Rage against the Machines!

After going to some stores with my sister last night, we stopped by Starbucks and I am still in shock even after 2 years of this automation business, that they are still... sigh... doing it. I posted the other day about how good Zoka coffee was and to my surprise, I found an article on NY Times about Zoka coffee and Starbucks automation!
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New York Times:

In the United States, purveyors of specialty coffee - caffè lattes and the like - net $8.4 billion a year, according to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, a sponsor of this weekend's event. The spread of Starbucks is a big reason for that sum, which is more than in any other country. But no Starbucks barista has ever won a United States championship, much less the world title.

This is a point of pride for independent baristas like Ms. Tran, who works as the lead trainer for Zoka Coffee, a small Seattle company that can now claim two national champions. Zoka's owner, Jeff Babcock, who hired Ms. Tran shortly after she won the national competition, said, "I can't compete against a great big company, so I beat them in the quality sector."

Mr. Babcock added, with some competitive glee, that his strategy of quality outperformance would only be helped when Starbucks moves to automated espresso machines that tamp and pour espresso shots on their own, leaving the Starbucks barista to just push a button and steam some milk. Lara Wyss, a spokeswoman for Starbucks, said an automatic machine would soon be in each of the company's 6,800 American stores.

"What we find is that it's able to pull a more consistent shot," Ms. Wyss said, "and that it is a great cup of coffee."

Mr. Babcock, a man who drinks coffee as if it were wine, sniffing before sipping, could only, well, sniff at that idea.


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So true, so true. I remember Starbucks actually used to make a decent espresso. I don't ever remember it being better than any of the local roasters and cafes around Seattle but their coffee was definitely drinkable. I'm not so sure anymore. This automation espresso machine really takes the barista out of the picture. What's the point of even having someone there? Why doesn't Starbucks just save a whole lot more money, and turn their automated machines into those $1.00 latte vending machines you find in random places? It's essentially the same exact thing!

The only thing I really order now when I'm at Starbucks is their Chai, because that thank goodness, has not gone to the machines. Yes, that's right, Starbucks is outsourcing baby, and we're not sending work to China or India, we're giving it to the machines!