today as well. a shop that clearly displayed the fair trade in one of their promo bins - "we give back to the community" or whatever. they didn't have, and wouldn't brew it.
thanks for the link, btw.
green LA girl- The saving grace was that the lie wasn't a malicious one. The woman was confused and trying to save face. There's another Starbucks in town I want to try where the staff are more on the ball.
Reid- I wouldn't be surprised if you get better results. So much depends on the particular barista.
Julien- You summed up perfectly some of my discomfort, hence the link. Thanks for dropping by!
That's really disappointing. I've told many people that Starbucks, despite their Walmart-esque hold on the domestic coffee trade, markets Fair Trade coffee. Guess I'll have to revise that recommendation. Thanks for the story, Alan.
Yeah, I did the same at the Kahala Mall Starbucks back in October and the cashier looked at me like I was ordering in the wrong coffee shop. She had to ask twice what I wanted and then said that they do not sell that here. I didn't bother with explaining and just ordered a house venti. Maybe that's in their master plan!
Steve, I'm not overly surprised that they don't offer Fair Trade, but I am continually amazed by the "deer in the headlights" look I'm getting from baristas. It's like they panic if a custommer deviates from The Script. I was expecting more aplomb.
as a group who has obviously done some reseach on the topic i am quite dissapointed that you missed starbucks buying guidelines and prices paid. http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/origins.asp gives you all the info you would be looking for. in fact starbucks paid greater than fair trade prices for EVERY pound of coffee that they purchased in 2006. They paid more per pound than any other large coffee retailer in the world. this slamming of starbucks is pointless since they have even created their own guidelines and standards which go well beyond what fairtrade does. starbucks now is able to get the highest quality coffee in the world not because they are the biggest but because they give the farmers the most for their product.
Justin, I'm not sure I see your point. I don't care what the corporate guidelines are. I care whether I can walk into my local Starbucks and get a cup of Fair Trade. As of last week, the answer is, "no." I spoke to the store manager and he indicated they don't carry it there any longer.
His reasoning was practical: the beans weren't selling, so they were having to throw them out. They only buy beans that they both brew and sell, so when the sales were weak they cancelled future orders. Part of the blame goes to all of the customers of Starbucks, 1000 Merchant St, Honolulu, and part goes to Starbucks for reducing issues of human dignity and fairness to balance sheets.