Tag Archives: Pay It Forward

Reflection: Starbucks Asks Americans to Come Together

11 Oct

ComeTogether

I woke up this morning to a few interesting emails. The first was from Starbucks. Anyone subscribed to receive their promotions and updates also woke up to an email somewhat out of the norm. Starting today, Starbucks has placed paper petitions at all of their stores across the country and is asking its patrons to send a message to lawmakers. The message? In short… get it together and do what’s right for this country (see above for details).

The second interesting email was from a CNBC reporter asking for a quick interview on the petition and Starbucks’ recent delve into politics. Obviously, I had missed a lot in the hours between midnight and 8am.

So, I splashed some water on my face and headed down to the nearest Starbucks to see what exactly was going on. While there, not only did I sign the petition, but I also was able to successfully Pay-It-Forward and buy the woman in line behind me her morning coffee. Unlike yesterday’s experience at the Starbucks on 45th & Park, these baristas new exactly what I was talking about and easily rang me up for the both of us. I knew it could work!

Soon after, I was on the phone talking to the CNBC reporter about Howard Schultz’s recent statements and Starbucks’ political involvement over the past few weeks. You can read the full NBC News article here.

All in all, I’m really proud of Starbucks. Some people may see this as a PR stunt, but I see it more as a powerful and widely-known American company voicing its concern for the American people and the economy. Businesses usually go through lobbyists to get what they want from the government, but Starbucks is going straight to the people. Will it be affective? Is Starbucks going to end this government shutdown and keep the economy in good shape before we default? No, probably not.

But they’re the first company to try, and for that I’m proud to call myself a loyal Starbucks patron.

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NYC Starbucks: 45th & Park

10 Oct

45th and Park Starbucks

I think when Howard Schultz and Starbucks Corporate came up with the idea of paying it forward (#payitforward) at its many stores across the nation they left some kinks in the chain. And they simply didn’t account for what a New York City Starbucks environment is really like. Today alone, I attempted and failed, not once, but twice at paying it forward — or backward, really –at two different Starbucks.

In case you have no idea what I’m talking about above, here’s a quick overview. This Monday, Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz released a letter that urged other successful business CEOs to put the pressure on their representatives and end this government shutdown. Did you know Schultz is a Democrat? How rare for such a successful CEO! Anyway… Then Wednesday, Starbucks released information on a three-day promotion in an email stating: “Pay it forward. Get a free coffee.” The concept is simple: Come into Starbucks between Oct 9-11, buy someone else their favorite drink (preferably a stranger), and you receive a complimentary tall coffee for your civility. Simple enough, right?

When I first heard of this promotion, I thought it was the coolest thing. I love the idea of Starbucks attempting to start a small movement of generosity while our government is currently shutdown due to hostility and greed. But when you put the concept into practice, it doesn’t seem to work as well as it was intended.

So my first attempt to pay it forward this morning was thwarted by the simple fact that there was a line in the Union Square Starbucks that was out the door and I was pinched for time. Therefore, no Starbucks for me or any stranger this morning.

My second attempt was at the Starbucks just outside of the MetLife Building on 45th & Park. I walked into this very small Starbucks and ordered my usual grande iced coffee and waited for someone else to come in. Then a gentleman came in by himself while I lingered at the register. When the barista turned his attention to his new customer, I intercepted and told him that I wanted to “pay it forward” and buy this gentleman’s drink. The barista looked confused, so I went on. Aren’t you guys running a promotion to buy someone else a drink? Still — he looked confused, and the gentleman whose drink I was attempting to buy looked even more confused. So the barista asked one of his partners who looked to be the manager on duty. Still — this man looked confused.

The presumed manager went on to tell me that some people have been coming in over the past few days expecting some sort of buy-one-get-one, and he knew nothing about this Pay it Forward promotion. So in the end, the gentlemen whose drink I attempted to buy ended up ordering and paying for 11 dollars worth of food and drinks on his own while I questioned the staff that had no answers for me.

Now, I’m wondering how Starbucks spread the word of this promotion internally? And has anyone had a successful #payitforward experience yet? In New York City? I guess I’ll attempt once more tomorrow.

See below for the details on the MetLife Starbucks on 45th & Park.

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