Starbucks — Restaurant in Austin

This is a "Tale of Two Experiences in One Day"!

My first experience is that of woe and headache was via the drive-thru where I had ordered a tall dark roast w/a shot and 4 Splenda and a orange/cran scone. I got up to the window and was given a tall Chai...? Then, when I was given my supposed "corrected" order, I flat out asked if it had a shot and 4 Splenda and was assured "yep, everything is in there". About 20mins later I arrive at work and am looking forward to enjoying my last breakfast at my Noon meeting and I take a swig of what is very obviously just a dark roast...NO shot and most definitely NO Splenda to speak of. I was fuming! Seriously? Two chances to get my very simple coffee order right and two very epic fails!

My second experience was that of customer service redemption! After the epic coffee fail I called the store and asked to speak to the manager to file my complaint. The MOD, Amy, was very courteous, offered her apologies, and to rectify the situation by offering me a replacement beverage and a $4 off my next purchase "We're sorry" card and said I could pick up at my convenience. So I went during my lunch @5pm and the gal behind the counter knew who I was, gave me my card, and an "Our Bad" drink on the house. There were numerous apologies and a handwritten card from Amy expressing her apologies for the mishap.

So even though my morning caffeination was a bust, my experience here (it was my first time visiting this location) went from a very low 1-star to a 4-star experience based on the rarest of things in this day and age: good customer service!

Props to this location for not only owning up their mistake, but going above and beyond to make it right. I will definitely be back to use my gift card and see if the positive...

This is the third time I have came to this Starbucks and they were rude and seemed bothered when I tried to order. The first accident happen with the manager, I was in line with my service dog, and everything was fine until the lady that was standing in front started acting crazy and yelling at me and my dog, I was calm and then manger told me to leave and that pets are not allowed, he and the customer kept being rude and yelling so I left and did not purchase anything. Giving I have been in here a lot with my service dog and no one has said anything to me. The second issue was at the drive, through. It was last Sunday, I and my husband went through the drive through he ordered coffee and me a cold drink. When we got to the window to pay he asked for a water, the guy told him that if he wanted water he should of let him know when he was ordering. He was rude but did give him the water. Then today we come in and yet again they were rude(holly), she seemed bothered and was kind of rushing us to order. We weren’t sure what we wanted so I asked for a few minutes, and she seem annoyed like she had something better to do. Then I asked for my order and she then stated that we don’t have that, and I explained to her that I order it all the time “mango dragonfruit with lemonade”, she pretty much said she couldn’t make that, and got my order wrong. Then as I’m standing there she turns to the other employee and whisper something to her and and girl looked up at me, looked back at holly and said something. I have always came to this Starbucks and never had any issues but in my recent visits, the service has been, blah and the staff rude. This will be my last time coming here, the other Starbucks 2 min down the rode are much...

Starbucks has become a sterile environment compared to how it was 10-15 yrs ago. And the company wonders why it has problems staying profitable.

I can get a cup of coffee just about anywhere; and I make a mean cup of joe at home. So going to Starbucks isn't a necessity if all I want is an impersonal, sterile environment. The coffees aren't quite as good, and the selection of varietals is much smaller. It's just an okay experience.

I don't know about you, but (other than the drive thru slaves..lol) if I'm popping out early in the morning for a coffee costing $4-$7, I expect more than the great tasting coffee I can make at home; that includes ambiance.

Quick question for those of you reading my review; how many of you remember when Starbucks used to have cream, sugar, cinnamon etc station in the dining area? Starbucks took that out to control costs of people using however much of the coffee accouterments they choose, use fewer employees bc no one has to refill or clean the station. BUT, I don't always know how much cream or sugar I want depending on how dark the coffee is etc. It also was like the "office water cooler" where I could have quick chat with other patrons.

Bottom line is Starbucks has gone the way of the supposedly efficient, depersonalized, little opportunity for variance enterprise. Not special enough for me to shuck out major dollars for...