Blame the heat for the long lines at Starbucks

I think it was my time spent working at a big ad agency on 49th and Madison that got me hooked on Starbucks. There were three or four within two blocks of my office, not to mention the Starbucks in Rock Center and the one in Grand Central. When the work stress got overwhelming, there was always a Starbucks escape a block away (126 of them in Midtown East according to their store locator).

I never go for their Mochachokealateeyaya with Pomegranate Green Tea or whatever Slurpee-style stuff they were pushing, but I think the Starbucks iced coffee and iced tea are excellent.

Many times, as I stood in a long, hot line waiting for my iced coffee, I wondered if Starbucks, at least Starbucks in NYC should introduce an express line for those of us who just want the plain "pour and serve drinks": coffee, iced coffee, iced tea.

Starbucks didn't meet their earnings results this quarter and they are blaming it on the heat (or is it the humidity?) and long lines at their stores. Here's a fun post with pictures of those lines around the city and a review of their earnings report.

Maybe the dip in earnings will push Starbucks to open express lanes for those of us with plain Jane orders?

While I'm on the topic of Starbucks: why don't they offer lemons for the iced tea? It seems like they can strive to offer every customization and combination of caffeinated beverage, yet they don't offer humble lemons with their iced tea.

I assume they don't stock lemons because lemons, unlike say tangerine syrup, are a fresh product with a relatively quick shelf life.

One last question on Starbucks: while they coat the rest of mid-Manhattan like gum on a hot sidewalk, why are there no Starbucks near my new office in the East 30's? There's a Dunkin Donuts and another one opening up soon, but no Starbucks.

I never thought I would become one of "those people" who moaned about the distance between their office and Starbucks. I guess I could blame this new personality flaw on the heat.