10-06-2006, 05:31 PM
How is this stealing?
If the customer asks for it a certain way, and they serve it to them... no harm, no foul.
If starbucks puts creamer, etc. out for use with drinks ordered from Starbucks, and the customer uses them... again, no harm, no foul.
With the price of coffee at Starbucks they are STILL making a tidy profit.
Now if someone bought their coffee from across the street at Gloria Jean's and then walked in to Starbucks and helped themselves to the condiments, THAT would be stealing.
Seriously.
I go to Panera and order a sandwich and soup. They ask if I want something to drink, and I say "No, just a cup for some water." They give me a cup, and I help myself to some water, ice and a sliver of lemon. Am I stealing?
Would they rather I took my $8 meal purchase somewhere else where I can get free water, or do they figure that $8 is fine, and they'll eat the 8ยข cost of a cup and a slice of lemon?
I'm guessing it all comes out in the wash, as far as Starbucks is concerned. If they start cutting off the condiments at the condiment bar they may alienate other segments of their market in the attempt to stymie the ghetto latte drinkers. But I'm sure their "bean" counters have already figured that out.
If the customer asks for it a certain way, and they serve it to them... no harm, no foul.
If starbucks puts creamer, etc. out for use with drinks ordered from Starbucks, and the customer uses them... again, no harm, no foul.
With the price of coffee at Starbucks they are STILL making a tidy profit.
Now if someone bought their coffee from across the street at Gloria Jean's and then walked in to Starbucks and helped themselves to the condiments, THAT would be stealing.
Seriously.
I go to Panera and order a sandwich and soup. They ask if I want something to drink, and I say "No, just a cup for some water." They give me a cup, and I help myself to some water, ice and a sliver of lemon. Am I stealing?
Would they rather I took my $8 meal purchase somewhere else where I can get free water, or do they figure that $8 is fine, and they'll eat the 8ยข cost of a cup and a slice of lemon?
I'm guessing it all comes out in the wash, as far as Starbucks is concerned. If they start cutting off the condiments at the condiment bar they may alienate other segments of their market in the attempt to stymie the ghetto latte drinkers. But I'm sure their "bean" counters have already figured that out.