I'm not sure what Starbucks was thinking when they decided to replace their fine House Blend with the new, dumbed down, Pikes Place Blend?
Let's forget the fact that I personally don't like Pikes Place blend (which taste slightly better than a cup of coffee you might get a greasy-spoon diner) at all, but rather, consider the rational necessary to come to the conclusion that pulling rug out from underneath your millions upon millions of loyal customer is a good idea, in an attempt to lure away new customers from Dunkin Donuts & McDonald's.
The marketing geniuses behind New Coke would be proud.
I go to starbucks every day, and actually like the Pikes Place blend. To me, the house was bland, and tasted like it had been burned. I usually opted for the verona.
The thing is, you could get a cup of Joe like Pike Place blend just about anywhere, IMHO, for 10+ years Starbucks has been addicting me, and millions of other loyal customers, to their House Blend, and then BAM! it's gone! Whether or not you liked the House Blend, burnt or not, they should not have just yanked it out of all of their stores.
The thing is, they seemed to know that the public is fickle, and other than myself, I've yet to hear one other person complain, or even comment on the change; most people gunk-up their brew with so much crap, I doubt many could notice the difference if they tried.
It reminds me of the several times I gone to a movie theater along with hundreds other patrons, only find myself alone in noticing that the surround sound is off, or that the film is not centered to the screen.
F*ck Starbucks. Seriously. I just go to the gas station and get some farmer brothers coffee for one dollar and it tastes just as good as a cappuccino from Starbucks if not better. :\
