Starbucks — Restaurant in Charleston

I love this Starbucks! I used to avoid getting Starbucks in general because every other location I have visited has extremely long wait times to get a beverage from the drive through, and sometimes even if I pre-order and go in to pick up. I LOVE their hot lattes and the Frappuccinos, so the slightly high prices are worth it. The wait AND extra cost was used to cause me to only visit a Starbucks occasionally as a treat. However, this location has consistently short waits no matter how long the drive-thru line is. Often, during peak hours, their line to the drive-thru is so long that the line wraps around the store, and several cars are lined up in the adjacent shopping center parking lot. Somehow, this location gets it right despite the pile ups and moves the line forward so fast that I have honestly never waited longer than 5 mins. Their 5-minute wait includes waiting in line, ordering, AND receiving my beverage. Other locations take 10-15 mins just to move through the line and order. My explanation is not intended to disparage any of the folks working at other Starbucks locations. I simply wanted to point out what absolute rock stars the crew here are! They are also always friendly, polite, and very efficient. I really appreciate every one of you and hope that you are all rightfully commended by both the corporate and franchise level supervisors you work with there after they see this review. I honestly uses to order Starbucks once or twice during an average month. Sometimes, as often as 4-6 times. For the past year or so I go 4-6 times a week. That's a great product and even better service in action! Not so great for my wallet, but it really speaks why I love this location so much! The baristas here...

This store has the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. They create obstacles and will always tell you what they can’t do. They are unable to think outside of a box and will literally tell you something isn’t possible for them to prepare for you before you’ve even finished making your request. I had a really bad experience here several months ago. I had only asked for 1/2 iced coffee and 1/2 cold brew that way I could get the dark bold taste without so much caffeine. They would not accommodate me. I had to go to a different store to get what I needed. Now yesterday I visited for the first time in a long time and even though I had a BOGO in my app- the rep refused to give it to me. Saying she didn’t know what her computer was going to do. This was after telling me that they aren’t even offering that deal and it was clearly loaded in my Starbucks app. I was in the drive through. The deal was good til 6pm. It was 5:53 when I arrived in the line. She gave me obstacle after obstacle at the drive thru. I finally gave up and just left. Starbucks is supposed to be a happy zone where good things happen. I will never come back to this...

I normally don’t have bad experiences at the Sam Rittenberg Starbucks, but I placed a drive thru mobile order there today and the young lady who was working the window (long hair, bluish eyes and eyebrow piercing) was so rude. She didn’t greet me at all, didn’t have a sense of urgency to even address me at the window when she finished with the order she was taking, she WALKED AWAY from the window area until she saw me from my car looking directly at her wondering what was going on. I could see my order sitting by the drive thru window so it wasn’t that she was grabbing my items, then when she finally walked over to me, she didn’t confirm that I was the customer with the mobile order (how it’s normally done) and she gave me this dry, monotone send off when I thanked her for my stuff.

I don’t like how I was treated today, it’s not up to par with the other baristas at any other Starbucks I’ve EVER been to. Maybe she had a rough day today or something but I know that I won’t be in a rush to return back to this Starbucks...