Okay, it's official....my "Dr.Phil Group" has decided that we are going to meet (to begin discussing "Self Matters") at a Starbuck's close to my home. We figure they are used to people hanging around for a while. Great! I'm looking forward to it.

The problem? I've only been in a Starbuck's once in my life.....I was looking for nice mugs for a Christmas gift last year!

I am not a coffee drinker. I may have had 15-20 cups in my entire life....maybe.

I do so LLOOOOVE tea. I'm currently in love with Earl Grey Green.....but that's a Bigelow brand and word on the street says that Starbuck's only carries Tazo brand teas. Fine.

How do I order? I know if you don't order "correctly" they will look at you like you are from another planet. I so do not want to look like a total idiot, so please.....

What do YOU drink? What is it or what is it called? What are the sizes and what are they called. What are my options.....doubles, steamed, whatever, and what is it all?

I want to order a large (___________) tea (with cream if it's not green). Do they have Splenda? Do they put it in for you?

Good grief......maybe I should go to Starbucks.com and see if they have a weekend class! The first meeting there is next Monday!

Oh, my goodness.....I am stressed out by this. I always want to seem like I have some clue wherever I go. I think I have met my match with this place!

Thanks in advance!

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LOL!
I drink the coffee, so am not as sure about the tea. However, there is a menu posted, just find the "tea" section of the menu and make a choice. I believe the tea ordering is much easier as there are fewer choices.
Are you looking for hot tea? If you want to look like you've ordered before, just say,"Ooh, I haven't tried your hot teas, what's good?" and they will help you. Don't be afraid to look like a newbie, everybody had to have a first time ordering at Starbucks, and these are usually teen-agers working the counter, we can't impress them if we try, or at least not without purple hair, and I am guessing you don't care that much, lol.
good luck and enjoy, I hear the Tazo tea is good!

btw, the cream and sweetner are on a 'bar' on the side, the ones here offer the usual choices, the pink, blue, or yellow packages of sweetner, sugar and half and half, milk, or heavy cream in jugs.

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Cynthia

Maxie,

Relax!! I'll be your Starbucks guide...

Ok, as for tea: Starbucks owns Tazo, so that is the tea they sell. There are various types available, which I will list for you:

Awake...black, English Breakfast type
Earl Grey...black; a good one, very aromatic
Chai...spiced black tea, spicy and flavorful; also comes in decaf
China Green Tips...basic green tea
Lotus...decaf green tea
Zen...green tea and herbal blend; has a lemony taste; is not decaf
Passion...herbal; hibiscus and rose hips, fruity flavor and very tart
Refresh...herbal; mint, spearmint and tarragon blend (my favorite!)
Wild Sweet Orange...herbal; a fresh, citrusy orange taste, kinda like hot, unsweetened Tang
Calm...herbal; chamomile blend, very soothing

These come in three sizes; tall (small), grande (medium) and venti (large). You will get your tea plain, and there is a condiment bar with half and half, whole and non-fat milk, sugar, Equal, honey, Sweet-n-Low, and Splenda. You add these to your taste, or if you want, ask at the counter for "a grande Green Tips with one Splenda" and they will put it in for you. If you want heavy cream or soy, ask; they have it behind the counter. It's free.

Brewed coffee comes in the same sizes; there are three brewed each day: a bold coffee, a milder one, and a decaf. They will be posted on a blackboard over the counter. If you want steamed half and half, soy or cream in your brewed coffee, it's called a "misto", with half and half it's called a "breve". So, if you wanted a medium coffee with steamed cream, you would ask for a
"grande breve misto with cream". Espresso drinks are pretty individual, so just read the board and ask about them. Just be aware that most of them contain sugar-sweetened syrups and sauces, except for lattes and Americanos. You can get a breve latte if you ask; an Americano is espresso and hot water that you can add milk and sweetener to if you wish. They stock two flavors of sugar-free syrup; vanilla and hazelnut, but they are sweetened with aspartame, so be wary if Equal gives you problems.
I hope this helped a little bit; if you need anything clarified, please ask.

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Trina

Vice-President of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

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roflol, I just was besides myself maxi with your descriptions of going to starbucks and not knowing what to order....
I guess I can say I have been to starbucks only once, didn't like their decaf, like mine better. but I know what you mean, those people behind the counter can be intimadating, and thks cheftrina for your oh so inspiring definations of the Starbucks lingo, it was how should I say magnifique....
lol

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carolyn in texas
started 8/11/03 327/268/177
5/20/08/ - 348
onward thru the fog

The only Starbucks we have is the one inside the Barnes and Noble in the mall. Bleh. BUt it is better than nothing. Only thing is, they do NOT carry Tazo teas; I wish they did. They jsut started carrying some brand in big square tins where the tea comes in a "sachet" rather than a bag, which is fine, but the flavors are awful. Almost makes me want to regress to my breve days, but I WILL BE STRONG.

Thanks for reminding me about Tazo. Yum.

Good luck Maxi, you'll be fine.

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Renee
1/19/04
261/220/160
41 lbs off
60 lbs to goal



Race to 199 Challenge
Labor Day Challenge: Focusing on the Journey
Personal Goal: 199 by 12/31/05

Maxi--
Now you know why I don't shop Starbucks or any other specialty coffee house for that matter.
1) You never know what you've ordered until you take a sip.
2) Who wants to spend $5 for a blasted cup of coffee?
3) The counter person usually isn't very patient with someone who isn't in the know when it comes to coffee.

Worse...every time I've been to Starbucks, I've been treated like a second-class citizen...and that's one visit to three different Starbucks. I guess you've got to be a regular to earn the right of Starbucks passage. These days, I'm too old and set in my ways to deal with the snobbery.

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Melissa

yes, they can really seem like elitists sometimes! but i do love starbucks coffee ....
too bad it's so darn expensive!! ever heard of the "latte factor"??? the term was coined by David Bach (a financial expert). he encourages people to give up their daily latte (or coffee of choice purchased from fancy coffee houses) ... apparently you can save up to $2000 a year (depending on what you typically purchase on a daily basis, etc). if you invest it at 11%, you could have $2 million by the time you retire. this example is based on a 22 year old person.
but i don't know .... i really like my daily coffee treat. could i really ever give it up?!

on another note - does anyone ever visit caribou coffee?? i'm so used to ordering a tall, grande, or venti at starbucks .... i always say "grande" at caribou, too! but they get mad b/c they don't use that lingo!! the guy always says "um, small, medium or large???" like they don't know what i'm talking about ...!
it's like they refuse to acknowledge the competition. LOL.

I refuse to ask for anything other than what I want: a large coffee w/ heavy cream, and if you don't have that, half & half. If they don't understand that, I'll leave. Like Melissa, I'm too old to learn a new language just to get a cuppa joe.

Besides, why would "twenty" be larger than "large"? Makes no sense to me.

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First off - I want to know where I can invest my coffee money and get an 11% return! :smile:

You guys must have horrid starbucks - we have FOUR starbucks here in Katy - 2 freestanding ones, one in Target, and one in the mall - and although the one in the mall the kids are usually a bit quieter - the others are usually really nice. It's really hilarious to have that many Starbucks within such a small area.

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Started: 261
Currently: 182

Please - I live in the NY metro .... we're talking every couple of feet here

Not really, but at times, it sure seems that way

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Tina

HA! Well I guess I have THE Starbucks connection - we have several of our pharmacy reps "trained" to bring us Starbucks (or Fivebucks as one of the docs calls it...)They call from outside Starbucks, they say, "I'm gonna come see you and I'm in front of Starbucks, what would you guys like?" I explaiin to them what each of the four of us drinks, and THEY go inside and confront the cranky teens, then bring me the bounty! Gotta love it. No charge either!'

On REALLY lucky days, TWO pharmy reps call us and wanna bring us Fivebucks!! ROFLMAO!

Char

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

or.. you could just do what my husbands grandma used to do... ask for hot water and GRAB A TEABAG outta her purse..*L* lord have mercy that woman would do it in the swankiest of places too...*L* gramma gramma..oh yeah.. she was SOMETHING... i LOVED that woman..(RIP)

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Since I'm all about the green tea, I just need to know how to order a large, plain green tea. I'll add Splenda at the condiment bar. (I actually DO carry a baggie of Splenda packets in my purse!)

We will be there a while, discussing the book and I don't want to be distracted with thought of "God, I just made an idiot of myself!" The "Self Matters" book should help with those feelings of inadequacy (sp), but I'm not there yet. One of my worst fears is public humiliation. Dr.Phil says what we fear, we create, ultimately....so I'm trying to sidestep that little pitfall and get a clue.

YET......part of me (the inner, rebellious child) wants to walk in and say "I'd like your largest size.....plain green tea, please." and DARE them to not understand THAT!

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heh... how odd... because that is just about what i USED to always ask for... give me your BIGGEST mocha .. WHAT EVER YOU call em..*L*.. that always got me a smile... *shrug*... guess its something in the deLIVery eh?

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kims SECOND journal is HERE
kims new blog
KIMS BLOG !!
SUGARFREE BLOG

Yep, do it just like that!! "Biggest plain green tea you've got!" With a big smile of course.

Char

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!