1y ago

Starbucks accused of rigging payments in app for nearly $900 million gain over 5 years by consumer watchdog group

fortune.com Starbucks accused of rigging payments in app for nearly $900 million gain over 5 years by consumer watchdog group

“Starbucks rigs its payment platform so consumers are encouraged to leave unspent money on their cards and apps," the group says.

Starbucks accused of rigging payments in app for nearly $900 million gain over 5 years by consumer watchdog group::Washington Consumer Protection Coalition complains to Washington state attorney general.

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This problem can also be avoided by just not buying their shitty coffee and food.
P.S. Fuck Starbucks!
- I know too many people that think Starbucks is the only place that makes good coffee and refuse to go anywhere else. No, you like strong roasts, lots of sugar, and plenty of advertising, most of which you can get anywhere else if you just ask.
  
  Except Dunkin. I can't get a coffee worth shit at Dunkin.
  
  Yet some psychos swear Dunkin’ has the best coffee.
  
  Must be why they were driven out of business here on the caffiene-obsessed west coast. Their coffee is just too good.
  
  Dunkin cold brew is delicious. Their drip coffee is just stained water though.
  
  Keep in mind that for a number of people, places like Starbucks and Dunkin create an accessable entry to something beyond a home made pot of Folgers.
  I grew up smelling my parents coffee and enjoying the smell, but the taste was horrific so I swore off drinking coffee. Fast forward many years and I dipped my toe into that overly sweet and milky Starbucks and found something that actually tasted good to me. Many years later I have my own grinder and espresso machine, and numerous other coffee gadgets, and might only darken the door of Starbucks/Dunkin a few times a year for convenience. Can I make something at home I enjoy more? Yep. But there's nothing wrong with other people having other tastes along their coffee journey.
  
  My local coffee scene is basically different versions of Dunkin Donuts, even the indie places have old coffee with chemical flavors. There is one place that serves a tasty espresso shot but it has inconsistent hours and is a 20 minute drive. Starbucks is closer and the app is super convenient.
  We don't all live in big cities with lots of options and Starbucks fills the void.
  
  Have you tried brewing your own at home? I've gotten into making fresh cups using a single-cup Clever Dripper setup and grind the beans as needed. Soooooo much better than DD/Starbucks and very easy to make. It does take time though (approx 6-7 mins to make a cup start to finish) and a bit of $ to get started (maybe about $100 for dripper, kettle, filters, and beans), but i can't imagine how much money i would have wasted on so-so (or worse) coffee bought at DD/Starbucks/etc everyday.
  
  Yes, but sometimes it's nice to have someone else make it, and to hang out somewhere that's not my home office.
  
  Not saying i never buy coffee while I'm out! I just don't have to go out and buy it every time i want a good cup... And i love a good cup of coffee, lol 💖
  Just throwing it out there--good coffee is easy to make!
  
  Either a thrifted moka pot or an Aeropress is king in this situation, imo. Super cheap, low barrier of entry, and leaves money for a decent grinder in the budget. Not to mention the super short brew time which is key for a lot of people.
  Also, get a hand frother! Life changer for making your home cuppa feel higher class.
  
  This sounds reasonable to me. Starbucks is everywhere. But when you do have options they're far from the top choice.
  You could have a look around to see if you have any local coffee roasters and then find out who they supply to try and get something a lot fresher.
  
  What advertising?
  
  Coffee flavored lemonade. Last time I went to a Starbucks I asked for just a black coffee, and the look they gave me really expressed the "dirty peasants and their inferior coffee taste" sentiment. Now I just make coffee at home to bring along.
  
  That's weird. Most Starbucks workers I know love when people order black coffee. It's the easiest to make.
  
  You're right. @slopppyEngineer is just projecting their own misconceptions. Source: was a Barista at Starbucks.
  
  I seriously doubt the kid at the counter gave one flying fuck what kind of coffee you ordered.
  
  I only ever order coffee or iced coffee, and I like to add milk and sugar myself. I don't remember any of those interactions being weird, I ask for "just coffee". They sometimes ask if I want to pay more for diabetes from a soap dispenser or stronger coffee in my coffee, I say no thanks (without commenting on the absurdity of that being a normal question), and they ring me up
  You're describing a very loaded look... They might just personally think black coffee is gross, or more likely the way you asked for it might've been strange.
  They're service grunts for a massive chain, and going back to the absurdity, it's 2024. They probably get screamed at by a stranger for no reason frequently.
  The look they gave you was probably them tensing up at a customer who doesn't know the latest coffee ritual and might scream at them
- A helpful chart for unethical food/drink brands to avoid:
  
  This is helpful. It says unless you plant your own food you're probably almost sure for real giving money to bad companies.
  
  Tough to memorize. At what point is it just easier to list the good companies we don’t have to avoid?
  
  Yeah, my comment was a little tongue in cheek... When it comes to avoiding things, the best you can really do is maybe memorize a list of the worst companies and see what you can do about avoiding them.
  
  Look, it's easy. If it's fizzy, it's made by Coca-Cola. If it's sweets, it's made by Mars or Mondelez. If it's breakfast, it's made by Kelloggs, and if it's evil, it's made by Nestle.
  
  I only drink filtered tap water and I take my water bottle everywhere so I don't have to worry about that.
  
  What about food? Or do you only grow your own radishes watered only by the rain and your own piss, like that guy from The Good Place?

44 comments