I’d be driving home from Starbucks right now, but the Japanese restaurant next door is getting a delivery and the truck has me blocked in.
This particular Starbucks is in a building that does not do climate control well at extremes of the thermometer.
I generally go in the morning to Starbucks and in the afternoon for my second cup of the day at Barnes & Noble.
That is a little over $6.00 per day for basically “rent” to sit for an hour or so and type my messages while I sip my coffee.
This morning the thermometer was briefly at -2 degrees F. but warmed up to 5 degrees by the time I left my house. Rather than brave the cold inside Starbucks, I went to Panera Bread. The local store is in a strip mall whose anchor was Bed, Bath and Beyond. And while they were in business there, the Panera store was very busy.
But since B, B, & B closed, the store is relatively quiet.
Panera’s classically brewed (read “drip brew”) coffee is better than Starbucks one-push-button-brews. Starbucks pour-over varies, depending on who is doing the pour-over.
So while there I checked the Internet speed (the other aspect of my coffee-drinking experience.
135 Mbps download and 9.70 Mbps upload. (Panera)
Vs
17.00 Mbps download and 2.94 Mbps upload (Starbucks)
Panera has a “Unlimited beverage club” (apparently since 2022). An introductory price of $5.00 per month for 5 months ($25.00). After that $119.00 per year ($10.00 per month).
It entitles me to nearly any beverage at the self-serve bar (and refills). And I can leave and come back (at least) 2 hours later and repeat.
If I join this club I will save $75.00+ per month if I just have my morning coffee there. If I have my 8:00 a.m. coffee and my 3:00 p.m. coffee there, I would be saving about $150.00 per month, or about 1,800.00 year minus the membership cost. So roughly $1,750.00 per year.
The people at Starbucks treat me well and always give me a warm welcome. But $1,750.00 spending money (equal to about $1,980.00 income) is a difficult savings to pass up.
Still thinking about it though.
This particular Starbucks is in a building that does not do climate control well at extremes of the thermometer.
I generally go in the morning to Starbucks and in the afternoon for my second cup of the day at Barnes & Noble.
That is a little over $6.00 per day for basically “rent” to sit for an hour or so and type my messages while I sip my coffee.
This morning the thermometer was briefly at -2 degrees F. but warmed up to 5 degrees by the time I left my house. Rather than brave the cold inside Starbucks, I went to Panera Bread. The local store is in a strip mall whose anchor was Bed, Bath and Beyond. And while they were in business there, the Panera store was very busy.
But since B, B, & B closed, the store is relatively quiet.
Panera’s classically brewed (read “drip brew”) coffee is better than Starbucks one-push-button-brews. Starbucks pour-over varies, depending on who is doing the pour-over.
So while there I checked the Internet speed (the other aspect of my coffee-drinking experience.
135 Mbps download and 9.70 Mbps upload. (Panera)
Vs
17.00 Mbps download and 2.94 Mbps upload (Starbucks)
Panera has a “Unlimited beverage club” (apparently since 2022). An introductory price of $5.00 per month for 5 months ($25.00). After that $119.00 per year ($10.00 per month).
It entitles me to nearly any beverage at the self-serve bar (and refills). And I can leave and come back (at least) 2 hours later and repeat.
If I join this club I will save $75.00+ per month if I just have my morning coffee there. If I have my 8:00 a.m. coffee and my 3:00 p.m. coffee there, I would be saving about $150.00 per month, or about 1,800.00 year minus the membership cost. So roughly $1,750.00 per year.
The people at Starbucks treat me well and always give me a warm welcome. But $1,750.00 spending money (equal to about $1,980.00 income) is a difficult savings to pass up.
Still thinking about it though.