Starbucks has been a leading coffee shop corporation for many years. I personally was a huge Starbucks fan for many years. When I was younger, I loved a sugary frappuccino or their famous strawberry refresher. As I got older and started liking coffee, I would always get a latte. But as of recently, I’ve noticed the quality of their drinks has gone down immensely. I no longer enjoy going to Starbucks because the drink always tastes a little off. Not to mention paying $6 for an average latte. But it’s not just me who feels this was about Starbucks, as of recently, they have planned to close nearly 400 stores. This is a direct result of having fewer customers over the years. Some of the factors leading to this are prices increasing, a more recent boycott, and customer service.
Many people have been frustrated with the increase in price. People believe that the quality of Starbucks does not reflect well on how much they charge customers. Due to the recent tariffs put on foreign goods, one of Starbucks’ main suppliers, Brazil, will inflate the cost of coffee beans going into 2026. Making the company raise the cost of its products. Another factor that has resulted in the downfall of the company is the Boycott taking place. Starbucks has allegedly been in support of Israel and funding its military. The war has resulted in the killing and injuring of roughly 100,000 people. Because of this, many have stopped going to Starbucks and have taken part in the boycott. The boycott has raised awareness among millions of people across the country because of social media. TikTok, being one, has created a hashtag to spread awareness of the boycott and educate more of the younger population on Starbucks and the values of Starbucks. Another factor contributing to the downfall of Starbucks is its weaker customer service. From the little number of times I’ve gone to Starbucks in a hurry for a quick drink, I have experienced pretty bad customer service. The company is known for its comforting environment with welcoming employees. The employees would know their regulars and often start up a conversation while waiting for their drink to be made. But more recently, they have created a more rushed environment, just trying to get customers in and out as fast as they can. This loses the feeling their brand is based on, which is why many customers have resulted in finding a different coffee shop.
With all these factors in mind, I would highly recommend finding a new go-to coffee shop, maybe even a local one. A local coffee shop allows you to support your small business while also getting excellent customer service. Some of the small coffee shops around me have some of the best drinks that I could never find in a Starbucks. It is pretty disappointing to see Starbucks go down this much because of how long they’ve been around. But finding a coffee shop that satisfies your taste and aligns with your morals is most important.
