when my venti skinny vanilla latte is completely satisfying and
prepares me for the day ahead, and then there are days when I
wonder why I continue to waste my time and money. Even worse,
my favorite drink tastes different from location to location, and
even costs a different amount from location to location—some-
times within the same geographic area! Makes no sense to me.
The environment in some of the stores is cozy and welcoming,
and in some it is noisy and dirty. Some of the baristas are wonder-
fully talented and service-oriented (like the one in Greenwich
Village in New York City who remembers my order every morning
at 7:45 a.m.), and some act like they can’t be bothered. The service
has become remarkably erratic. Why should I go out of my way ...