Why are there so many Starbucks in Dublin?

Gummy Panda

krudler wrote: »

Hell yeah they are, its hard to not want one every day cos they're so cheap. Plus their special/limited donuts, a donut with Oreo biscuit on top and coated with Oreo cream filling?

http://d2x3wmakafwqf5.cloudfront.net/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/61/files/2014/06/tim-hortons-Oreo-Donut1.png

I hate you now. I'm so craving donuts

Frank Lee Midere

Mr_Spaceman wrote: »

Because it's sheep we're up against.

Blame the cast of Friends and their faux, lounge lifestyle in Central Perk.

I do hope Insomnia - with their vastly superior coffee - can repel the tentacles of the green mermaid.

Hipsters really hate faux hipsters. But hipsterism always keeps changing. Soon the people drinking coffee at Insomnia - which is also like Central Perk - will go out of fashion and the new hipsterism will hate the old hipsters, and call them sheep, as they move en masse to Costa. Best to follow the hipster herd before that happens. Lest you be a sheep.

Anyway since Starbucks is apparantly out of fashion I might pop in some day. I've never been to a Dublin starbucks. I remember from my time in the US they had pleasant staff and seating.

Reindeer

When I was homeless, I sat outside a Starbucks for their free internet. Then, one day, some homeless guy spit on me for being a hipster. He didn't believe I didn't have any spare change. Stupid homeless people.

nala_rinaldo

it’s too mainstream to be hip.

SpaceTime

Aard wrote: »

This always amuses me. A middle aged woman was in front of me in the Dundrum Starbucks and is asked her name. She begins saying "Eh...em.." As though she couldn't remember her own name. Dressed up, sunglasses, hair-do. Eventually gives her name as Peggy (yes, Cork accent). Two minutes later, the foreign server shouts out "Cappucino for Piggy!" Muffled laughter and sharp intakes of breath all around. They'd even written Piggy on her cup.

The Muppet's Miss Piggy actually was based on Miss Peggy Lee's diva persona so they're not far off.

Mr_Spaceman

Larry David says yes to Starbucks...

ErnieBert

Lapin wrote: »

I'm glad they're not in Galway and hope they never arrive.

One of the great attractions in the city is the number of locally owned cafés and little one off restaurants in every street.

It would be a shame to see places like Cross St, High St, Quay St etc being dominated by Starbucks, Costa and Insomnia.
.

Costa opened on Quay Street in Galway (next door to Jury's Inn)

BeerWolf

Never been to Starbucks... the OP's convinced me to try it by raising awareness!

Lapin

ErnieBert wrote: »

Costa opened on Quay Street in Galway (next door to Jury's Inn)

Ah shít.

Faux Socialist

Aard wrote: »

This always amuses me. A middle aged woman was in front of me in the Dundrum Starbucks and is asked her name. She begins saying "Eh...em.." As though she couldn't remember her own name. Dressed up, sunglasses, hair-do. Eventually gives her name as Peggy (yes, Cork accent). Two minutes later, the foreign server shouts out "Cappucino for Piggy!" Muffled laughter and sharp intakes of breath all around. They'd even written Piggy on her cup.

That's the kind of stupidity you'd expect from somebody working in Starbucks.

Aard

Faux Socialist wrote: »

That's the kind of stupidity you'd expect from somebody working in Starbucks.

Oh right, I'd forgotten that all people working in Starbucks must be thick as two planks.

c_man

Am I the only one here who's never had one? Not trying to be cool (I already am, eh? :cool: ) it's just there's none of them around here, and I'm not a big coffee man anyways. I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of potential faux outrage.

jimgoose

awec wrote: »

It's hip to not like starbucks now.

Gotta pretend like you're some sort of coffee connoisseur.

The hip cycle:

Niche -> Cool -> gains popularity -> loses niche -> hip to dislike.

Starbucks are at the point in the hip cycle where my mother likes them, so it's probably more of a Hip-Replacement cycle.

cournioni

There's nothing wrong with Starbucks. Most of the time it wouldn't be my preference to go there as I find that fresh food and nice coffee in some of the independent shops is nicer, but I don't see the issue that people has with it.

The food Starbucks serve isn't bad, its overpriced, but at the end of it all if a person decides they want a Starbucks I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to enjoy it without somebody with a chip on their shoulder saying how bad Starbucks is.

zcorpian88

More of a Costa man myself, quite like their carrot cake and mocha lattes. Was never into fancy coffees because they often looked like a strain and a hassle to make when there is massive queues, I often felt bad for staff in coffee shops spending 3 or 4 minutes making one cup of coffee so I just kept it simple and ordered tea or just a plain coffee.

Met my girlfriend then and she got me into mocha lattes, which I can't get enough of now, a new found guilty pleasure.

Only ever been in a Starbucks once a few years ago in John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, hadn't a clue what to order there was so much stuff on the menu. I ordered a special hot chocolate or supreme hot chocolate I think it was called, because I wasn't in the mood for coffee, was lovely in fact.

When I'm in Dublin I notice there is a good few Starbucks outlets, spoiled for choice up there. I often walk by it though, not that I'm anti Starbucks. I do see a lot of hipsters in there and general eejits with those earrings your could latch a padlock onto.

EyeSight

Say what you want about starbucks, but they're great if you are stuck for wifi or it's late and you want to go somewhere that isn't a bar or restaurant. Ireland lacks good late night coffee shops. I prefer Accents but it can be touch getting a seat there sometimes. KC Peaches can be good too.

I guess if you like those milkshake things, they're great at those. I adore coffee and although i don't like Starbucks coffee, it's not the poison people claim it is-but yes overpriced.

I would like to remind people that just because a coffee shop is independent, does not make their coffee great

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

lertsnim

c_man wrote: »

Am I the only one here who's never had one? Not trying to be cool (I already am, eh? :cool: ) it's just there's none of them around here, and I'm not a big coffee man anyways. I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of potential faux outrage.

I've nver been in one. I don't drink tea or coffee though.

devildriver

Never understood either the love or the hate for Starbucks. It's just a coffee shop.

Can't remember the last time I had one. Probably at an Airport or something. Coffee was fine, muffin was fine.

The thing I found hilarious about a coffee shop called Insomnia was that it closed at 6 pm!:eek::)

My local independently owned coffee shop serves Java Republic coffee which is really nice and totally Irish-owned for those that care about such things.

I wonder if all of those people that despise Starbucks also have the same hatred (and refuse to set foot in) for Tescos, Dunnes Stores, Centra etc. They are all just chain stores or franchises at the end of the day. No need to get one's undergarments in a bunch!

Lapin

cournioni wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with Starbucks. Most of the time it wouldn't be my preference to go there as I find that fresh food and nice coffee in some of the independent shops is nicer, but I don't see the issue that people has with it.

The food Starbucks serve isn't bad, its overpriced, but at the end of it all if a person decides they want a Starbucks I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to enjoy it without somebody with a chip on their shoulder saying how bad Starbucks is.

Nothing wrong with Starbucks at all. I just think a branch of one large chain is enough on any street.

Otherwise the independent shops with their fresh food and nice coffee will ultimately be squeezed out.

Central London is a perfect example of this. Many parts of place are destroyed with too many branches of EAT, Pret a Manger, Nero, Costa etc. In some parts of the West End you'd have to look damn hard to find somewhere unique to the area.

Faith+1

lertsnim wrote: »

I've nver been in one. I don't drink tea or coffee though.

Not even Tea! My god!

asteroids over berlin

I dislike Starbucks, I get a very Asian addiction vibe going on in them (not because there are lots of Asians in there), I keep picturing those dance like a maniac arcade games everytime I walk by one, I dislike franchise's in general, fcuk Spar! mcdonalds are ok, I like milkshakes!

yeah fcuk starucks, avoid!

Bring back Tik and Tok, yeah!

FloatingVoter

Never been in one. Heard all the jokes. I'm often down near College Green but if I need free wi-fi I'll drop into a pub instead and have either a cheaper coffee or a pint.
That said, I'd go into one without hesitation if the need arose.

Yer Aul One

I read somewhere that the majority of the franchises in Ireland are owned by Butlers

**Correction, just two lads called Butler, not the choclatiers

maxwell smart

Morag wrote: »

AT least Costa is irish owned and pays more taxes then Starbucks do

Costa is run exactly the same as Starbucks in Ireland. Both are franchises and (I would imagine) both pay taxes. The fact that Starbucks don't pay taxes (or very little) in the UK is not relevant here in Ireland as they sold the operation to an Irish team a couple of years ago.

Costa is a UK owned company and the franchise here is run (I think) by the same people who run KFC. So it must be great coffee altogether!

marklazarcovic

Lapin wrote: »

I'm glad they're not in Galway and hope they never arrive.

One of the great attractions in the city is the number of locally owned cafés and little one off restaurants in every street.

It would be a shame to see places like Cross St, High St, Quay St etc being dominated by Starbucks, Costa and Insomnia.

Galway planners come in for a lot of stick, but in fairness they have (in the main) kept the conveniance stores away from the core of the city and prevented the place from being littered with the likes of Spar, Centra and Londis shops selling Cuisine de France muck that have destroyed much of the centre of Dublin.

As for the Starbucks in the university, I can never understand the people who queue there for ages to fork out nearly €3 for hot frothed milk with a suspicion of caffine when they can get perfectly good coffee a minute away in Smokies for less than half the price.

is a starbucks opening on shop street very shortly

Holsten

I like the odd Starbucks coffee now and then, very expsensive though.

I'd rather have another Starbucks than yet another empty shop front.

Quin_Dub

I drink plain black coffee and Starbucks is by far the worst tasting coffee I've ever had...

To be fair, all of the "chain" coffee shops have muck plain coffee, it's overdone , burnt dishwater , but Starbucks definitely leads the pack in crap basic coffee..

Most people though are ordering the fluffy,frothy stuff , anything would taste nicer drowned in Caramel, hazelnut macchiato or some other creamy sickly sweet concoction.

If I do end up going into these places with someone I almost never order coffee , I get a smoothie or something, just can't stand the coffee.

EyeSight

Quin_Dub wrote: »

I drink plain black coffee and Starbucks is by far the worst tasting coffee I've ever had...

To be fair, all of the "chain" coffee shops have muck plain coffee, it's overdone , burnt dishwater , but Starbucks definitely leads the pack in crap basic coffee..

Most people though are ordering the fluffy,frothy stuff , anything would taste nicer drowned in Caramel, hazelnut macchiato or some other creamy sickly sweet concoction.

If I do end up going into these places with someone I almost never order coffee , I get a smoothie or something, just can't stand the coffee.

I got one in costa before for around 5 euros. It was either frozen yogurt or cream mixed with loads of syrup and then blended. Not one piece of fruit in it. Disgusting.

sadie06

If you stick with this till the end, Dylan explains it all!

Quin_Dub

EyeSight wrote: »

I got one in costa before for around 5 euros. It was either frozen yogurt or cream mixed with loads of syrup and then blended. Not one piece of fruit in it. Disgusting.

Yep.. Some of them are awful - I don't go in very often, 2 or 3 times a year in total I'd say...

JohnMearsheimer

The last time I was in Dublin I couldn't get over the number of Starbucks outlets there were. I don't mind Starbucks, I prefer it to Costa. Some of the Starbucks outlets I've visited in the US have had a relaxing vibe to them.

We only have one in Cork out in Mahon Point. It's been very busy every time I've been there/passed there. It must be doing insane business. I'm not too mad about the atmosphere in the Cork Starbucks. It's location isn't too pedestrian friendly, someone is going to get mowed down one of these days.

Tim Horton's in Canada was great. I'd always stop by when getting the Skytrain home. I think it was $3 for a coffee and a doughnut. That's about €2.

cloudatlas

The coffee is gross but there are very few places you can sit in for hours without getting evils from staff so that's why i find myself going back there.

Tarzana

biko wrote: »

http://www.lolpix.com/_pics/Funny_Pictures_1649/Funny_Pictures_164910.jpg

"We're becoming a Starbucks in five minutes."

No Starbuck in my home city - but I think they might test one in Milano but I think it will not work.

daUbiq

LostBoy101 wrote: »

Their coffee is vastly overrated.

It is dreadful but the coffee in most coffee shops in Dublin is also dreadful.. I'd recommend anyone who believes Starbucks coffee is good try a coffee from the coffee shop at the junction of Pembroke road and Lansdowne road. I've been going there for about 18 months, the coffee is fantastic.

Heroditas

daUbiq wrote: »

It is dreadful but the coffee in most coffee shops in Dublin is also dreadful.. I'd recommend anyone who believes Starbucks coffee is good try a coffee from the coffee shop at the junction of Pembroke road and Lansdowne road. I've been going there for about 18 months, the coffee is fantastic.

The place in the little kiosk?

Personally, I like Eataly on Pembroke Street beside Pablo Picante whenever I'm in that neck of the woods. There always seems to be Italians buying their coffee there when I pop in so maybe that's a good sign!

Faux Socialist

The thing I found hilarious about a coffee shop called Insomnia was that it closed at 6 pm!:eek::)

My local independently owned coffee shop serves Java Republic coffee which is really nice and totally Irish-owned for those that care about such things.

I wonder if all of those people that despise Starbucks also have the same hatred (and refuse to set foot in) for Tescos, Dunnes Stores, Centra etc. They are all just chain stores or franchises at the end of the day. No need to get one's undergarments in a bunch![/QUOTE]

I have no problem with Tesco stores or Dunnes stores opening in every neighborhood but i do have a problem with Starbucks opening up on every street corner and even on opposite street corners.

cloudatlas wrote: »

The coffee is gross but there are very few places you can sit in for hours without getting evils from staff so that's why i find myself going back there.

One of the reasons i hate the place!

daUbiq

LostBoy101 wrote: »

Their coffee is vastly overrated.

It is dreadful but the coffee in most coffee shops in Dublin is also dreadful.. I'd recommend anyone who believes Starbucks coffee is good try a coffee from the coffee shop at the junction of Pembroke road and Lansdowne road. I've been going there for about 18 months, the coffee is fantastic.

TeddyTedson

I like Starbucks and often pop in, however on Monday I was in a small privately owned local coffee shop and then Starbucks not so long after. This small coffee shop is beside me so I'm regularly in it and know they serve great coffee but I couldn't believe just how much better I thought it was than Starbucks, considering I really enjoy their coffee also.

cloudatlas

Yes I suppose the whole idea of going for coffee is that you get great coffee. Their filter coffee that they provide free refills for is disgusting I had to take indigestion tablets afterwards.

I just get the really cheap chai tea and save the bag and ask for hot water. If I want to go for good coffee then I know where to go but there aren't many places with good coffee that are large enough to sit in for hours getting some work done.

Googleyes

nala_rinaldo wrote: »

franchise shop is easier to open and make money on than make a new business from beginning. no need to worry about systems, shop name those type of things.

Starbucks is not a franchise company

boostenergy

because ithey are for the hipsters and the yocks with the designer suits and brief cases.

It is the same in Belfast, I stay clear of cities as I am not comfortable in such an environment, I prefer the smell of turf in the countryside.

Elmo

Would ye every get back to drinking tea!

guest2014

daUbiq wrote: »

It is dreadful but the coffee in most coffee shops in Dublin is also dreadful.. I'd recommend anyone who believes Starbucks coffee is good try a coffee from the coffee shop at the junction of Pembroke road and Lansdowne road. I've been going there for about 18 months, the coffee is fantastic.

you dont own the coffee shops at the junction of Pembroke road and Lansdowne road by any chance?:rolleyes:

cloudatlas

Compared with Greggs Starbucks is not that prolific. Seems to be a Greggs every square mile in the U.K. No wonder they're mostly all fatties.

pueblo

Vincent Vega wrote: »

33 stores in Co Dublin! :mad:

I make it 37 in Co Dublin?! http://www.starbucks.ie/store-locator/search/location/dublin

Vincent Vega

4 more since i posted?!? that was quick! :pac:
When i made my count the map didn't even have the 2nd Dún Laoghaire one marked.
'Tis madness anyway.

Shakespeare's Sister

What Dublin could really do with is Spars.

I lived in Ringsend a few years ago and there was a Spar in Sandymount, a big one in Irishtown, a small one in Ringsend, a big one on Grand Canal Dock, a big one by Google, and then Pearse Street started.
FFS, how could anyone deem that a sufficient number of Spars?! :mad:

Vincent Vega

I would never have noticed!
I rarely even notice whether if it's a Centra, Spar or Londis when i'm in these places.
That's quite a few in close proximity.

I guess you could say the owners are.....

(•_•)

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spar-ring partners.