Worst Hot Chocolate Ever

So I just had what was quite possibly the worst hot chocolate I’ve ever had, from the Starbucks in Yaletown. It was bad in many ways: First, the guy taking my order made fun of me: “A hot chocolate. You’re sure? You don’t want a coffee?”. Then, the barista made it, and didn’t yell it out, so I’d no idea it had been made. Finally, after everyone else in line had picked up their coffee, and there was still a cup on the counter, I asked him if that was my hot chocolate, and he said “what? oh, yeah”. So bad service to start.

Then, upon inspection, I wasn’t even sure there was any chocolate in the cup. The foam at top was as white as the driven snow. Even after blowing on the foam, to look at deeper layers, it was still white. But I shrugged, and put on the lid.

While walking away, I finally tasted it. There was, possibly, some chocolate in there. But I think it more likely that the steamed milk had somehow inhaled the scent of chocolate, or had been spritzed by a chocoloate-flavored spritzer, rather than having actual chocolate syrup inside. But essentially, I was drinking steamed milk.

Now, that would have been passable. I’m not against a good cup of steamed milk. But for that to be good, it has to be hot. And hot, this drink was not. It was warm, for sure, but not hot. Not quite cool enough to be luke-warm, but only by the slimmest of margins.

This all just goes to show that Starbucks really does suck, which has been my sneaking suspicion for a while. Everytime I go to any other coffee shop (for hot chocolate, not being a coffee drinker), I’m amazed how it always better than the chaffe I get served at Starbucks.

9 Replies to “Worst Hot Chocolate Ever”

  1. Starbucks is the McDonalds of coffee. You sort of know what you’re getting into and they’re everywhere (well, at least in vancouver). But they’re also dirty in more ways then one. I have no idea what is available in yaletown but I try hard to hit places that aren’t chains. You get a better cup (of tea in my case) and feel better about yourself.

  2. Starbucks is the McDonalds of coffee. You sort of know what you’re getting into and they’re everywhere (well, at least in vancouver). But they’re also dirty in more ways then one. I have no idea what is available in yaletown but I try hard to hit places that aren’t chains. You get a better cup (of tea in my case) and feel better about yourself.

  3. Starbucks is the McDonalds of coffee. You sort of know what you’re getting into and they’re everywhere (well, at least in vancouver). But they’re also dirty in more ways then one. I have no idea what is available in yaletown but I try hard to hit places that aren’t chains. You get a better cup (of tea in my case) and feel better about yourself.

  4. I just had a cup of hot chocolate from the automatic coffee dispensing machine here at work, and it tasted like beef jerky, seriously. Ick. So I was immediately reminded of this. I can’t say it was worse than yours though, because at least mine was free.
    It amazes me how many people go out of their way for Starbucks coffee.

  5. I just had a cup of hot chocolate from the automatic coffee dispensing machine here at work, and it tasted like beef jerky, seriously. Ick. So I was immediately reminded of this. I can’t say it was worse than yours though, because at least mine was free.
    It amazes me how many people go out of their way for Starbucks coffee.

  6. I just had a cup of hot chocolate from the automatic coffee dispensing machine here at work, and it tasted like beef jerky, seriously. Ick. So I was immediately reminded of this. I can’t say it was worse than yours though, because at least mine was free.
    It amazes me how many people go out of their way for Starbucks coffee.

  7. As a side note, I sent Steve’s post (minus the last paragraph) to Starbucks Custmer Service. They are sending him some beverage coupons, so he too can have FREE bad hot chocolate. 🙂

  8. As a side note, I sent Steve’s post (minus the last paragraph) to Starbucks Custmer Service. They are sending him some beverage coupons, so he too can have FREE bad hot chocolate. 🙂

  9. As a side note, I sent Steve’s post (minus the last paragraph) to Starbucks Custmer Service. They are sending him some beverage coupons, so he too can have FREE bad hot chocolate. 🙂

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