What’s the Starbucks Challenge?
Go in to your local Starbucks, ask for a cup of fair trade coffee, then report what ensues, either by blogging about it or emailing green LA girl or City Hippy. Why? Starbucks sez all company owned and operated stores’ll French press a cup of fair trade coffee for you if you ask for it — at no additional cost — as long as you’re willing to wait a few mins for the French press. Basically, we’re taking them up on this nice offer. (Update, 1/21/07) Where does Starbucks say it’ll make you a French pressed cup of coffee if you ask for it? Starbucks used to have this promise all over its website, until Starbucks Challengers actually made an concerted effort to take them up on it. After many many reports that customers couldn’t get a cup of fair trade coffee, Starbucks quietly took the info off its website in April 2006. The offer, however, still stands, and you can verify it by calling Starbucks’ customer service — it’s just not publicized by Starbucks.
