Starbucks

In the past it has been open until 2am during finals

Starbucks is a coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, WA. There are six locations in Davis. There are three full-sized Corporate Starbucks and four Licensed Starbucks. Brenan's and Scrubs Cafe are Sodexo Cafes but serve Starbucks through a food service contract. These last two locations are unlicensed. For other coffee places in Davis, see Cafes.

Starbucks News

Starbucks announced a new program on April 8, 2008 that if you get a Starbucks Card and register it online, that when you use that card at their full sized-stores(not licensed stores, not Safeway), you will get free refills on brewed coffee, free milk options(i.e. soy milk), free syrup modifications(i.e. different flavors of syrup), and a free tall beverage with any whole bean purchase. Please see their website to register your Starbucks Card. http://www.starbucks.com

Also, Starbucks may send you an email and notify you that they have added an extra $5.00 on to your card for being a loyal member. The free $5.00 reward is chosen by computer and is completely random.

AT&T Broadband Customers now have free Wi-Fi at all 7,000 full sized Starbucks stores. Simply select "ATTWiFi" after powering up your computer. Free Wi-Fi for AT&T Broadband Customers

With a registered Starbucks gift card, you get a 2 hour session of free WiFi per day. You have to reload the card or make a purchase within the last 30 days and you have to sign up for a complimentary at&t account. Please see the website for more info: Starbucks Card Rewards

It was previously reported in the media that Starbucks closed 600 stores http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25482250/. None of the stores in Davis were on the closure list. All of the stores in Davis remained open: PDF file listing store closuresInteractive map with store closings by state.

Full-sized Starbucks (Corporate Stores)

One is in Central Davis, in the University Mall. It's the closest coffee to the Cuarto dorms. This means that if you're a Freshman in those dorms you'll probably head over there a lot. The place is usually really packed, and everyone studies there. Note: Large groups arriving near closing will cause difficulties for many of the employees (most of whom are students), though it is their job to serve, they probably will not be the happiest campers at this hour. Starbucks is a rather popular place, however many people find that Old Teahouse is a better place for chatting and hanging out.

The second is Downtown on F Street. It's got less studying going on, but that's mainly because most of the seats are outside.

The third Starbucks is a Drive-Thru near the Sutter Hospital in West Davis. If you can first manage to find parking, you will find it is usually packed inside on weekends during the day, but if you go in the middle of the week and wait around a bit you can usually get your own table, unless you'd rather enjoy the large patio seating. There's even a Domino's Pizza next door if those Starbucks sandwiches don't satisfy your stomach.

Licensed Starbucks

A Licensed Starbucks is located in South Davis and North Davis Safeway. One could argue that it is not, in fact, a true Starbucks but they would be wrong. It does feature an employee in a genuine Starbucks uniform serving genuine Starbucks beverages. Food is provided by Starbucks. However, as it is a mere supermarket booth kiosk contraption, seating is limited. There is a bar at the window nearby in the South Davis Safeway Starbucks, but I wouldn't call the experience pleasant. This is the Starbucks one might utilize if one finds oneself in the South Davis Safeway with a strong craving for coffee.

The Starbucks workers inside of Safeway are actually Safeway employees trained by Starbucks (and sometimes/always work exclusively at the coffee bar.) However, because they are Safeway employees they receive union benefits such as occasional time off. Then again, baristas at the corporate stores receive decent pay (better than the employees working at the Safeway kiosks) and a healthy benefits package, including paid vacation hours accumulated based on hours worked.

Another Licensed Starbucks is located at the ARC and opened February 24th, 2009. It replaced what used to be the ARC's Center Court Cafe. It is run by Sodexho and has different prices than a Corporate Starbucks store.

A new licensed Starbucks staffed by Starbucks trained Target employees is inside of the new Davis Target store.

Unlicensed Starbucks

Scrubs Cafe and Brenan's Starbucks at the Silo are unlicensed locations but serve Starbucks drinks through a food service contract. These two locations do not get their food from Starbucks, but are supplied freshly baked items from Sodexo.

Alternative Orders

Starbucks offers an 8 oz., or "short" version of its hot drinks, for about 30 cents less than the 12 oz. "tall" versions. Sometimes, this is the better deal - for example, you get a more concentrated cappuccino, since you lose 4 oz. of frothy milk. This size is not advertised yet is featured for drinks such as the Kids Hot Chocolate, Espresso Con Panna, and Espresso Macchiato.

Vegan options include soy lattes and Frappuccino Juice Blends, as well as the off-menu Blended Strawberry Lemonade.

Starbucks' Criticism

Starbucks' business practices have caused a great deal of ire in a not-so-small segment of the population. Such sentiments are voiced in websites such as Starbucked.com. Starbucked stickers can be found stuck in various places around Davis (photo request). Even some critics, however, disregard Starbucked.com for a perceived shrill and eccentric tone. Anti-Starbucks sentiments are also held by some involved in the local slow food movement.

Starbucks has drawn the anger of anti-sweatshop activists, who attack Starbucks' use of cheap, maltreated labor in poor Latin American countries.
Starbucks has enforced policies called C.A.F.E. (Coffee and Farmer Equity) Practices that delve into the social and economic status of its farming regions to help improve life for the farm employees (in even charitable ways such as sharing costs of building hospitals and hiring on-site doctors for farm workers and their families) as well as maintaining the quality of the coffee produced on these farms.

According to Global Exchange, Starbucks buys over 100 million pounds of coffee each year, yet less than 1% is purchased from coffee farmers who are guaranteed a living wage.

Comments:

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2006-01-23 05:13:00   The music at the University Mall location is annoyingly loud. I wonder if they do that on purpose to drive people away? —ApolloStumpy
*In my opinion music in almost every venue is annoyingly loud. I don't find Starbucks generally to be that bad an offender in this case. If they are trying to drive students away they should stick to straight up classical anyway, that has been shown to chase away teens in many venues. —rocksanddirt

• Classical SUCKS! -douche bag
  

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I know it's against-the-grain to say so, but I have always had positive experiences with Starbucks, both in Davis and elsewhere. They have always been gratious hosts; I have never felt unwelcome or pressured to leave, or had to ask for restroom keys, or such. I especially wish to thank the University Mall Starbucks. YMMV. -SteveDavison

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"The only bad experience I had is one time when I really needed to go to the bathroom. I went in, and an employee knocked as soon as I went in. Instead of just finishing, I opened the door. She said to get out, then said something snide. Was there a sign in front? Yes. Was the floor wet, and was anyone doing anything? No. Should I have poured my coffee on the bathroom floor in protest? Yes. I didn't. It was probably within their right (and I suppose the employee was more annoying than the chain in this case), but I feel better after telling that story. Thanks."—MisterProfessor

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Aren't all laborers in Latin-American countries "maltreated"? In-fact aren't all workers outside the United States maltreated in our eyes? What about our own practices of child labor prior to World War I? Isn't it all relative? Poor working conditions in our eyes may be glorious compared to how foreign powers treat their peoples. And is that really any of our business? Should we convert them to our capitalistic, superior ways? —AndrewBanta

• It would appear that it is our own "capitalistic, superior" ways that are treating the workers in Latin-American countries and so many others poorly. It's not about converting others, it's about improving our own businesses' methods. Perhaps working conditions have improved within our border, but I would venture to say that the way WE treat labor has NOT improved overall, for a huge number of those factories treating their labor so poorly are OURS. For this reason, American businesses like Starbucks are being indicted. Perhaps the fact that they are our businesses make it our business. —BobbyGray
  

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2006-03-28 22:51:21   I order shorts all the time and rarely get funny looks, unless they are new and don't know what a short is. And they always call my drink. That is just silly. —KarenaAslanian

• Why is that silly? -Drew
  

• It's silly to say they look at you like you're crazy if you order a short and won't call your drink, as someone did in the above article. They are perfectly fine with people ordering a short, even though it's a bit unusual. — KA
  

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2006-03-30 22:26:08   A barista attacked me at this particular location. Not that anyone could blame him. However, attack may not be as precise a word as one would hope. He hurled a latte at me. Now when I say "hurled" what I mean to say is I picked it up and the lid shattered into oblivion and I was doused in 160 degree chi. Just ask Dude-K, or Mike. —AndrewBanta

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2006-04-03 02:18:58   The starbucks at the U-Mall has replaced Mishka's as my favorite cafe in Davis, making this a sad sad day in my life. Sorry Mishka's, you'd be fantastic if you also weren't so goddamn frustrating. —JesseSingh

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2006-04-03 02:22:38   Starbucks would be many times more enjoyable if they served things on plates and in glass cups instead of bags and paper cups. —BrianAng

• I absolutely concur with that. —JesseSingh
  

• Actually as you place your order you may request porcelain plates and/or cups. I suggest that you ask to have the cup warmed up (by having them run hot water in it, than dumping it out) otherwise your coffee will heat up the cup, and cool itself down, iced/blended drinks may also be placed in glass cups. Save the environment! They will also provide you with a metal fork or spoon if requested. However, curiously enough metal knives have yet to be invented in the world of Starbucks. —AndrewBanta
  

• Why is it that they don't have 20 oz. (Venti) reusable cups? All of the travel coffee cups to buy and reuse are 16 oz... —DavidGrundler
  

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2006-04-05 13:06:03   Generally speaking I've had good experiences at both the UMall and Downtown locations. The Downtown Starbucks more commonly has a selection of a fruit and cheese platter that I like, but there's hardly any seating. I like to go early in the morning (like 6 AM) to get an orange juice and read the Times. The only negative experience I've had is sitting next to a couple of patrons; this old woman was being very loud and rude to her husband ... but Starbucks really has no control over these things. —SS

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2006-04-05 15:19:32   Why does everyone love to hate Starbucks so much? They pay their own workers better than what a lot of small coffee spots do, they're clean, the quality is almost always pretty high, they try to stock things like organic and fair-trade coffees. It seems like people just love to hate the big guy, no matter how good the big guy actually is. I've never had anything but good experiences at the Davis Starbucks locations, and they're also one of the few coffee places in town where my friend in a motorized wheelchair doesn't have to get out of her car (and unload the chair, etc) to get coffee in the mornings (at the drive-through location). —EricKlein

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2006-04-09 16:22:30   I've always been treated well, and my orders have always come out fine. I still prefer the CoHo, though, just because I tend to be on campus more often than not. —BrianMcFadden

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2006-05-03 20:56:06   I don't know whether to brag or whether to sulk, but I've had one Starbucks every day for the past five years. Even on Christmas, I've found one that's open. God, I'm a consumeristic whore. —MichaelGiardina

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2006-08-09 03:21:16   Since I manage a starbucks, I took it upon myself to change the page a bit and make it more truthful since some things were on it that just aren't true or were outdated... —JoeRunnels

• Any body else see the problem with this? —StevenBaughmeister
  

• The assumption that affiliation implies innate corruption of ethics is questionable. —jw
  

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2006-11-08 21:08:59   lots of sugar and fat in their frapachinos so i just get tea whenever I go there. —AnnThiNguyen

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2006-11-08 21:34:12   I used to work at Starbucks in Sacramento but I got fired when I went to jail. I still go there very often. It reminds me of a more innocent day. —JoshFernandez

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2007-02-22 12:45:19   I like Starbucks. Unlike some other coffee stops, you always know what you're going to get. The downtown location is incredibly small, however. They need to take over that bagel place. —BriannaBetancourt

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2007-02-22 20:03:40   Of course you know what to expect: bad coffee... The first thing to try when judging any coffee shops espresso drinks is straight espresso... If it's not good, make sure you order something with a LOT of milk to cover the taste. —WesHardaker

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2007-03-26 17:14:44   After sleepily leaving the radio station at 6am following my KDVS show, I'd often enjoy lounging in their (u-mall branch) cushioned chairs, make a vain attempt at studying, and drinking a drink of some sort. I was glad to have the place to go to. —JosephBleckman

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2007-05-29 17:20:44   I know no one cares but F st (downtown) Starbucks is getting a remodel. It's going to become pretty and will soon be selling breakfast sandwiches. The store is almost 20 years old and is getting amuch needed makeover. —EvandeBie

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2007-08-03 15:41:27   Well the black ice tea has me and girlfriend hooked it is very very good strong almost like a good home brew tea we love it and the downtown employees are very friendly as is the safeway in south Davis i am very happy with the ice tea year around! —Brians

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2008-02-24 20:16:40   It is impossible to study at the University Mall Starbucks. It's even impossible to chat with friends. The reason is the annoyingly loud music! Worse still, the baristas change the music every 2 minutes, mid-song. The effect of their music changing is that you can't concentrate on anything. Even if you've finally adapted and become able to tune out 1 annoying, loud song, they put on another annoying song by a different pop act that's freshly irritating. The coffee servers - but that's something for their manager to deal with. Unless you enjoy being blasted with teen-pop music, teen boy band music, stuff that sounds like Britney Spears, really bad Nashville country music, etc. STAY AWAY! —StevenBaughmeister

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2008-02-28 20:15:47   I really like the employees at the U-Mall Starbucks. While I found the music annoyingly loud when I am trying to study, the employees are generally attentive and fast. —Kiran

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2008-03-18 13:46:40   While I too find loud music in coffee shops annoying, I do want to differ with why this is. For me a coffee shop is a place to go with people and talk, to exchange ideas. Studying can surely be a part of the experience too, but its a coffee shop not a study hall. Espresso machines are loud, as are blenders and baristas calling out orders. So the place is not going to be a serene bastion of people with their noses in their books or laptops. Loud music is disruptive to the ideal atmosphere a coffee shop can offer. This seems very pertinent given the company's new-found focus back on their coffee and service. —AnthonySoto

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2008-03-21 22:47:55   At some Starbucks locations, they ask you for your name so that they can call your drink when it is ready. Do you make up a name or do you use your regular name? What's your Starbucks nickname? Some of my favorites are: Marco(half the store replies with "Polo"), Bobert, and Rover.

Starbucks coffee cake smiley faces: Smiling Coffee Cake Another Coffee Cake —Jedron

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2008-03-21 23:49:52   I like Starbucks because all the employees (at least on F Street) are properly trained and know how to make good drinks. I would like to support local shops like Ciocolat over Starbucks, but the inconsistency of those workers lead me to Starbuck's, where I know I'll get a nicely prepared drink. Thank you! :) —davistudent

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2008-03-27 22:40:02   Starbucks is good. I don't feel their coffee is as strong as other places, such as Peet;s. I like that they have a "Skinny Latte" and you can ask them to make a "skinny" version of other drinks, like their mochas. —CurlyGirl26

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2008-04-21 14:59:34   Do the Davis Starbucks have free wireless? —ElleWeber

• Answering my own question: nope
  

• Starbucks is working on having free wireless in their stores. Check out Starbucks Ideas for what they are working on, or suggest your own! —BrandonBarrette
  

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2008-06-07 16:19:45   In response to Jedron: Hey, I was wondering the exact same thing! The idea to use fake names came into mind when somehow, the person taking my order at Starbucks thought the name "Ana" sounded like "Heather." Bobert—that's a good one. —at86

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2008-06-29 22:30:05   Just called the F street location and they close in 1 minute =( it might just be temporary for summer like the other location, so I'll let someone else change the info who knows more about it than me. —BlairGoss

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2008-07-15 11:42:39   hope this place is not closing for good...still like them better than peets —slt

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2008-08-02 03:00:00   I saw a sign at the ARC today that said a Starbucks will be coming there in the fall. —RonB

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2008-08-21 13:13:27   I'm really hooked on Peet's . . . I keep Peet's for my home-brewed coffee . . .

OK, but, alas, no complaining as Starbucks is tasty and reliably 'there.' Good choices. When I am in So. Davis Safeway, I'd rather go to Common Grounds for the XTreme Frappe (yum) + chocolate dipped macaroons (yum yum). Common Grounds was there first anyways, and has been one of the best pioneering free wi-fi cafes in Davis. —JasonBundy

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2008-08-30 08:00:27   Starbucks is "high quantity of LOW QUALITY" coffee. Their "so-called" Pikes Place blend is susposed to be the best coffee they're ever had. You know what I think? .....YUCK.

The only think good about starbucks is that their on just about every corner in the Nation and they are consistently mediocre.

What I drink there... Venti, iced, 3-pump, iced white mocha with no whip cream. And, if they have something else becides Pikes Place for drip coffee, i'll get that. Their Gold Coast is pretty good.

For good coffee try PEETS. I don't know if this is true, but my friend told me when Starbucks started out, they bought their beans from Peets Roasters. True? —j.davis

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2008-09-13 08:00:00   I live a block away from the Starbucks in Central Davis. I would not like this Starbucks to go away because I want a quick coffee some times. But I definitely had a bad experience with a cashier once. So far I have went to this Starbucks about five times. There were not a lot of customers on that day, so I cannot imagine he was acting out of frustration. The person in front was asking the cashier how to order coffee. He acted nice towards HER, but when it was my turn, and I was right behind her, he took out a personal vendetta on me. You see, I simply said "a double tall latte" which would typically give you a hot latte. He asked me if I wanted hot or cold latte. Before I could say hot, he explained that he had never heard of a cold latte before, so why should I even think about choosing. But when I said "a double tall latte", I meant a hot latte. I felt I was unfairly discriminated against because of his condescending attitude towards me when I was not the person that he should get annoyed with. —WengFF

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2008-09-16 18:36:31   Seems like the guy was trying to be nice and strike some conversation but it wasn't done properly. Him asking you hot or cold is normal for coffee drinks because I work at a coffee place myself. But to make the comment after asking you was kinda unnecessary. —ThUn

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2008-10-07 22:07:04   I made this account just to be able to say: the employees at the downtown starbucks threw trash on my car. I was parked in the back alley and the uncoordinated people that work there seem to have no ability to get trash in the actual bin until it has been smeared all over my vehicle. When I went inside to protest, they all scurried from me like I am some kind of zombie monster. I am actually a reasonably nice person, but there is absolutely no way that either the person responsible or any other person leaving from their back door would not notice that the driver's side of my car was covered in coffee grounds and smelling like vomit. Needless to say, I'm upset. —stinkbot

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2008-10-15 23:51:31   I don't know about you guys but I find the Central Davis Location (MU) very unsanitary. I went there three times in the mornings to read my textbook before class but there were like 10-15 flies that were crawling all over the tables on all three days. They crawl on me sometimes and other people too. I even saw a pair of flies mating on the table! Eck!
I don't know why they dont even try to kill the flies in the rather small starbucks. Don't they care about sanity??
I really want to bring my bug spray and kill those freakin annoying flies..
I killed one with a napkin while it was sitting on a window.. It is just plain nasty..
And oh yeah.. on all three days, they were playing the same music over and over.. An album by the group Stars.. It gets alittle annoying after 3 listens to the same album..

The staff there seem pretty kind but I just find it appalling that the arent doing anything with the flies.. —alexlee333

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2008-11-21 10:28:37   west davis starbucks, the best of all locations. the one downtown, the staff are sometimes rude, but i think maybe its an angst thing, i saw some emos in there....i dont know. i love the staff in west davis, they are so friendly and its a big place, no flies, air conditioning, very clean. and i just tried their breakfast piadini, i love their breakfasts. only thing, i do think 3.25 is too much to pay for a small piadini...oh well im the fool. wont be fooled twice. it was very good though and i cant seem to find breakfast at the Umall location which is odd. i love the salted caramel hot chocolate..mmm. west davis makes the best products, the staff know how how to make drinks very well. —KimberlyMiller

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2009-02-25 10:26:10   I personally loathe the corp, but I wanted to inform the Wiki that there is a new Starbucks on campus right next door to the Activities and Recreation Center. It opened this week. —CarrieBishop

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2009-02-28 07:26:29   Starbucks brews a decent cup of coffee if people have any problems with the recipes and products thy should contact corporate. And as far as rude partners and wrong drinks a simple and nice please and thank you goes a long way! Most of the employees at my store are full time UCD or recent graduates of UCD. Even though several corporation cheapen this countries any company that provides good heath insurance, scholarships, and free coffee to its employees in a struggling economy is ok in my book!

—clshlarb

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2009-02-28 17:01:54   Updated with the new store @ the ARC. Needs a better photo. Looks like the downtown one does too though.
Also, not sure what time it actually opens or the phone number.
You also get a 10% discount using Aggie Cash there. They are Sodexho, they they take Munch Money and Aggie Cash. —mperkel

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2009-03-19 18:56:58   CAUTION - PRICE DISCREPANCIES! I went to the Arc Starbucks for the first time today. A caramel macchiato costs $3.10 at EVERY Starbucks in Davis. Also at the one in Arc (as it proudly states on the menu). At EVERY Starbucks in Davis, buying 2 of these costs $6.20 and that is the final price you pay. NOT AT THE ARC STARBUCKS! Here, 2 of these costs $6.65. The Arc Starbucks, uniquely, has decided to fleece you by adding the tax in afterwards. What a wonderful way to treat the student body on which it relies!

—Mazzle


• The ARC Starbucks is run by Sodexo. It is not a Corporate Starbucks store. Sodexo is responsible for the price gouging. The difference between a Corporate Starbucks store and a Licensed Store is that the Corporate store has consistent pricing and Starbucks Wi-Fi. Corporate stores are staffed by trained employees paid by Starbucks. Licensed Stores do not have Wi-Fi and make their own prices. The ARC Starbucks is staffed by Sodexo workers instead of Starbucks employees. —MaxLucas

• Good points. Corporate Starbucks stores elsewhere in Davis and the ARC Starbucks all proudly display identical menu prices for all their beverages and food items. The checkout totals are, however, rather different because Sodexo chooses to subsequently apply sales tax whereas corporate Starbucks stores do not. The fact that this is not made clear by Sodexo is sneaky at best and downright deceptive at worst. —Mazzle

• Just like to point out, if you use your student ID for payment, they do not charge you sales tax. In addition, using the special Aggie Cash gets you an additional 10% off after not being charged sales tax. So just set up your aggie cash account linked to your credit card. I'm not a Sodexhoe, but it actually saves you money! —mperkel
  

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2009-03-19 23:16:42   The 80/80 rule: if the business receives more than 80 percent of its gross receipts from sales of food products and more than 80 percent of those sales are of taxable products, then they will charge sales tax on your coffee. If most of their sales are eaten on site, rather than to go, those sales are taxable. If they sell a lot of snack products, those are taxable. Most businesses will err on the side of charging the sales tax if there is any question, because the State Board of Equalization will usually come down on the side of making them pay the tax if there is any question. I don't know what proportion of sales at the Sodexo Starbucks are consumed on site or otherwise taxable, but I suspect the management is avoiding penalties by means of a blanket policy. —DonShor

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2009-04-15 12:13:09   I've been to all the Starbucks (Starbii?) listed above and can honestly say the West Davis one is like another store entirely. Service, food and coffee quality is head and shoulders above any of the others. —condemned2bfree

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2009-04-15 19:56:23   I LOVE the Starbucks in West Davis (The one near the freeway). The environment is nice and the staff is really friendly, especially in the afternoon. The nice thing about this Starbucks is that there is a drive-thru (which is the best idea when I want to study in the store and not be constantly disturbed by opening and closing doors). Actually... don't come here because I don't want it to be a new hangout place for noisy people when I study. —greencohort

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2009-04-21 22:58:37   The baristas at the West Davis Starbucks drive-thru are always so nice! —CParker

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2009-05-04 16:52:10   The one near the Old Teahouse make the best drink. I always love their mocha or caramel frap. The one is downtown was okay. They both have good customer service though. However, the one at ARC needs some improvement. The last time I was there, the drink wasn't that good, also it took them a long time to make my drink (almost 10 minutes or so) and I was the only one who ordered at that time. —thtly

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2009-06-21 02:22:25   Highly recommend the W Davis location! All the staff have been professional, remember your drink after just a few times, and they make the best drinks of all Starbucks in Davis! —val

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2009-07-24 19:42:43   Does anyone know if there is free public parking for the Starbucks at the ARC?? —Kehaar

• Yes. Free public parking is 10pm-7am on weeknights and all day on Saturday, Sunday, and administrative holidays. There are also metered spots at the ARC parking lot. Otherwise there is free public parking at Rite-Aid or the U-Mall. —jsogul
  

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2009-09-13 22:47:17   I've had coffee at all of the listed locations except for the one in W. Davis and have had very consistent good experiences. The baristas at the UMall location have always been nice to me. It can get a little crowded around finals week but it's worth it if you need it. —kthrnngo