Starbucks

The Briggate starbucks is one of two Starbucks in Leeds City Centre High street that are clearly visible (of course there is one in the Light at and another at the train station). The location is probably about perfect if you want a nice coffee to take out and are a big Starbucks fan. But whether you would get it consistently, I cannot guarantee. The staff are moody and the taste of your coffee depends completely on the mood. It’s mostly overcrowded with used cups, tissues, dishes from previous customers most of the time which is a real turn off. They even have chairs outside which are no good as it rains most of the time. Having said that, it does not matter whether you are sitting in or out as the cold is almost about the same on either sides of the wall. you may be lucky to get a seat as dirty as it may be after waiting in the queue for a good 15 – 20 minutes. Try your luck if you wish but this place isnt getting a 3 from me but only because it is a Starbucks and I love the christmas drinks which are the only ones that are ever worth the effort.

OK, I gave in, I went for a free latte.
Sadly either Starbucks funded this stunt by using sweepings or their coffee always tastes that bad. Either way I wasn’t a fan, am not a fan and most likely never will be. I’ve learned my lesson, stick to the independants where you ALWAYS get your coffee made with love and skill and served with a smile.

For convenience Starbucks rates high on my agenda, however, it can be a whole different ball game if one wants to eat in.
There is a high staff turn over, which may be instrumental in a continuous inconsistent customer focused service?!
In the past there have been some exceptional individuals who have had customer service at the fore front and, I’m sure in the future this will be repeated; unfortunately it will not be across the board
It’s the ones who make it more than plain that its just a stop gap kind of job for them and occasionally will have no qualms in showing a lack of interest in the customer and in their job routine.
Being a little petulant now, (years of self training), why ho why do they rarely have any scones after 5 o’clock. Surely as they come individually packaged it shouldn’t be too much hassle to keep a steady supply.
As for cleanliness, well again this is dependent on who is working said shift. Overall I feel the manager, whoever they may be should really be more consistent because at the moment I nearly always leave thinking, ‘I really should find somewhere better to take my friends’.
Toilets are a bit of a disgrace at times and should be monitored more then they appear to be
Seating range from wooden to the comfy although a little to compacted and could do with a slight reduction to increase comfort .
Lighting is good with large windows allowing the viewer a good old nosey time people watching.
In the summer I quite like having a strawberries and crème frappuccino but by heaven last year was a nightmare for having to repeatedly take it back because of it being made incorrectly and, more often than not the lack of an apology was just repetitive.
When made correctly a strawberries and crème frappuccino is sublime
On a positive tho, excellent for variety in beverages and food on display (except for the missing scones after 5).
I) Participially recommend the following:
1) Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino (5 star yum factor)
2) Fresh Filter Coffee
3) Cinnamon Swirl (4 star yum factor)
4) Very Berry Scone (10 star yum factor)
5) Skinny Peach & Raspberry Muffin
6) Blueberry Cheesecake
7) The Egg and Bacon Breakfast Panini
8) Mango Passion Fruit Frappuccino (10 star cold headache factor and worth the pain factor)
9) Raspberry Blackcurrant Frappuccino (7 star cold headache factor and nearly worth the pain factor)
10) The company of a good friend (s)

The Briggate Starbucks is certainly a fair shout, in its convenience, and for a place to grab coffee and a bite in Leeds they’ve got plenty of space to boot. There’s a number of seats in the downstairs area and a plentiful amount upstairs too, with wifi of course. There are even a few outside seats, which in the winter serve only the hardened smokers or weariest shoppers. The drinks I’ve had here have always been fine, though I’ve not often visited this branch as I prefer to nip to P&P whilst I’m this close. Having met people here though I can’t really say I’ve much to complain about.
The toilets are pretty much a state, but sadly I’ve come to expect this in many a café — Neros and Costa certainly don’t fare any better in this area — so it’s not a big deal. Would be lovely if they were better but it’s nothing to be overly concerned with. The staff have always been pleasant enough and the service I’ve had so far has been fine. Quite simply nothing more to report. Coffee, check. Wifi, check. Seating, check. You get the idea!

Awww… come on then, there’s no way this Starbucks warrants less than a 3 star rating!
I’ve been to some terrible, terrible S’bux in my day, and while this one doesn’t rival the rustic, fireplaced, upgraded urban corporate model they’re pumping out in Seattle, it’s just fine as a city centre pit-​stop to warm your hands, check your email, and caffeine up.
Let’s stay in check here: you’re coming to a Satrbucks, not some precious local beanery. You want quick service, familiar menus, standard nibble selections and loads of options so you can triple grande, quarter pump, flat, wet, skinny, half-​frothy, shaken not foamed to your hearts content. Again, you’re coming to a Starbucks.
Not only did I do all of the above with ease, I found fast and friendly service, clean tables, and a great view on the 2^nd floor overlooking the shopping thoroughfare. Perhaps I just hit it on a good day? Or perhaps I just remembered where I was…

Of all Starbucks in Leeds this is probably the most production-​line style outlet. Right in the city centre, it’s convenient and the building does have some charm. But the high turnover means that it is often dirty, with filthy tables (Mine is covered in crumbs and coffee stains as I write this). The building is often badly heated in the winter and you can often be sitting inside still wearing your hat and scarf.
As usual, in these production-​line Starbucks you are not treated as a customer, but it’s taken for granted that you’re going to fork out £3 for a cup of coffee and just take what you’re given. My Caramel Machiato was prepared without the vanilla syrup and I had to take it back.
I hear that Starbucks is going through a reformation, ditching its corporate image in line with more personal coffee house environments. In the past the north of England has always been slow to catch onto these things. Let;‘s hope it’s not too long before we catch up with London.
Where *do* you go for coffee in Leeds city centre??? Well, you’ll just have to keep your eyes peeled for my reviews won’t you :)

Shame on you starbucks! It made me sad to read Li’s review as I love starbucks sooo much! Saying that though, my friend and I came here and didn’t exactly have the best experience. It wasn’t as bad as the ice plunging incident but still spoiled our coffee break. It was hectic and busy in there as usual and after a twenty minute wait after paying our drinks arrived, we made our way upstairs to find a table and then realised the plastic cup holding my friends frappuccino had a leak. A big leak. Within a few minutes the drink was fast disappearing so we made our way downstairs to ask for a replacement. Although the staff did make another drink, there was no apology and it took a further fifteen or so minutes for them to sort out. Although things like this do happen at times, a litle more grace in handling the situation would have been nice.
This is, I’m happy to say, the only mishap that’s come my way at Starbucks (so far)…

COOOOOOOOOOOOFFEE!!! Also known as life blood. I am an addict, this I will admit, if it reaches the 24 hour mark when I’ve not had a Starbucks I really do start to get twitchy and shouty and moody and tempted to thieve passers by cupping that famous white cup with the siren emblazoned on the front. I realise that there are some hardcore coffee drinkers out there who wouldn’t step foot in a Starbucks over an independent fully fair trade hippy type of coffeehouse. No generic artwork, the staff know your name, and more sofas than chairs in the boho layout. I’ve also heard the Starbucks are all the same line from so many Starbucks sceptics that I actually took this as a solace point. However, do not be fooled, this is not true. So fierce is my addiction that I actually have favourite Starbucks spots up and down the country. Briggate is not one of them. It took me a couple of years to catch on to the ‘buy your coffee in the train station and then shop’ idea, but prior to this I used to hit Starbucks on Briggate, and yet again it’s another poor staff attitude situation that lets this perfectly good coffee brand down. I’ve lost count over the number of times I’ve had to send a drink back because it was poorly made, fine example, a caramel macchiato handed over in a drink in cup when it was to go (ok that’s forgivable, it was busy), without vanilla, poured as a latte. ARGH! What’s the point of ordering this drink if the key ingredient is missing and it’s all mixed up? My friend takes a single shot, it came with a double, frappuccinos requested without cream sliding over with clouds of the white stuff on. My breaking point? Hot day, ordered an iced caramel macchiato, ten minutes later, barista informs me he forgot about it, he put too much ice in the drink, after specifically asking for less than the usual, and then, here it comes, HE FISHED THE ICE OUT WITH HIS FINGERS! HIS FINGERS PEOPLE! Remaining calm I lean over and ask should you really be doing that like that? He barks I know how to do my job. My response, no, no you do not, make it again, and if you can’t then get someone who can. Female worker comes over and says the drink is fine. SHE DIDN’T WITNESS HIM MAULING MY DRINK ARGH. After 45 seconds of demanding politely for another attempt at my beverage, it comes, female worker made it, it was alright, but grrr bitter taste left for all the wrong reasons.

Is it me or is Starbucks just naff coffee and no-​one realises?
Lets start with the good bits.
Great
ambiance
concept
décor
mochacino
Poor
Prices over the top
The coffee in general
Espressos are poor
I just don’t understand why you have to pay so much for poor coffeemade for the americans and they know liitle enough about it. What irks me more is that they have introduced a new word, badly pronounced, which the whole of the UK is repeating. LAHTAY? What is this, a new type of Tae Kwan Do? The word is italian, its promounced La– Te, short and sweet

This is a really nice branch of Starbucks. It’s very well lit due to the big windows, and although it’s always busy, you don’t usually have to wait that long to be served. It’s also cleaner than other branches, presumably because it’s in the posh bit of Leeds.
Obviously all Starbucks serve exactly the same, so my major gripes with any of them is the high prices, and the fact I pay extra for soy milk.

One of the better ones in Leeds. Coffee is made quickly, and people are happy to wait in line as they know their order will be right!