Thanks for the gift card but...

We were thankful for the gift card. (Isn't it cool how the gift cards keep up with how much you spend...even that blows us away) But if you really need a hot dessert in a cup, I think you can find just about the same stuff at locally owned coffee shops for less $. The product is just not that superior. Mary and I have tried to like Starbucks. The reason we tried to like it kinda bothers me though. Is it a need to fit in and be hip? We were there last night around 7pm (Did I mention we were using a gift card?) and there was a line 12 deep "waiting" to spend too much money on a mediocre product. Why? Another thing that kind of weirded me out was it seemed like most everyone looked and dressed alike and seemed to have the same puzzled look on their faces. Every time we have gone there, we drive away asking "Why did we just spend that much $ on a mediocre product?" We asked the same question last night and it was a gift card! I'm usually a little late to the "latest trend party" but I must admit, I think this is one party we're not going to anymore; unless we get a gift card. Oh yeah, they didn't even ask me my name to write on the cup. I couldn't wait to hear them yell "Homer! Homer! Cinnamon latte for Homer." A cup of coffee in a booth at Perkins Pancake House I think will work just fine not to mention that we can buy the Lumberjack breakfast for the same $ as 1 cup of mediocrity at Starbucks.