Best Coffee Chain

[Quirt]

Re: I'm Tired of Bad Mochas!

It never ceases to amaze me just how many Starbucks' employees in the U.S. do not and/or cannot correctly make a Cafe Mocha. It's disgusting! ---Dr. Moe

Perhaps I've had the luxury of, as peelcowboy says, using the larger Starbucks...I get the most superb Mocha with consistancy downtown all the times.

You've got to hand it to a chain that invents its own nomenclature. They're one of the fastest spreading North American chains in the food industry.

 

[sarasota]

I like...

Starbucks.

If you hit it at the right time of day it can be like a 'Frasier' scene. Upscale with a nice number of sexy women; albeit with coffee breath.

 

[Quirt]

Re: I like...

Starbucks.

If you hit it at the right time of day it can be like a 'Frasier' scene. Upscale with a nice number of sexy women; albeit with coffee breath.

Exactly..you can even play the Niles role of asking for 17 twists to your order. Great fun, as the "Baristas" have to take you seriously!

 

[bigdik]

Two level scoops tightly pressed makes the best tasting espresso with the right amount of scuma (italian word meaning that caramel-colored creamy froth of the coffee).

Scuma? Funny! It's called Crema. Scuma sounds revolting in any language.

 

[Questor]

Tim Hortons - the best coffee chain? Don't make me laugh. They use a blend of low grade robusta and higher quality arabica beans that is bitter tasting....that's why everyone takes it double double. That way you can't taste coffee.

I can't really debate the finer points of the other chains but have found Second Cup to provide a good cup of coffee. But you need to get away from the chains to get superior coffee. Alternative Grounds on Roncesvalles roasts there own product which they import from organic fair trade coffee co-ops around the world. They roast in small batches to ensure freshness. And the organic 100% arabica beans are great. Organic really makes a difference in taste.

However, for those who want to truly appreciate a cup of fresh brew, you need to go to Merchants of Green Coffee. They sell organic green coffee beans and small home roasters. You take it home and roast it as you need it on a daily basis. You can't get any fresher than that. No need for cream or sugar, the fresh roast is so sweet on its own.

 

[h_upmann]

I've never heard of this "Starbucks". Does anyone know if they sell their coffee in downtown Toronto?

 

[Dement Ed]

you're kidding right?

If your not, check out their website www.starbucks.com

They have a store locator function. I typed in toronto, and selected the country... there are 50 stores listed as toronto locations.

 

[Dement Ed]

I'll continue to support Second Cup though. Not only do I find their quality and variety of brewed and european coffees to be truly exceptional among the coffee chains, they are a proudly Canadian company.

Second Cup, Starbucks, and Timothy's to a lesser extent are positioned in the market place as cafes or coffee houses.

Tim Horton's despite all their efforts and success on expanding their menu is still a donut shop in my eyes.

But despite the noise surrounding Krispy Creme Donuts, I'd choose Tim Horton's donut over them. KCD's are ultra sweet with every donut coated in a sugar-glaze... even the assorted ones.

 

[milehigh]

CANADIAN

If you don't like Tim's, you ain't Canadian.

Still trying to find what form of drug they put into that.

 

[CyberGoth]

The roastery

 

[meee]

I finally decided to go to Second Cup when they advertised their new "maple syrup latte" a few months ago and I love maple syrup. I actually had 3 of them and then, bingo, they were gone. "We don't make them anymore" was the line I got. After just 3 weeks???? Gee....finally get something I like at Second Cup and then it's gone lickity split. Bye, bye, Second Cup, see ya in my next life....if you're lucky!!!

 

[Quirt]

The Maple Syrup Latte was a short promotion as it was also seasonal..."sugaring off" only "comes" for a few weeks each spring.

You have a good chance of having it reappear next spring.

 

[meee]

Hope you're right, Quirt. That was Good stuff! However, I e-mailed them via their website and complained, but they never responded. You figure if they want to keep their customers from getting pissed, they would reply and tell me what you just did. And that's a lot of promotion (full page ads) for something that would be only available for a very short time...

 

[Quirt]

Dont know much of THEIR form of marketing, but many large chains do "limited time" offerings, like Macd's with special concoctions...not unusual

 

[groo39]

I e-mailed them via their website and complained, but they never responded.

Second Cup's website has never been properly maintained and used. I had to have a friend get contact info from one of their locations to order coffee while I was in the US, because they have no facility for doing so on-line.

The real pity is that I left behind about 15-20 new addicts who used to have me get them a couple pounds of coffee each month when I was placing my own order.

Even some Americans have better taste in coffee than to drink Starbuck's over-roasted coffees. There were a few local roasters in the PA/DE border area.