(Not so) Starbucks Experience

I wish I didn't, but I like Starbucks. I like that they're pretty much the same around the world (minus some green teas, some other random flavors and the look of the people who work there). I like that I can study there for as many hours as I want, as long as I spend $3 on a latte or something like that. Since I have been in school, I have spent many a-Sunday at the Starbucks by our house in Siglap.

I just had a not so pleasant (not so) Starbucks experience.

The Penn Bookstore advertises Starbucks on their window. My mom gave me $40 in Starbucks gift cards. I haven't had coffee yet today, and the pots in my suite grossed me out too much to boil water for tea. What a match. I went in.

First I had to walk nearly a city block just to get to the escalator, then I had to circle all the way back to the cafe (that had Starbuck's logo, etc). I thought I would get a really special treat - vanilla latte (skim milk, sugar free vanilla flavor, and only half the regular amount of vanilla). I gave her my gift card to pay, and she said, "this is Barnes and Noble." They don't take the card. I'm WAY WAY WAY too cheap to pay for this coffee for myself. I would actually never have gone in there. Of course I didn't want to say that, so I said, "well it sure looks like a Starbucks, but okay." Then I realized she charged me $3.30, and I was confused. I kept looking at the receipt and the prices on the wall, which were $3.10 for a small one, $3.65 for a medium sized vanilla latte. There was nothing for $3.30. I asked - out of curiousity, "where does this number come from" - a little line we learned in our negotiation class. They said that the prices have changed, but the numbers haven't come in yet for the signboard. Hm. Unethical? YES!!! That's not the price they're charging...AND the drink is way to sweet and it isn't even hot. What an unpleasant experience.