Starbucks — Restaurant in Austin

I had to ask for a refund this last visit because after 15 min of trying to get the wifi login page to pull up, I noticed none of the six employees were working on my tall red eye (drip coffee with a shot of espresso, nothing complex)....while other customers after me were ordering and leaving with their drinks (walk ups like me, not app orders).

It's not a bad option at 4:30 am ...but later when more choices are open, this Starbucks is def not the best coffee stop.

At busier locations a red eye is sometimes handed directly to me from the register.

No wifi. No coffee. No reason to stay. So I asked the same girl that started my order for a refund.

She had no idea I didn't get my coffee because she handed the initial transaction off to another employee to finish so she could go on break or do something else. Idk

The responsibility to have my coffee actually made seems to have been the 2nd employees that cashed me out.

btw - CC refunds should include the $2 tip I left on a $4 coffee. I shouldn't have to pay for the privilege of wasting my time and energy.

The girl said there's no way to refund my $2 CC tip...which seems odd.

I obviously have to give them low marks for that experience.

I can say I tried to be a regular during my stay here in Austin but I'd rather drive further for consistency.

They are however really good at talking about their lives and just so happy to see fellow co-workers walk in.

I've been working remotely for over 20 years and travel a good bit ....so my observations are about this particular location and not Starbucks as a whole.

I've been to some Starbucks that are phenomenal like in Honolulu/Waikiki there's at least 3 that are among the best.

In New England the corporate consistency is refreshing.

In Florida they seem to be slightly above average.

....and then there's this one.

For a Starbucks it's not terrible.

In all fairness this was my 4th trip inside.

My first 3 trips this week were good to above average experiences.

I start my day super early so I appreciate that they open at 4:30 am.

I have noticed the staff were not connecting with their regulars as well as other locations.

In a couple of cases a patron, that was obviously a long time previous regular tried to make fun conversation and was met with a disjointedly awkward exchange.

They are very polite and systematically pleasant if not somewhat inconsistent with attention to customers.

To their credit ...I would like to note that there's a school nearby so there are a lot of young teen customers and the staff are very patient and kind...

I’ve been a loyal customer of Starbucks for years, consistently spending between $180 and $360 a month. However, I was disappointed by the recent policy change that requires customers to buy something if they want to stay, even if they’ve already made purchases earlier in the day. After returning to the store just minutes after leaving for lunch, I was asked to leave by an employee, despite having already made a purchase earlier that same day. The person who asked me to leave had even welcomed me back when I returned, making the situation feel even more frustrating.

As someone who works on my laptop at Starbucks daily, this new rule feels especially frustrating. While I understand the need to manage seating and optimize space, this policy doesn’t seem to consider the needs of regular customers who use Starbucks as a place to work. The way the policy is being enforced feels hostile and makes it clear that the store is no longer as welcoming for those who rely on it for their daily routine.

For those seeking a more accommodating option, McDonald's is a better alternative. While they also require a purchase for wifi usage, the atmosphere is more relaxed and they tend to be more gracious about it. The wifi is faster in most cases, and they are more focused on being customer-friendly, which makes it a better choice for those who need to stay and work for a while.

I hope Starbucks will reconsider how this new policy affects its regular customers and take a more balanced approach to seating and wifi usage...

Not sure what has happened to this location. It used to be a favorite.

Now, the employees don't seem to care. Homeless ppl hang out here and don't buy anything, and management turns a blind eye to it all.

Went back almost a year later hoping things had improved. To my dismay, not so much...

The remodel to this location is a disaster!

Unfortunately, the same people work here and probably have for at least the last 3yrs. What they are doing is clearly not working well for the community & they keep doing it. Over and over and over again.

Other locations in Austin have greatly improved and adjusted process with the new leadership at Starbucks. This location refuses to do so.

The manager still refuses to put business cards out. The employees are just as grumpy as they were a year ago, and for some reason the coffee is weaker here then any other location in the Country. I've been to many.

This location gets an F-

And, I've noticed that who ever responds to these reviews, consistently refers people to the "customer care" website. (A black hole, btw).

Just more ways for the manager to take no responsibility for his store and "smoke screen" any negative feedback.

You can fire him! I know he's been with the company for over 10yrs, but you can fire him! It would be good for the community and all involved. ⭐

Starbucks is all about quality standards, this location doesn't...