Imagine if the incidents in the Michael Douglas film Falling Down had been sparked off by linguistic differences rather than pent-up middle-aged rage.

That was the scene in a in a Starbucks in Manhattan the other day when a professor of the English language decided she wasn’t going to play ball with the coffee chain and their own in-house terminology. Fortunately, the cops came along and threw her out.

Lynne Rosenthal only wanted a toasted multigrain bagel and refused to respond to the ‘barista’ when asked if she wanted butter or cheese with it – she wanted neither you see!

She told the New York Post: “I just wanted a multigrain bagel. I refused to say ‘without butter or cheese’. When you go to Burger King, you don’t have to list the six things you don’t want. Linguistically, it’s stupid, and I’m a stickler for correct English.”

It all got nasty when the barista insisted that she specify whether she wanted butter or cheese and when Lynne yelled “I want my multigrain bagel!”. The boys in blue were duly summoned and the 60-something prof was dispensed into the street.

It turns out that Starbucks and Lynne have history – in the past she has had run-ins with the baristas for using words like ‘small’ or ‘large’ instead of ‘venti’ and ‘tall’ – the agitator!

A barista who was present during the skirmish said: “She would not answer. It was a reasonable question” and also claimed that the professor called the staff member an “asshole.”

If you’re a Starbucks customer, what do you make of it all? Do YOU join in with their special language games or do you just mumble ‘big black coffee’ and point at the muffin you want?

If you’ve got a love of caffeine, are in the vicinity of a branch of Starbucks and have your own travel mug, you could bag yourself some free coffee today.

Avid Rabid HotUKDeals member enforcer emmajk42 has spotted that, as part of the Earth Day celebrations, Starbucks are giving away a hot or iced espresso for TODAY ONLY to customers who visit their stores with their own reusable travel mug.

The blurb explains that: “Encouraging customers to use reusable travel mugs will positively impact the planet and will help us reach our Starbucks Shared Planet goal that by 2015, 100% of our cups will be reusable or recyclable.”

If you don’t have a travel mug, Starbucks sell them instore and you’ll get a 25p tumbler discount every time you use it.

We approached Starbucks recently with an idea for a one-off promotional event but they still haven’t got back to us. Starbukkake it was called…

EDIT: If you’re in Starbucks, or anywhere else, and you see someone choking on their coffee, or a biscuit, or anything ever, why not send off for this FREE St John’s Ambulance survival guide. It’s FREE. (Thanks CNCH)

Six weeks ago, through our various connections amongst the seedy filth of the tech underworld, Bitterwallet broke the news that Starbucks was launching free wi-fi for customers. It’s taken the corporate coffee moguls since then to learn how to type, and so only today the official press release was officially released to the press. O frabjous day! Customers have to register a Starbucks Card to access the wi-fi; the cards are free – all you have to do is credit them with a minimum amount of £5 to spend on your cawfee, then register the card online. In line with outlets in the US and Canada, cardholders get up to two hours of free access per day.

So where can you flex your wi-fitacular muscle? According to the Starbucks website, you have the choice of just four locations – two in London, one in Dublin and of course, Ipswich. Oh. It seems nobody bothered to check the website on the day of the big announcement – they’re were probably too busy with the typing lessons. A quick call to Starbucks and we’re told their website is currently “broken… well, they’re taking a look at it – it’s not right, is it?” In fact you can enjoy free wi-fi in over 500 branches – another great reason to chug down that sweet, sweet corporate coffee.

Good news for you today, especially if you suffer from the dual addictions of internet access and corporate coffee. Here’s a handy hack that lets you enjoy free wi-fi access at any branch of Starbucks, although it hasn’t been officially announced so keep it between us, right?

Bitterwallet reader James has told us about a new Starbucks Card that one store in London mistakenly handed out to several customers, that includes free wi-fi as one of the perks. This brings the UK into line with Starbucks in the US and Canada, where cardholders get up to two hours of free wi-fi access per day.

Starbucks have made no official announcement of this new card yet, and there’s no mention of it amongst on their website, but as James’ photo proves it’s on the way:

Starbucks cards are free – all you have to do is credit them with a minimum amount of £5 to spend on your cawfee, then register the card online. For the completists amongst you, you’ll find the terms and conditions here. No word on whether existing cardholders need a new card for qualify for the free wi-fi, but no doubt you’ll find out soon enough, you caffeine-guzzling beast of a corporate whore.

At first glance it looks like some uber-cool indie coffee house, tucked away on the street front without any glaring bells and whistles. No menus or signage or bright neon lights to attract the mentally incapacitated through the door. The sort of place you hang out in because it doesn’t draw the crowds:

There’s live music, wine and beer available over the counter, espressos made manually. Yep, no doubt about it, it’s everything an independent coffee house should be, a welcome retreat from the soulless glass boxes operated by cold corporations like Starbucks. Oh, hang on a minute:

It’s not inspired by Starbucks at all, it is bloody Starbucks – after seeing profits tumble, they’re experimenting with coffee shops that abandon the brand name altogether, in favour of a community environment that consumers still care about. The first is in the Starbuck heartland of Seattle, where they’ve been upsetting other independent owners by sending teams of staff into their shops to snoop on how they work.

Another two are due to open in Seattle shortly. If they’re successful, expect these Starbucks stealth stores to arrive in your city soon. And no, you still won’t see much change out of a fiver for a coffee and piece of fucking lemon drizzle cake.

[PSFK]

An o2 dongle, yesterday

The latest battleground for mobile phone providers seems to be the kingdom of the dongle, or to use grown-up parlance, mobile broadband.

As we gamely attempt to keep up the military speak, o2 have launched a major offensive by joining forces with BT Openzone and adding the latter company’s wi-fi hotspots to their portfolio, ramping up o2’s total number of hotspots by a further 3,000. That’s in addition to the 5,000 sites they already inhabit as part of their ‘Cloud’ network (and the military analogies slowly fade away and are quickly forgotten as cold, hard facts get in the way.)

It’s great news if you’ve got o2’s pay as you go mobile broadband, as you’ll get free access at those 8,000 sites, which include most branches of Starbucks. A half-price PAYG dongle offer was due to end last night, but may well be back again soon (if it’s not extended straight away) as o2 aggressively try to make their mark on the mobile broadband market. Add Quidco into the mix and you could even get your dongle and a month’s PAYG for about this much – nothing.

BT Openzone are rolling out wifi everywhere they can squeeze it in at the moment, and a new deal will see it dispensed from cash machines along with your reddies. The Register reports they’ve struck a deal with Cashbox, those folks that supply stand-alone machines in shops, bars and neighbourhoods where carrying a wallet isn’t an option you’d naturally consider.

These cashpoints already have a broadband connection to handle customer transactions, so carrying data from wifi customers is no great technical feat. A trial involving ten cash machines will initially take place before both companies look to roll out the service to over 2,000 sites across the country.

BT is fast becoming a dominant player in providing wifi access in the UK; a recent deal with Starbucks replacing T-Mobile sews up over 650 locations and any business with a BT business hub can offer wifi to customers, for free or by selling access, plus BT Openzone already provide blanket coverage in a dozen cities as well as partnering several major UK businesses.

But with the likes of 3G access becoming prevalent on smartphones and the popularity of broadband dongles for laptops, why is BT so keen to roll out wifi across the nation? Wouldn’t they be better playing to their strengths and providing digital technology for home customers? Perhaps not; maybe the likes of BT are playing a long-game that will in time provide a rich revenue stream – not from consumers (although the cost of BT Openzone access is still outrageously steep), but from mobile service operators.

As 3G usage by smartphones and laptops increases, service providers may struggle to cope with demand – shifting some of that usage to wifi would help relieve the strain. The likes of O2’s deal with BT Openzone to allow unlimited wifi access for iPhone owners is presented as a perk for the consumer, but given how data-rich the iPhone experience is, it no doubt helps out O2 as well.

£22 billion was shelled out by operators when the 3G spectrum was auctioned off in 2000, and there’s likely to be a shake-up of spectrum and further auctions next year. If the likes of O2 and other operators can count on reliable wifi coverage across the majority of the population, that would significantly alter their strategy for delivering data services, and may mean using BT Openzone becoming an everyday occurrence for consumers.

Ah, Starbucks – the sweet, sweet aroma of corporate America. Why do we stump up the best part of a fiver for a cup of the stuff? For the flavour, or the name? With indie coffee houses now ten a penny, and the likes of McDonalds already encroaching on their trade, the company has devised a new advertising campaign to explain why they burgle your pocket.

In the US, a series of ads will warn the mainstream cattle that “It’s not what you’re buying, it’s what you’re buying into” and “Beware of a cheaper cup of coffee, it comes with a price” and then explain that Starbucks make jillions from selling coffee to make the world a better place, not swell their profits to a Ron Jeremy-sized girth. All the ads carry the strapline: “It’s not just coffee, it’s Starbucks.”

The ads state that Starbucks is in the business of buying fair-trade beans and providing health care for US employees who work more than 20 hours a week, and that’s they why charge a little more, see? Except that doesn’t explain why the prices are extortionate in the UK where employees don’t need health cover, unless Starbucks is signing them up to BUPA.

It’s almost like Stella Artois’ Reassuringly Expensive campaign, but nowhere near as much fun. And you don’t feel all that reassured, either.

Hey you! Yes, you! Are you a corporate whore? Can you not get through the day without a cup of overpriced coffee and your over-priced, under-performing iPhone pushing nonsense into your brain? Then good news! The Register reports that beginning this week BT will be begin replacing T-Mobile as wifi providers for Starbucks in the UK and Ireland.

The deal will run for five years, with over 650 hotspots forming part of the BT Openzone network. Thanks to an existing wifi deal with O2, iPhone users will be able to get access at Starbucks, at faster speeds available than currently offered by 3G. Once the rollout has been completed, O2 dongle subscribers will also get bundled Openzone access.

A win for both BT customers and O2 network users then, and iPhone users will be able to put their Go Grande app to good use, too. It’s like all your Christmases come at once.

[The Register]

Famously known as the birthplace of Starbucks and the home of the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital in TV drama “Grey’s Anatomy“, Seattle is known as the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest.   You may just be flying through some day, or plan to hit up this fabulous city from the UK for the best deal possible.  Question is, where are the best places to stay, things to avoid, the cheapest ways to get around, and the best places to visit / eat at? That’s what this series aims to delve into.

If you’ve never been to the “Emerald City,” here are a few starters to help you out:

1. Cheap Airfares. Seattle Tacoma, also known as Sea-Tac Airport, is a central hub for certain airlines such as Alaska (affiliated with American Airlines).  Therefore, have a look at connections from major US hubs such as Los Angeles, Cincinnati or Atlanta.  You can have it done automatically via sites like ebookers or Farecast. A round trip ticket from LON to Seattle with Delta Airways starts around £350.  Remember to read our How to survive a 12+ hour flight, with the stopover adding 1-2 hours making the entire trip over 15+ hours, you may want to be ready to avoid deep vein thrombosis.  We recently managed to bag a multi-stop economy ticket through Las Vegas, Seattle and Los Angeles from London for £434 inclusive of tax and fees per person.  How? Read about it here.  Not as mindblowing as the long expired Expedia AU/Orbitz fiasco (which is a good reason to keep us on your RSS/bookmark radar), but still pretty good IMHO.

2. Cheap Accommodation. It’s not easy to find cheap but good accomodation in Seattle.  During the trip, we stayed in a hotel outside the city (which I do not recommend despite being Tripadvisor’s #1 recommendation), and an expensive downtown hotel, and a great downtown apartment reduced from $175 to under $100 a night that I wished was available for a longer period of time. The Ace Hotel and The Mediterranean Inn were also high up on our list, both situated very close to the Space Needle and downtown.  Unfortunately, they both suffered from a lack of private bathrooms at the standard cost of £65 a day.  Those with urophobia should avoid.  Also, beware of booking discount rates through Expedia or Hotels.com. The special rates are for rooms without A/C, nor the kind of views you see in their photos.  On the upside, all rooms have double beds, cable TV, and free wireless internet.  For those that want a European theme and planning to share a room, try the Inn at Queen Anne. Rooms cost about £69 per day for twin sharing. We will share further details and our own personal review of where we stayed in part 2 of this guide. (more…)

Good news if you’re a corporate dog who likes to surf while sipping on a grande caramel macchiato with extra caramel, half and half, extra vanilla, whip and an extra shot. Or a coffee.

Electric Pig has word from a Starbucks deep throat that free wi-fi will become the norm in their coffee shops next year. Currently you need a T-Mobile account to go online in Starbucks, or you can pay-as-you-go if you have a secret deposit of Nazi gold to pay your way.

While the service could be introduced as early as January, Starbucks refused to confirm the rumour, saying only that the “timing of the programme and specific benefits associated with Starbucks Card holders in the UK, and other markets outside the US, are still being determined.”

Yeah, yeah. Just hurry the hell up, will you? How else am I meant to look like a jumped-up hipster tosspot with a MacBook?

[Electric Pig]

If you manage to grab a copy of The Guardian today (80p), you will find a voucher that entitles you to a free cuppa Starbucks exclusive red cup yuletide inspired coffee, worth £3.

The voucher that states that this offer is only valid for today, and other websites such as MoneySavingExpert claim that this offer is only valid today.  This is incorrect information.

A couple of phone calls to The Guardian’s Press Office this morning by us confirmed that this was actually a misprint. We were told that the Baristas in Starbucks are aware of this error, and the voucher will be valid until Tuesday, 18/11/2008. The Guardian Headquarters said they will send an confirmation in writing.

UPDATE 17:57: We have received written confirmation from The Guardian Press Office that this offer is indeed valid until 18/11/08:

Just to let you know that we have had confirmation from Starbucks that the voucher for coffee in today’s Guardian, Wednesday 5 November, can be redeemed until the 18 November. (Apologies for the confusion which was due to an error in the small print of the advertising copy)

In the mean time, creep up to your nearest Guardian seller and start hogging the queues.

[The Guardian]

Yesterday we told you about a great deal going down at Starbucks right now. One of our readers, Jonathan, responded by sharing his top five tips for sucking down even more caffeine.

I’ve spent countless hours and thousands of dollars at several different Starbucks establishments in the States over the past year. I drink a lot of coffee. My focus here is to get the most bang (caffeine) for your buck. Here are a few tips vis-a-vis saving money on your favorite espresso drinks.

1. Seek out the establishments with sizable seating and reading accommodations as opposed to smaller and/or busier ones. These locations generally serve more ‘regulars’ than ‘transients.’ This is important because the baristas are actually encouraged to engage their customers via greetings and conversations. If they consider you to be a ‘regular’ then there is the possibility that they will treat you better (more on this below).

2. Befriend the baristas at your regular Starbucks. Be friendly… not creepy. Respond to their attempts to engage you in greetings and conversation. Be polite, be memorable, and learn their names (believe it or not, it’s their job to learn yours)!

(more…)

“So… what size do you think you can you handle for 80p?”

I love a good cup of Hazelnut Latte. But coffee is just way too overpriced in this country.

I support the concept of ‘Fair Trade’ and all, but at the average cost at £3 a visit, the price of coffee adds up fairly quickly.

So when we discovered that The Guardian is giving away free Starbucks coffee vouchers every Friday until October 24, we’ve been collecting 20ps like good little Eagle Scouts. (more…)