Jordan B.
Yelp
This is not just A Starbucks, this is THEE Starbucks where it all began! Now, I love my local coffee shops; however, I also stayed Strawberry Açaí refresher, Iced toasted vanilla oatmilk shaken espresso, and lemon loafed DOWN! Also as of late, I've become very fond of collecting different Starbucks Tumblers when I travel, so when I planned my trip to Seattle this past summer, this place was at the top of my to-visit list.
I was prepared for a super long wait time; however, I lucked out with visiting on a Tuesday during MLB All-Star Week, so everybody at Pike Place was paying this usually overcrowded area dust. There was a short line and I was in and out with all my merch and drinks in about 30 minutes, which is shorter than some of the wait times I've had inside airports and my own local Starbucks back home.
I must say, they have a very efficient system from the time you line up to the time you leave. When I first lined up, one worker handed out pages with pictures and prices of all the available exclusive merch for sale that also showed what was sold out so patrons could decide on what they wanted before even getting to the counter. They also had a few crew members outside talking with patrons to help answer questions and make small talk to pass the time. They were so friendly with great customer service. Once you arrive inside you can take pictures of the inside and all the exclusive merch on display; however, if you want to buy anything, they keep that merch separate in boxes behind the counter (so they don't have to constantly restock merch). When you move through the line and snap a picture you eventually make your way to the other side of the store to order. They sell all of the drinks you can order at any regular Starbucks plus a few seasonal extras. I opted for the Oleato Iced Shaken Expresso, made with Olive Oil, Oatmilk, and Toffeenut since I knew I couldn't get it at every location. I also snagged several gifts for my friends and was able to use the stars on my app to lower the price. After leaving, one of the workers outside was nice enough to take my picture for me.
All in all, I had a great time at the first Starbucks with great customer service. Their product everywhere just holds up consistently no matter where you go in my opinion and if you disagree with me go argue with ya momma about it!