Starbucks — Restaurant in Edwardsville

Prepare to pay an additional fee (via tips) on-top of your drink price so that you receive what you ordered.

Ordered a Peppermint Mocha and the drink I ended up getting was disgusting. I can only assume this is because I decided not to tip while paying (prior to receiving my drink). The tipping culture is bunk (companies that make millions should pay their employees more) but a tip should not be a prerequisite to receive adequate service. If anything, a tip should be a reward for good service. Tipping after a haircut or dine-in makes sense since you get to experience the service prior to payment. Tipping prior to receiving a service is simply upcharge. I wouldn't get that tip back if the service ended up being awful. In this case, I feel that because I decided not to pay this upcharge (tip) that I received poor service and in the end, not the product I originally paid for.

Starbucks as a company consistently earns millions each year and didn't have a problem outlasting the pandemic. Even this year their earnings are up 11% from last years 24% increase (up 35% since 2020). Instead of leveraging tips, maybe they should just pay their workers more money. I would say build the cost into the drink prices, but clearly the company can take a financial hit instead of passing that onto the customers.

Weaponizing tips in exchange for adequate service...

Went to Starbucks and asked for an tall acai refresher without lemonade and light ice. I order this drink a lot and they gave me water that looked and tasted like a few drops of strawberry flavoring. I decided to take back and told the person at the speaker that my drink tastes mostly like water and barely like strawberry. She told me that's what I ordered and kept talking over me and told me they can remake it. But I didn't want a remake because I felt uncomfortable with the way the staff was acting . When I got to the window I told her I'll take my refund. And she told me they already made the drink and added extra strawberry acai and that my first drink is how sb is supposed to make it. I told her that I've been to other sb and ordered this drink and it never tasted like pure water. She got defensive and said "they probably made it wrong then..." I just took my drink to keep the peace and my cup was filled half way with ice. So I only got a few sips out of it. I tried talking to the manager but he didn't seemed to want to hear what I had to say since he made the drinks and he kept saying it was fine when it was not. I just told him have a good evening because he kept talking all over me l. I told him I ordered this drink before He told me that I probably order a different drink which was rude . I don't think I'll be coming back to...

Edit: I am updating this review due to this location seemingly stepping it up the last few times I’ve been here! No more flies in the display case and the staff has seemed more upbeat. I do wish they had someone specifically for keeping up on cleaning, because the poor staff is so slammed constantly it does get hard to keep up on.

This particular Starbucks location has really went downhill the last few months. I go out of my way to the other location in Edwardsville by the Sonic instead when possible, they are top notch. This Starbucks however is incredibly slow compared to the rest, and you’re waiting in line forever. Then, when you finally get your drink, it’s both melted and doesn’t taste right. Like watered down/not full flavor? It’s very odd. Most of the employees are very monotone and don’t seem enthused to be there. The bakery items in the glass case inside had at least 7 flies stuck in there jumping from pastry to the next which really threw my appetite off and was disgusting to look at. I do not recommend this Starbucks. Do yourself a favor and go 5-10 minutes out of your way to the Starbucks right by Sonic. That Starbucks is fast, attentive, clean, and the employees are upbeat and professional. This Starbucks could learn a few...