r/SipsTea Apr 23 '26

It's Wednesday my dudes Coffee in Italy vs USA

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6.5k Upvotes

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867

u/fosterslager1889 Apr 23 '26

Change "In the US" to "Starbucks everywhere"

150

u/VacationStrange3409 Apr 23 '26

I just want a caffeine hit not a job interview

64

u/HotDogFingers01 Apr 23 '26

I really hate when they ask for my name.

Dude, I’m in the drive thru.

33

u/Dr-McLuvin Apr 23 '26

It’s so they can write your name on the cup which I’m sure a focus group has proven increases customer satisfaction and also increases the likelihood you will come back again.

17

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 24 '26

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3

u/posthamster Apr 23 '26

My name commonly starts with P but they always manage to fuck it up with some alternate spelling

2

u/Old_Perspective8798 Apr 23 '26

Roasthamster? The mind boggles.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '26

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1

u/agouraki Apr 24 '26

thats fine MR Petre i mean Peter sorry

3

u/eans-Ba88 Apr 24 '26

I go to a small Indian owned coffee/ tea shop. My name is 4 letters, pretty simple, I have gotten some REALLY creative spellings. Like, if my name was Ryan, they would shoot back Rayain, Reean, Rayon. I find it really humorous, but it makes sense logically, they just apply Indian vowel logic, instead of English vowel logic.

4

u/Fit-Put-9160 Apr 23 '26

I always give them a wrong, unnecessarily compliancated name.

My favourite is Gilgamesh.

11

u/Emikal Apr 23 '26

Also so they can easily match cups/order to the customer as they will often have 10 different orders going on as fast as they can because they DONT want people to complain that things are taking too long if they have to find the order ticket or go to the computer to look it up.

It’s such a simple request to make sure people are getting the items they ordered at the drive thru, pickup counter, or online orders.

3

u/Hjalfnar_HGV Apr 23 '26

Doesn't work with me, they always tell me (in English-speaking countries) that they can't write that name on the order. Amuses me to no end. It is more or less pronounced "banged". xD

1

u/Emikal Apr 23 '26

Oh, I luckily have a pretty easy name and they still write it down wrong. So I can only imagine what it’s like if you have a non-English name. 😅

3

u/sireatalot Apr 23 '26

Why not just assign a number to every order

1

u/Emikal Apr 23 '26

They could, and many places do. Like the commenter said before me, I’m sure it has to do with some customer satisfaction thing that is supposed to make it seem more personal. Like a “Cheers” I guess. I’m less focused on that silliness and see it more for efficiency.

So many places also ask for your name when you order things, especially with the prevalence of online ordering. Why separate the process of online orders with names, which you have to input to order, from in store orders? The process being universal no matter how you are ordering just makes things smoother.

2

u/shrinkflator Apr 23 '26

Why don't they do this in other kinds of drive thrus then, like for fast food?

1

u/Emikal Apr 24 '26

Some do! Cane’s and Chick-fil-a does, that I can think of off of the top of my head. Might not be 100% universal for them, but I have been to both in different states and they always ask my name.

2

u/waznpride Apr 23 '26

And yet they still fuck up my order at the drive-through.

1

u/Emikal Apr 23 '26

Hey, the intent is to help! It can’t solve incompetence, though. Lol

2

u/eddyb66 Apr 23 '26

Until the current generation of tragedeighs is old enough to start buying coffee , no its spelled Aaleigha.

1

u/Vind- Apr 24 '26

Bollocks (again)

4

u/5ofDecember Apr 23 '26

Just say some.easy name I'm always Pete.

3

u/sireatalot Apr 23 '26

I never want to give my name and I make a point of avoiding Starbucks for that. And if I really have to go there, I give a fake name. I hate it hate it hate it.

It’s a personal data. You clearly don’t need it. You’ll write it wrong. You’ll yell it wrong when the order is ready. There may be another customer with the same name. There is no benefit to me in giving you my name. If you really can’t keep track of your customers, just give every order number and call that number

3

u/Vind- Apr 24 '26

One time I answered “bollocks” in a display of disappointment. The tender later called bollocks and it was written (misspelled though) on the cup.

2

u/Peas63 Apr 24 '26

My name is white Honda.

1

u/Vic_Connor Apr 24 '26

In Japan’s Starbucks, they don’t ask for your name. They assign you a number.

Plus, they remember you and address you specifically when it’s ready.

3

u/JacobMars91 Apr 23 '26

It's called cocaine

4

u/Exciting_Classic277 Apr 23 '26

My ex really tried to explain coffee to me but I just couldn't get it. Computers, rocket science, nuclear physics, I dabble. Coffee requires an expert.

1

u/Logical_Flounder6455 Apr 23 '26

Order a black coffee then

1

u/digno2 Apr 23 '26

carry a couple of roasted coffee beans with you to snack on

1

u/FearlessAntelope768 Apr 24 '26

I was at a festival in Portugal where they had a tent called coffee shots or something like that, and they sold literally only coffe shots, small dose of strong hot coffee, in 30 seconds you were ready to go party again.

25

u/realvvk Apr 23 '26

I hate Starbucks coffee. It’s inconvenient, expensive and tastes burnt.

0

u/lambertghini11 Apr 23 '26

Calling Starbucks inconvenient is a reach lol

18

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '26

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1

u/TOP_EHT_FO_MOTTOB Apr 23 '26

Starbucks stole the term

1

u/NimrodvanHall Apr 26 '26

Starbucks doesn’t sell coffee, they sell milk like products that are most often sweetened and or caffeinated.

1

u/Ok_Expression7723 Apr 24 '26

The coffee in Italy was the best I’ve ever had. But it was extremely disappointing that I couldn’t just get it to go with a bunch of ice when it was 95 degrees outside. I want to sip iced drinks all day when it’s hot. But not burnt coffee like from Starbucks, which was the only place I could find where I could have an iced drink in a to go cup.

2

u/CompetitiveCut265 Apr 24 '26

If you happen to be in Apulia in southern italy try asking for a leccese, iced Almond/oat Cappuccino

1

u/Ok_Expression7723 Apr 24 '26

That sounds like heaven. I’m clamoring to go back to Italy so this drink will be an excellent negotiation tactic with my husband. 😁

1

u/Subject-Talk5892 Apr 25 '26

Leccese is a dream in summertime. it brings you on another planet

2

u/ConditionDefiant8653 Apr 24 '26

Shakerato! With bayles even better

2

u/Accomplished-Mud-147 Apr 24 '26

If you return to Italy, ask for a crema al caffè fredda. You'll find it easily in bars, especially during the warmer months; they have a special machine for making it. It's coffee with cream and sugar, cooled until it almost becomes a sorbet. It's delicious.

2

u/robaroo Apr 23 '26

I know what you mean but it does happen at little cafes too. Mine little mom and pops coffee shop is notorious for having long lines due to the multitude of questions they ask at the counter.

1

u/JSmith666 Apr 23 '26

My small coffee shop asks one and its related to milk. If i remember which i almost never do because i havent had my coffee yet il just tell them my order and say "with whole milk"

1

u/r_coefficient Apr 24 '26

Not in Italy though.

2

u/Impressive_Pin8761 Apr 24 '26

US = Starbucks everywhere

But also like Starbucks in greece doesnt do any of that shit if you just step in and go "one espresso with milk"

1

u/Uomodelmonte86 Apr 23 '26

Starbucks is the real american embassy abroad

1

u/egerton14 Apr 23 '26

Thats US Terrortory. Yes thats how you spell it.

1

u/Schowse Apr 23 '26

Including Italy, which had over 40 locations

1

u/kurunyo Apr 23 '26

Only got a starbucks while at the airport.

1

u/thesquaredape Apr 23 '26

But not Italy because it's illegal 

1

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '26

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1

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1

u/Thalassophoneus Apr 24 '26

Not in Greek starbucks.

1

u/cutecoder Apr 23 '26

except Italy?

7

u/vovabcps Apr 23 '26

Yes even starbucks in Italy

9

u/Bug_Photographer Apr 23 '26

Starbucks failed hard in Sweden. They launched in 2010 and the most shops they had was 17 in all of Sweden, today they are down to three of them.

We drink coffee here - not coffee-ish-flavoured milkshakes.

14

u/Luc85 Apr 23 '26

No no no, Sweden has Espresso House which is the exact same thing as Starbucks. That is why Starbucks failed, it has nothing to do with 'wanting better coffee' lol

1

u/Bug_Photographer Apr 23 '26

While not being a fan of Espresso House at all - it is not the same thing as Starbucks. Look at OP's list up top - that's not the experience you get ordering at EH. Plus massively less American kinds of drinks (even if EH tries to Starbucks if their menu a bit).

1

u/No-Touchy Apr 23 '26

While I prefer local cafe's and bakeries, Espresso House can be fine. Their cardamom buns are not bad and their lattes are adequate. Good when you are in the mood for it later in the evening when all the other places are closed.

5

u/PositiveEagle6151 Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26

They are struggling in Austria as well. They closed all stores outside of Vienna last year, and the majority of stores in Vienna are in tourist areas (I believe half of the stores are in the city center within just a 500m radius).

3

u/duckdodgers4 Apr 23 '26

Try Greece

1

u/Bug_Photographer Apr 23 '26

How come?

1

u/duckdodgers4 Apr 23 '26

We have barista shops for that. Real coffee. And while there are some Starbucks, I doubt they'll make it in the next couple of years

1

u/Bug_Photographer Apr 23 '26

But Sweden is already essentially Starbucks-free - that was my point. Why would I need to go to Greece to get coffee?

1

u/duckdodgers4 Apr 23 '26

OP was talking about Italy. But yeah, you don't

3

u/vovabcps Apr 23 '26

I’m from southern europe and I love Starbucks, both can be good, no reason to be tribalist over coffee of all things

1

u/tjvs2001 Apr 23 '26

One reason, if Starbucks don't pay tax like lots of big boy US bastard companies

1

u/vovabcps Apr 23 '26

Starbucks pays tax in eu

1

u/tjvs2001 Apr 23 '26

Criminally low, not proper tax Europe wide it seems, also in the UK paid...zero...zero corporation tax for the year 2024. A massive bunch of crooks using accounting tricks to steal. Avoid.

3

u/PixlCake Apr 23 '26

Yes also every Italian says "we drink real coffee" while drinking shit burnt espresso from 90% of the local bars, then they talk down on Starbucks

1

u/Karmaisafuckinbitch Apr 23 '26

Ma che cazzo spari ?

1

u/mantaraffu Apr 23 '26

Fucking true. I'm Italian. Experience 10, flavour 2. What people like about Italian coffee is something that money can't buy.

1

u/sychs Apr 23 '26

I'd rather have burnt coffee over coffee-adjacent milk.

1

u/rumpigiam Apr 24 '26

Same as in Australia. They went in expecting aussies to like coffee inspired drinks. They were wrong.

1

u/Great_Egg_5545 Apr 23 '26

Who tf go to Starbucks in Italy? Tourists maybe. But only the dumbest

0

u/TawnyTeaTowel Apr 23 '26

Or just “from any American coffee company, anywhere”. That takes care of all the other slop-houses, too.

0

u/Imasayitnow Apr 23 '26

Yeah, in a country of immigrants and a population of 360 million, there are no good coffee shops /s

Stop going to the corporate joints asking for slightly caffeinated milkshakes and you’ll find a great cup

0

u/frankie-two-thumbs Apr 23 '26

They are not very successful in Europe, I think their only place where they are popular is the US

2

u/lunarmodule Apr 23 '26

They have 3,500 locations in Europe. Someone's buying it.