Starbucks — Restaurant in New York

It's incredibly disappointing after so many years in this community the decline of this flagship Starbucks. It must be said frankly because it's generational can the people that they have hired a very disdainful very distracted and have no sense of customer service. I am a property manager project manager and real estate broker I deal with individuals on all levels and as a member of the community I'm very dismayed and many others as well in my community and Neighbors at the level of service here.

I'm standing there with drink in hand after 6 minutes of ordering to pick up and all I see is two female employees chit-chatting snickering out loud while I'm waiting for the other part of my order which is a warmed up coffee cake. I had to make a notice that I was still waiting to the gentleman that was at the cashier who replies oh we got you in a minute meanwhile I'm looking at the coffee cake sitting on the counter open sitting there for about 2-3 minutes another Patron saw the same thing and the young lady walks into the kitchen to continue her conversation snickering and laughing out loud on work hours while I'm staring at this coffee cake he had to go put the coffee cake in the oven which I didn't want at this point because now it's been sitting there by itself for 5 minutes. And he had the audacity to tell me we were taking care of you in good time no you were not I mentioned it out loud look at where she is look at the product sitting on the table out of its package and it's unacceptable for you to tell me that I'm wrong while I'm looking at it and you're taking care of a customer and she's in the kitchen snickering with a joke with the other employee and the food is not being prepared properly in an unsafe manner left out on the counter. I rarely going to rant like this but this was totally but this was totally unacceptable and this. The young lady in question saw me talking to the other person didn't even care just smirked and walked by. This is a flagship store and for decades we've enjoyed this place and it's designed in this middle class of hard-working individuals and it's definitely losing its luster you can go ahead and review with the whole community you going to get similar responses. It's not the tourist that you should be worried about it's the reviews from the patriots who have kept this place as a landmark...

A newfound friends told me about his Chess group playing in rotation in this place every Wednesday from 4pm-10pm and its free to join.

So, I checked it out last Wednesday and liked it. Yesterday, 8/2/23, Wednesday was my second time coming there.

Although my commute there were both screwed up (first time, I passed the stop even though I was looking at the Google Map's bus route live on my phone🤦. And, yesterday, I got off one stop early__while again looking to the Google Map's bus route on my phone!🤦

When I got off, I asked a lady and her child (I presumed) if the Starbucks are near me__she said it is still faraway!) I was mortified for another mistake! I ended up blaming the bus driver under my breath for letting me got off early even after asking her if this was my stop for the Starbucks! UGH. 😩.

I blamed my newfound friend, as well, the moment I saw him: for telling me that, " all bus drivers know where the Starbucks is__just let them know you are going there". Apparently, this particular driver didn't know!

On the other hand, I should have blame no one but myself for not paying attention on the live Google Map's bus route! 👍(taking it now! So, I asked for forgiveness to both!🙏❤️)

Anyways, I like this Starbucks because it's spacious: it has a patio both on first and second floor. Wednesday chess plays on the first floor's patio.👍

If my schedule is clear, next week I planned to go there early. I came almost closing time yesterday.

This Chess group plays every Wednesday in this place year round(I heard👍). ♟️ ❤️

See...

I'm generally not one to write negative review, but in this situation I feel inclined, to and to call Starbucks corporate to file a complaint on my recent visit. I've been a Starbucks customer for over 20+years, been going to Howard Beach Starbucks over 15+ years. I always raved that HB was the best Starbucks. The atmosphere, the place and barista was just awesome. I have seen a lot of faces come and go, but shout out to the OG baristas Jim and Will who are the remaining old crew left. NEVERRR had a complaint, UNTIL yesterday 4/13/2025 when I asked my Husband to pick me up a bottle of Vanilla Syrup. A Starbucks products I've been purchasing for years. It was $12.95 and it jumped up to $19.95 sometime last year. The cost is not the issue, it's the refusal to sale and the going back and forth with my husband (including the shift supervisor) and another Barista behind the bar "THEY DON'T DO THAT HERE" when they in fact DO. I was displeased with the situation, the service and how it was handled. I ended up having to call corporate and file a in-store experience complaint. The representative on the phone went thru all my previous transactions on my Starbucks reward card, and it does show I had purchased the bottle of Vanilla Syrup from HB location and the Macys Herald Sq Mezzanine location (on top of that I even got points for it too). The Starbucks that I know HAD always put customers satisfaction as their top priority, but unfortunately NOT in...