Today my visit to the Starbucks on 84th and 3rd Avenue can be summed up with the following picture:
So I doubt this self-made image will ever reach ‘meme status’ but I suspect it will resonate with some.
When I walked into this Upper East Side Starbucks, all the seats were taken, which is much more common in Midtown. The crowd was pretty stagnant, so I ordered my drink and was prepared to wait a while. Then — like it was meant to be — a man vacated his comfy green armchair just as I was topping off my iced coffee with breve. Essentially… NYC Starbucks jackpot!
Although this Starbucks is particularly crowded on a weekday afternoon, it is also larger than most Starbucks in the city — which helps disseminate the crowd a bit. It’s close to one of the few 4/5/6 stops on the east side, and on a strip of 3rd Ave that consists mostly of lunch-hour restaurants and other cafes.
With comfy chairs as rare as they are in modern-day Starbucks stores, this is a pretty descent location to sit for a while.
The Good:
The Location… Just two blocks south of the 86th street stop.
The Seating… A half-dozen tables-for-two and a set of comfy green chairs.
The Bad:
The Crowd… Heavily crowded for the Upper East Side.
Restroom… Just the one.
Barista Friendliness:
The girl in front of me was named Kate, and the barista took the time to ask if it was spelt with a ‘C’ or a ‘K’. Now that’s someone who cares.
Drink of Choice:
Grande Iced Coffee
Overall Starbucks Rating:
A crowded and sizable Upper East Side Starbucks on the cusp of Yorkville.
Starbucks and the City 
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