SEATTLE - Starbucks is shutting its doors for three hours Tuesday night, the latest drastic step in a companywide bid to improve its sagging fortunes.

The shutdown is one of several big moves spearheaded by Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz, who recently took back the reins of the company amid concerns that it was losing its edge and facing increased competition from the likes of McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts.

Schultz has said the shutdown, which begins at 5:30 p.m. local time, is a way to energize its 135,000 employees and provide some barista re-education in the "art of espresso" at its 7,100 U.S. locations.

In a memo to employees and the public, Schultz said the goal of the closure was to improve the so-called "Starbucks Experience" — the company's shorthand for its mixture of service, ambience and coffee that spurred its explosive growth and success in recent years.

"We are passionate about our coffee. And we will revisit our standards of quality that are the foundation for the trust that our customers have in our coffee and in all of us," Schultz wrote in a memo titled "Howard Schultz Transformation Agenda Communication #8."

The move comes about a year after a memo was made public in which Schultz openly fretted about whether the Starbucks brand was being watered down by changes including adding automated espresso machines and using pre-ground, pre-packaged coffee in stores. Both moves have robbed the stores of some of their aroma and romance but have allowed customers to get their caffeine fix more quickly.

The move comes about a year after a memo was made public in which Schultz openly fretted about whether the Starbucks brand was being watered down by changes including adding automated espresso machines and using pre-ground, pre-packaged coffee in stores. Both moves have robbed the stores of some of their aroma and romance but have allowed customers to get their caffeine fix more quickly.

This is what happens when small companies grow. It's happened to my company. It's ironic because it's a place where people come expecting the freshest ingredients.

Although I'm not a coffee fan, I perfer Dunkin Dounuts lattes over Starbucks. They're too expensive for me!

That explains why there were all those confused people with laptops wandering around on my block...

;)

I was at the mall today. The standalone Starbucks in the mall was closed, but the other Starbucks located in Target was open. Hurrah!

That explains why there were all those confused people with laptops wandering around on my block...

;)
:lol:

1. Lower your prices.

2. Get rid of the idiotic names for sizes.


Yay...I saved Starbucks.

1. Lower your prices.

2. Get rid of the idiotic names for sizes.


Yay...I saved Starbucks.

I agree i don't even really go there I just posted the article but I think Dunkin' Donuts is more popular in New England where i'm from anyways. What are the names for the sizes I'm just wondering? They don't call them small, medium or large?

Oh i understand what your talking about I just went to Dunkin Donuts website and I think they were making fun of Starbucks a commercial played and the girl said she'll have a large and the girl keeps saying Deici is that really even a word

Whenever I go to Starbucks, I just say "large hot vanilla latte, please." -- they know what I'm asking anyway and don't correct me on what they call the large size.

I can't read in-store menus for jack, ESPECIALLY Starbuck's menu - it's MURDER on my eyes - so I just don't even bother to see what they call their sizes.

Although I'm not a coffee fan, I perfer Dunkin Dounuts lattes over Starbucks. They're too expensive for me!


I don't care for Starbuck's either. It tastes like a bad version of Cafe Bustello. And yes, they are pricey. But once in a while I have one of their holiday lattes--a bit of an indulgence at $4.33 a pop. I'll take DD coffee anyday over Starbuck's. Practically anybody's for that matter.

A local coffee place here was giving away coffee for free for the 3 hours that the Starbucks were closed.

I agree i don't even really go there I just posted the article but I think Dunkin' Donuts is more popular in New England where i'm from anyways. What are the names for the sizes I'm just wondering? They don't call them small, medium or large?
One of them is Venti. Small maybe? No, they call a small Tall. Venti must be bigger.

I feel like an idiot ordering a tall hot cocoa. It just sounds stupid. So I go to a local convenience store chain here, get a small hot cocoa for 99 cents, and I don't have to say a word.

One of them is Venti. Small maybe? No, they call a small Tall. Venti must be bigger.

I feel like an idiot ordering a tall hot cocoa. It just sounds stupid. So I go to a local convenience store chain here, get a small hot cocoa for 99 cents, and I don't have to say a word.
Grande, I think. Venti is medium.

Grande, I think. Venti is medium.

The fancy schmancy words @ Starbucks are probably part of a subliminal marketing ploy - doesn't work on me. I prefer places that keep it simple and CHARGE REASONABLE PRICES (E.G. not Starbucks). And as I said earlier, their regular coffee is not all that to me anyways.

Too pretentiouis and too expensive.

Starbucks just sucks (outside of their frapaccinos). I feel like an idiot ordering too. Whatever happened to small, medium and large? Simplicity people!

The first time I was at a Starbucks, I stood there with my big, Yogi Bear face hanging out trying to read that stupid menu. Now I'm a fairly intelligent person, but do you think I could make that thing out? It should come with a friggin' thesaurus!

And when Americans come here, even then they're messed up. We had some sales people up last summer. They stopped in at a Tim Horton's on the way to their training that morning. (Tim's is our top coffee place in Canada - and is way better than Starbucks and cheaper). Anyway, they were thinking of the stupid Starbuck's sizes and asked for small coffees. They got SMALL coffees alright! The looks on their faces was a riot, but in the end, they all agreed that it made sense and they had been brainwashed by Starbuck's silly size names, etc..

And lastly, for God's sakes, make lids WITHOUT holes in them. People are quite capable of peeling back a perferated section on the lid.
I don't know how many times I'd be buying 8 coffees for people in the office and having to bring my own file folder labels from work because the stupid ones Starbucks give you never hold and you end up with coffee all over the seat of your car.