Readers Brew New Starbucks Angle

Schultz, of course, made taste an issue in a recent round of publicity that involved closing the stores to give baristas a primer on how to brew better coffee. The company has also reintroduced Pike Peak, a decidedly mellow blend and even showcased it with a free giveaway, if via a poorly written promotional card that I had a good honk and snort over with a couple of readers. Here was the card which had you wondering whether you were allowed a free coffee each Wednesday or only one solitary free cup, after bringing the card in over all those Wednesdays: "Bring this card into your neighborhood Starbucks every Wednesday now through May 28 and receive one tall cup of Pike Place Roast on us."

Mike from Florida, in referring my kitchen table videos, said that I needed to get out more, both for my own health and to do research on how simple the solutions to the company's problems might be. Mike, I don't get out much, but when I do it's always to Starbucks. And getting back to basics? Well, between the fractured state of the stores and the comparative earnings, they are looking more like Gap every day.