starbucks v. starbucks

I love coffee. I mean, I really love coffee. Now that I spend my weekdays in Milwaukee, I'm trying out a few different coffee shops to see what's delicious and convenient.

This is not a hip, trendy, coffee-shop side of town, so the reality is this: on Milwaukee's south side, we have basically two options.

1. Starbucks on 27th and Rawson
2. Starbucks on Miller Park Way

After visiting both locations, at varying times of the day (though usually before work), I have arrived at an entirely irrelevant conclusion. 

Starbucks without a drive-through > Starbucks with a drive-through

A little about the 27th Street location...

• It features a drive-through and is geographically pretty convenient, being basically on my way to work, so I stop there a few times a week where I usually park and go in to order my beverage, avoiding waiting in the line of cars.

• Inside the store, several grumpy teenage girls staff the counter and espresso maker, gossiping in colorful language about their "asshole ex-boyfriends."

what the hell do you want

• Eventually one will roll her eyes and saunter over and (obviously reluctantly) take my order in an "I don't give a shit" manner.

• Update 6/25/2012: The suddenly very pleasant young ladies anticipated which drink I'd like to order... ON THURSDAY! See, several weeks ago they playfully asked me if I intend to ever order something other than my usual. (Did they just call me out for being a creature of habit? Because I think they did. Because I am.) I told them I'll switch to a venti ICED dark roast (whoa, Bhan, way to step outside your comfort zone) when the weather warms up. Say, above 75 in the morning. One of the girls said when she heard the weather forecast for the week -- with highs in the 90s -- she thought of me and knows I'll want that iced coffee in a couple days! Now THAT is service, my friends. 

And the location on Miller Park Way....

• Has a spacious parking lot and no drive-through window

• The staff may be busily making a drink for others customers, but they will always look up and smile and ask, "Can I get something started for ya?" 
• This crew operates like a team, moving pretty easily between stations to keep traffic flowing. 
• When compared to the 27th Street location, it seems like there's the same number of staff managing many times more customers; but these staff are friendly and know how to hustle. 

I am certain we could debate the cause-effect relationships here, and there are many factors at play.

But here's the bottom line: when a Starbucks as no drive-through, the staff are trained and accustomed to working face-to-face with society. There's no momentary break between drink ordering and delivering, during which the customer is driving to the window, for the staff to roll their eyes and grumble about their hangovers.

Therefore, Starbucks sans drivethrough is always preferable to one with a drivethrough.

There's a correlation for ya.

Oh, and one more bottom line: I prefer to drink my coffee at home.