Starbucks

So it’s a starbucks… which means you know exactly what kind of coffee you’re going to get. I’m not reviewing that.
What I am reviewing is the staff and customer service. I came here 3 mornings in a row on my way to work as I was staying up the street. The staff were super friendly and I noticed, they all knew exactly what the regulars orders were. Not just one, but like almost everyone in there but me! I was very impressed. But it was more than that, the customers also knew things about the staff and the interactions were really, well, kinda heart-​warming and neighborly.
Could it be that Vancouverites are opening up a bit and feeling the love? Who knows, but there is certainly some love to be had at this ‘bucks.

Quite literally the worst Starbucks I have ever been to in my life. And trust me, I’m old enough to have seen my fair share. Needed desperately to use the bathroom (was already leaking after a 30 minute Aquabus ride), ran in here and wanted to use the restroom while my husband stood in line for coffee. I was clearly in terrible distress. The barista yelled, «NO PUBLIC RESTROOM!». OK, thanks, you just saved me $ 5 on your shitty burnt coffee anyways. I do not look homeless (wow, judgmental much?), was not peddling drugs, all I wanted was a cup of coffee and to pee. Needless to say, I ran to McDonald’s and was treated much better and paid only $ 1.29 for the coffee. Booooo! You deserve all the horrible people that descend on your doorstep each day.

A lifesaver on the way to Science World, if you haven’t had enough sleep …

I go here often, and the service is great. And since this such a busy hub (major intersection, sky train up above, bus stops), this is more of a grab-​your-​drink-​and-​go place. My drinks are always made well and the baristas have good customer service.

As if.
ok, before you give this starbucks a 2 or a 1. just think about all the shit the employees put up with at this location.
1. the general public is pretty horrible to take on to begin with.
2. besides the general public they are dealing with drug addicts and the homeless.
3. they have a sky train on top of them all day long
ya that’s the job, but it still blows big time. give them a break.

I scoped out this Starbucks on my first day working at Vancity Centre and quickly came to one conclusion: this is the worst Starbucks I’ve encountered.
The location is noisy but convenient for the hundreds of commuters that go by Main/​Science World station every day. It’s a very small Starbucks with almost no seating — it’s certainly not a location where you’d go to meet a friend or work on a laptop. On cold and wet days, you want nothing less than to be blasted with cold water every time the door opens. Not comfortable for sitting at all — take your coffee and run.
The lowlight of my visit was a particular redheaded barista. I came in at a quiet hour and took a look at the sandwiches. She was pushy and visibly impatient for all of the 20 seconds it took for me to decide on my order, and entirely unfriendly. I ordered a chai latte and a mozzarella/​tomato panini. The chai was over-​syruped and colder than usual. The barista didn’t take my panini to toast it until I asked/​reminded her that it came hot.
Worse still, she was HORRIBLE to her coworkers, snarky, and unyieldingly offensive to them, even with three customers quietly sipping their drinks within earshot. To an uniformed onlooker, they seemed to be busy, doing Starbucks-​y tasks, behaving. Most baristas I’ve encountered have been above expectation, in both attitude and service. It’s sad to see such a poor example at this location, and I hope — for her coworkers’ sakes — she soon finds work elsewhere.

Small and sweet, sort of a euro quick fix stop café under the skytrain, and yes has all the regular Starbucks food and drink fixn’s… oh and of course wifi !