Did you know that Starbucks isn’t actually a coffee chain, but rather a “third-place”? That sounds downright esoteric, but what it means is that the company isn’t really a coffee shop in the usual sense of the term. Rather, it provides customers with an environment where they can go to hang out and relax away from home or work. This is known as third place. It is somewhere between your home and work. The company doesn’t just sell coffee; it sells an experience. That said, there are still some important differences between your local independent roaster and the ubiquitous Starbucks chain. Firstly, Starbucks uses an unusual method for grinding its coffee beans that not many other chains do: There’s no evidence that any other chain grinds its own beans for customers on site! Read on to learn more about this unusual practice.
Does Starbucks Grind Coffee For You?
No, Starbucks does not grind your coffee fresh in store, but they do offer fresh ground coffee in small or large bags. So, you can purchase these bags and grind your own coffee at home. Or you can choose to have it ground at the store.
Why Does Not Starbucks Grind Coffee For You?
1. Technical Difficulties
As explained in the article, the coffee beans are actually ground on-site by a machine. This means that there is a very limited amount of time in which the coffee beans can be ground. In fact, Starbucks only grinds about 10% of their coffee beans for themselves and offers customers the rest to grind at home. This means that there is a large amount of wasted product that does not get to be used for customers’ consumption. It would be more efficient if Starbucks ground their own beans ahead of time and stored them in large quantities ready to be ground as needed.
2. Cost & Time
Starbucks has experimented with grinding its own beans, but was never able to make it profitable because they spent valuable time and money on the experiment while not making any profits back from the effort.
3. The Company is Not sure of their customers’ preferences
Starbucks wanted to experiment with grinding their own beans, but they didn’t know what their customers would like. For example, if they grinded the beans too fine and made the coffee bitter, it could cause customers to complain and not return. If they ground them too coarsely, then the coffee would not taste as good or as strong as it could be. So, Starbucks decided that experimenting with grinding their own beans was not worth the effort or cost because they did not know what their customers would prefer for a great cup of coffee.
4. The Company is not sure that the customers would like it
Starbucks wanted to experiment with grinding their own beans, but they did not know what their customers would like. They tested different grinds, but they found that some of their customers preferred a medium-coarse grind of coffee beans while others preferred a very fine grind. So, Starbucks decided that experimenting with grinding their own beans was not worth the effort or cost because they did not know what their customers would prefer for a great cup of coffee.
5. The Company is concerned about the quality and taste of the product
Starbucks wanted to experiment with grinding their own beans, but they were concerned about the quality and taste of the product. If they ground too coarsely, then it would make for an inferior tasting cup of coffee. If they ground them too fine and made them bitter, then it might cause some customers to complain and not return to purchase more from Starbucks in future purchases. So, Starbucks decided that experimenting with grinding their own beans was not worth the effort or cost because they were concerned about the quality and taste of the product.
6. The Company is not sure that they can keep up with demand
Starbucks wanted to experiment with grinding their own beans, but they did not know if they could keep up with demand. If customers were willing to pay a premium price for a finely ground coffee, then Starbucks would be able to make money on the experiment and not make any losses since it would be a profitable endeavor for them. If customers were willing to purchase a coarsely ground coffee at less than the cost of finely ground coffee, then Starbucks would lose money on this experiment while making no profit at all from it. So, Starbucks decided that experimenting with grinding their own beans was not worth the effort or cost because they were unsure if they could keep up with demand.
7. The Company does not want to risk losing some customers
Starbucks wanted to experiment with grinding their own beans, but they did not want to risk losing some of their customers. If they were to grind their coffee too coarsely, then some of the customers might not like it. If they ground them too fine and made it bitter, then some of the customers would complain and not return to purchase more from Starbucks in future purchases. So, Starbucks decided that experimenting with grinding their own beans was not worth the effort or cost because they did not want to risk losing some of their customers.
How To Get Freshly Ground Beans At Starbucks?
Pick a Starbucks Location Carefully
Before you get the beans ground, you need to pick a location carefully. You want a location that has a lot of foot traffic and frequent usage. You also want to make sure that the store has a way of grinding beans on the spot. If you go to a Starbucks that doesn’t grind beans on the spot, they have to send them to a central location. This process can take several hours. If you’re looking for a Starbucks that grinds on the spot, then you can use this guide to help you pick a location. Go to Starbucks.com to find the locations nearby. Click on the “locations” tab or select the “map” tab. Once you’re on the map, click on “filter” and select “beans” to see which locations grind beans on the spot.
Ask for Freshly Ground Beans
Once you have picked the perfect location, you need to make sure you ask the barista to grind your beans on the spot. You don’t have to have a specific order or anything. Just tell the barista that you’d like freshly ground beans. If you get a confused look, explain that “I’d like freshly ground beans, please.” If the barista still looks confused, then you might want to try a different location.
Pay Attention to Timing
Freshly ground beans can taste great, but timing is important. If your beans are freshly ground, then they’re still warm from the grinder. This means that they’re fresh and full of flavour. However, as soon as beans come in contact with air, they start to lose their flavour. This is why most restaurants will serve you pre-ground beans. Pre-ground beans may taste fine, but freshly ground beans taste better. This means that if you’re going to get freshly ground beans, you have to get them straight away. You have less than 2 minutes to get your beans and put them in your cup before they start to lose flavour.
Try a Dark Roast
The very first thing that you should do when you get freshly ground beans is to try a dark roast. Dark roasts are bold and strong coffees. They’re also very easy to make. All you have to do is ask for a dark roast at the counter and then put the beans in your cup. If you don’t know what to do with freshly ground beans, then a dark roast is a great choice.
Go for Espresso Beans
Espresso beans are another type of bean that you can get freshly ground at Starbucks. Espresso beans are the same beans that go into espresso drinks. If you’re looking for a strong and flavourful cup of coffee, then espresso beans are the perfect choice. When you get freshly ground espresso beans, you get a perfect cup of coffee. You don’t have to use beans from a bag. You can use freshly ground beans from Starbucks to make your coffee.
Participate in Research Studies
If you want to get freshly ground beans at Starbucks, but don’t want to spend money on them, then you can participate in research studies. Research studies are studies that pay participants to take part in their studies. These studies can be online, on the phone, or in person. You can sign up for these studies and get freshly ground beans at Starbucks. Many Starbucks locations participate in research studies. If you see a “Research Enroll” sign at a Starbucks location, then it has a research program. You can sign up for these studies to get freshly ground beans at Starbucks.
Final Words
Starbucks uses a wide range of beans, but the beans that are ground for customers on site are a blend of different types of beans. This blend is known as a “Brazilian Blend”. It’s not the only blend that Starbucks uses, but it is the most popular. If you want to try grinding coffee beans on site and making your own coffee, you can buy beans online. It’s best to go for a Brazilian blend so that you get a taste similar to what you get in Starbucks.
