Starbucks — Restaurant in Aberdeen

Here's the thing - I really hope I can up the rating on this soon. Store has been open for over a month now (going on two months actually), and I was really hoping they'd have everything together at this point. I was wrong. Please bear through this...

1. The wait - omg the wait! If I am running late, I'll order ahead when I'm about 5 minutes out. Every other Starbucks I go to, it's fine. It's legit only a venti pike with room (they never get the cream right). I can't tell you how many times I've had to wait over 5 minutes (brings the total to 10!) to get this order after getting here. Several times, I've had to go to the cashier to get them to grab it for me. Because they are just there. No line. No one really in the store either... And WHY do I have to wait 10 minutes for a regular cup of coffee that is all ready just sitting behind them? No idea...
2. The wait continued: Today, I ordered a venti pour-over blonde roast (more on that next...), and it was literally 20 minutes before I got it. Again, no line inside. And when I walked in, no one was in the drive through either.
3. Trying to order the pour-over. I got a reserved blend bag of coffee. At the other stores, they will take a bag of the reserve blends and make a pour-over with them, and NOT make me purchase the bag of coffee. Then they just use it for other customers or whatnot... Here, I had to buy the bag. Okay, fine. I kinda wanted it at home to try anyhow, so sure. BUT - when I got the bag, and then noticed they are ringing me up for a pour-over as well at full price of a reserve blend (which NO ONE ever has the same price btw...), I'm like - hold up. 'You're going to charge me for the bag of coffee. Then you're going to make a pour-over with my own bag of coffee and charge me for a full-priced reserve blend pour-over?', 'Yes, sir - that's unfortunately how we have to do it.' Thank you, next please... nope.
4. The set up of the internal space. It's nice that it's so huge and open. However, there is only ONE long table here (has an outlet I guess, there is a sticker that says so at least...), and then 2 bigger circular tables (no outlets). Then the store is FILLED with these itty-bitty teeny circular tables with high seats or low seats. Those have outlets... but guess what, I can't use that small of a table for both an 11-inch MacBook pro + a notebook. Add a drink on top of that, it's a set up for disaster.
5. Last thing I'm going to say about this, because I'm REALLY hoping things get pulled together soon. The INTERNET CONNECTION IS TERRIBLE! I noticed it right when they opened and informed the manager how slow it was. Even showed them how slow it was. They put in an order to get it fixed. Here we are almost 2 months in and guess what, it is still so slow that I can't even open an online textbook in the web browser. Anytime I come here, I have to connect my computer to my phone's internet to get enough internet to do ANYTHING. Like, I'm even talking something basic like the mail app on the computer. It is so bad that it can't send/receive messages. Feedback for the store - you really need to get some larger tables here than just the 3 options that you have where only one has an outlet. Why on Earth do you feel the need to have SO MANY little tables? If they are necessary, pull them out and put in the huge space that is just empty and make a line flow set-up or something with those tables. FIX THE INTERNET! I spend WAYYYY more money than I care to admit in a month at Starbucks. This one being the newest, should be the best but nope. You need to train your people! Want some great customer service/workflow training done? Send them down to Bel Air. That store has there stuff together. In fact, several of those people from that store came here when it opened. It's unfortunate that they weren't any of the best ones. Legit - people here need trained. I don't bother with the drive through unless there is NO ONE in it. I order a pike, and I sit there for 10 minutes. Great location, great potential - just, far from good service. I hope it can...

I've been here five times now and four of those visits have been less than sub-par. I feel that no one from any of the other Starbucks was willing to transfer to this store so we're stuck with all new baristas that have no idea what they're doing. I don't think I've seen the manager in here AT ALL.

So yesterday was the only time I've gotten a good drink from here and that's because I asked for the person that's been working with Starbucks the longest to make my drinks, and they had to bring him out of the back of the store to do so. The only problem with yesterday was that they had run out of large straws and they gave me a straw that kept falling inside the dome lid so I'd have to fish it out with my finger. Gross but how else was I going to drink it?

The time before that, I got my drink and they forgot the topping. Then when I finally got it, because it always seems to take extra long to get your drinks here, I asked if they had put the caramel crumbles on top and she said, 'Yes, they're blended in.' and I guess because I looked at her like she had two heads she said, 'We're running out.' as a way of explaining to me why she skipped giving me what I paid for.

Before that, the drinks were watery, which I've heard others complain about too.

But, this time takes the cake. Now mind you, I never order just one drink because I generally take at least one of my kids with me when I go. I took my daughter to happy hour today. We ordered the same drinks as usual, and I give credit to the young man behind the counter taking orders. Even though he had to ask me several times about my order, partly because I'm picky and partly because he didn't know what he was doing, but he maintained a very positive attitude, and apologized multiple times because he couldn't get the happy hour discount to work, but throughout he maintained a positive attitude. I got another, older gentleman to make our drinks today, four total. I'm not sure what was happening but I didn't realize that he had finished my drink first, and I didn't see it but the couple that was there before us walked out with my first drink, they came back in to tell the barista. They had already put the straw in the cup and the woman was telling the barista her husband hadn't drank out of it, but the batista took it off the counter and started to hand it to me, as if I would accept it, I had to tell him 'That's not gonna happen'. So the woman tells the barista not to throw it out she'd take it. So, she got it for free. On top of all that, the drinks were mostly cool whip, hardly any caramel crunch, and by the time we got home, barely any drink all whip and caramel.

Worst Starbucks ever. And I've been to Starbucks between this coast and the west. Hands down, the worst. I've been waiting 15 years for a Starbucks to come to Aberdeen, someone needs...

I am in love with this Starbucks!!! Quick, prompt service. My cupcake frappé was delicious. I used the drive thru, so I didn't go inside, but it looks like a spacious building. There's also outdoor seating. I live in HdG, so I feel really blessed to finally have a Starbucks close to my house. I hope this location stays in top notch shape :)

Update I returned to this location on 7/13/19, at around 6pm I think it was. I came after I got off from work. My mom and I used the drive thru, just like last time. All I can say is that it was a complete 360 in comparison to the level of service we received the first time. Upon arriving to the drive thru lane only one car was in front of us ordering. That took 15 minutes alone. Once we get to the speaker, come to find out it wasn't the customer that was taking forever, the employee working the window was totally lost and baffled. I couldn't get the cupcake frappé because they were out of cream, so I got their new chocolate chip frappé. After ordering he's still struggling with the customer in front of us. He finally hands them their drinks after another 15 minutes of waiting (so at this point we're going on a half an hour). We get to the window, and he's a flustered mess. I got my drink, but then he forgot to print out the receipt. It was just one problem after another. He said he was new, and that working at Starbucks is "a learning experience." Yes, I agree with that, but if you're a person who can't multi-task, then don't work at Starbucks. It's that simple. Maybe they don't give their employees enough training, or perhaps they put new people on the window too soon? Whatever the reason, we burned a substantial amount of gas just sitting in line. By the time we left 4 or 5 cars were behind us. That's just ridiculous. I know it was a Saturday, but considering how the drive thru wasn't even crowded, we shouldn't have been waiting for almost a half an hour. I was hoping this location wouldn't turn into a hit or miss, but I think that's what's happening. I'll give you guys another chance, but if long wait times and idiotic employees become a regular occurrence, then I'll have to stick with the Starbucks in Bel Air on Agora Drive. It's nice having a Starbucks that's only 10 mins away from my house so please do a...