The Popular Starbucks Drink That Doesn't Hold A Candle To The Rest
Starbucks may be most famous for its delectable, dessert-like Frappuccinos, flavored lattes, and a legendary secret menu, but the chain's humble origins lie in quality coffee beans. And you can still get a steaming hot cup of regular brewed coffee today, but you'll want to choose your roast wisely if that's what you're craving. Unfortunately, the drink that came in dead last in Tasting Table's ranking of popular Starbucks drinks is also the most well-known brew: the Pike Place Roast.
Our ranking criteria for barista-made drinks you can buy at a Starbucks location included inventiveness, in addition to flavor and overall consumer satisfaction. We ranked a whopping 47 different drinks from the global coffee chain, ranging from espresso and drip coffee to teas and fruity Refreshers, and the Pike Place brew just didn't stack up against the competition.
Hot black coffee is a necessity that many cannot go without, but it's hardly unique or inventive. A medium roast, the Pike Place is brewed every 30 minutes for optimal freshness. The middle ground between dark and light roasts, a cup of Pike Place offers a mild flavor, acidity, and a medium-bodied mouthfeel, making it just an average cup of coffee that you could really get anywhere. When compared with Starbucks' more complex espressos, tea drinks, or fruit-based options, Pike Place coffee simply doesn't stand a chance.
Pike Place roast is boring and better made at home
In a world of endless drink order possibilities, a cup of Pike Place coffee was way too boring and average to make much of an impact on us. And while we weren't offended by the taste, other Starbucks customers were. Several theorized that the global chain's signature black coffee is the go-to medium roast blend that's always on offer there simply because it's the cheapest for the company to make.
On Reddit, one Starbucks fan explained Pike Place "came out as an every day coffee to appeal to a broader customer base and taste good with cream and sugar," which makes sense for the very run-of-the-mill results. Another Redditor hypothesised that, to keep up with the demand, Starbucks had to "cut corners and use a blend that is easy to produce at that scale," which has resulted in a sub-par coffee compared to the chain's other offerings.
Interestingly, we don't hate the coffee itself; Pike Place came in second in our ranking and review of Starbucks whole bean coffees to brew at home. So what's the buzz on this classic bean? If you're going to Starbucks, get something a bit more exciting you can't do just as well — or better — from the comfort of your own kitchen.