Blue Bottle Coffee — Restaurant in New York

I have a love/hate relationship with blue bottle. On the one hand they expose people to 3rd Way Coffee as first contact. On the other hand I see the company as inching closer and closer to Starbucks model. What used to be a great place for an incredible cup of single-origin coffee prior to covid-19, has become a homogenized shop of corporate convenience. Mimicking but sent to "out-snobbify" the Starbucks model. I don't believe lovers of refined coffee are willing to pay $6 for a pour-over of a generic, non-seasonal blended 12 oz. coffee. The only practical difference between a pour-over of Bella Donovan (Blue Bottles generic all year long staple) and a drip cup of Starbucks's Pike Place is the snobbery, decor and the generation of the clientele (upper-middle class millennials...). Blue Bottle should know better! When I walk into a 3rd Wave Coffee Shop, especially one as big, rich and powerful as Blue Bottle, I expect to see a: fine, limited release, seasonal, single-origin offering from each of the 3 major coffee regions. And as the entry-point to most mainstream Americans into 3rd Wave, every shop should have at least one person, educated and passionate about coffee to help new patrons to understand what they're getting rather than being line-workers hassled to pound-out sugary espresso drinks to Starbucksians looking to up their ante on snobbery. In the post Covid world, a business model based on millennials migrating like sheep of the masses to shop labeled "hip" because it out prices the mainstream, is not a sustainable model. Let's get back to basics people, purchase incredible coffees direct from origin. Show the world what they're missing from commodity coffee. And raise the coffee standard (and consequentially the quality of life for coffee farmers)...

I bought 5 coffees and 1 latte for to go yesterday. First of all, they only give me one tray with 5 coffees and when I asked them give me a small amount of half and half in a cup for to go, they wanted gave me a small cup without a lid. So, I told them I needed a cup with a lid so I can carry it back. They gave it to me, but the way everyone tools at me like I’m a troublemaker. Then, I further asked for one more tray, they already put 5 cups of coffee in one tray, now I have 1 latte + 1 cup of half and half + 1 SMALL cup of sugar that I asked on the side for extra, they had no intention to give me a second tray, so I asked again. The man and woman made coffees behind the counter still look at me like I’m making troubles. I understand that they locate in a nice building where everyone dresses up, and I dressed down and casual with Jeans and sweatshirt yesterday, I’m guessing that could be one of the reasons. I felt they looked at me differently. But, regardless they should offer good services to anyone walks in. Not a very...

Since I also work at a big coffee franchise company, I know sometimes dealing with customers is exhausting, so I like exploring new cafes to connect with baristas who work in different environments to connect. However, visiting this Blue Bottle location did not reach my expectations. The staff standing in front of the register was busy chatting with another worker who looks like unwilling to serve, so I had to give the guy at other registers a sign to take my orders. I've been visiting over 20 blue bottle stores, including an overseas location; this was the worst so far. I rather go with another blue bottle that locates a few...