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As always make sure to use a card that earns at a high rate on office supply stores.
Hat tip to GC Galore
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William Charles
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Delta Air Lines and Starbucks announced a partnership two years ago, giving members of both programs the opportunity to earn miles while enjoying their coffee.
Currently members will earn one mile per $1 spent on eligible purchases at Starbucks, and on days when enrolled members have a scheduled flight with Delta, they will earn double Stars on eligible purchases at participating Starbucks stores.
Now Delta has announced upcoming changes earning SkyMiles on Starbucks purchases. They are rewarding more miles for larger reloads, up to 2X per $1 spent, but you will need to spend at least $25 to actually earn miles.
Here’s how it will work:
The new earning rates will go into effect on June 12, 2024.
Customers can join Starbucks Rewards at starbucks.com/rewards and Delta SkyMiles at delta.com/join-skymiles. U.S. customers who are enrolled in both Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks Rewards loyalty programs can easily link their accounts by visiting either deltastarbucks.com or starbucksdelta.com.
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DDG
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Businesses and customers in Sacramento’s Downtown Commons area said they have major concerns about homelessness and crime – and their worries are only growing.The Starbucks near 7th and K streets at DOCO permanently closed on May 20, according to a spokesperson. While the company would not give a specific reason why the store shut down, it sent KCRA 3 the following statement:“As a standard course of business, we continually evaluate our store portfolio, using various criteria to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers. We do not take the decision to close stores lightly. Our relationship with our customers is deeply personal, and we are honored to have been their Third Place.”Frequent customers Daniele Barker and Richard Clutter, who both live in Sacramento, were shocked to see a sign on the Starbucks door Friday that said, “Sorry we missed you,” followed by, “This store is permanently closed. We look forward to welcoming you at another location.”“We were trying to come and get an iced coffee because this is a great location for us when we’re down here,” Barker said. “We come down here at least twice, maybe three times a week… I’m sad to see them close.While the specific cause of the closure is still a mystery, Clutter said he has an idea why it shut down. Clutter said he was unhoused at one point, but he added that what he has seen the unhoused do in the DOCO area likely affected Starbucks and still impacts other businesses in the area. DOCO businesses did not want to go on camera, but several of them told KCRA 3 that homelessness at DOCO is getting worse. The businesses said that the unhoused people coming onto their properties, asking for money and food, and leaving a mess are driving customers away.Residents, including Sacramento resident Kendall Banks, said security at DOCO is a concern too. While security guards and Sacramento Police Department officers are seen in the area, many say it is not enough.KCRA 3 Investigates looked at where violent crimes happened downtown in 2023. Most were reported near DOCO.In response to KCRA 3’s inquires about police enforcement of the unhoused in the DOCO area, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department responded by saying that “DOCO has their own security team that handles the property and calls PD if needed.”Police also said the city’s Incident Management Team responds to calls regarding the unhoused.“It’s definitely sad to see in the city that businesses feel like they have to close down due to their surrounding circumstances, for sure. You hate to see it,” Banks said. “You can only do so much. I know that nobody wants to close doors.”A Starbucks spokesperson said the company is working with Worked United to “collaborate on next steps, including transfer options, for the 7 partners (employees)” who worked at the DOCO Starbucks.KCRA 3 reached out to DOCO staff, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Visit Sacramento, the City of Sacramento’s Nighttime Economy Manager, District 4 City Councilmember Katie Valenzuela and the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce to ask about the concerns brought up by DOCO businesses and customers. As of Friday evening, we have not received direct comment. While the City of Sacramento would not comment specifically about the Starbucks closure or the issues at DOCO, a spokesperson sent KCRA 3 the following statement:“The City of Sacramento encourages investments of all types and looks forward to the launch of any new business that provides community benefit and contributes to the overall vibrancy of the area.”
Businesses and customers in Sacramento’s Downtown Commons area said they have major concerns about homelessness and crime – and their worries are only growing.
The Starbucks near 7th and K streets at DOCO permanently closed on May 20, according to a spokesperson. While the company would not give a specific reason why the store shut down, it sent KCRA 3 the following statement:
“As a standard course of business, we continually evaluate our store portfolio, using various criteria to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers. We do not take the decision to close stores lightly. Our relationship with our customers is deeply personal, and we are honored to have been their Third Place.”
Frequent customers Daniele Barker and Richard Clutter, who both live in Sacramento, were shocked to see a sign on the Starbucks door Friday that said, “Sorry we missed you,” followed by, “This store is permanently closed. We look forward to welcoming you at another location.”
“We were trying to come and get an iced coffee because this is a great location for us when we’re down here,” Barker said. “We come down here at least twice, maybe three times a week… I’m sad to see them close.
While the specific cause of the closure is still a mystery, Clutter said he has an idea why it shut down.
Clutter said he was unhoused at one point, but he added that what he has seen the unhoused do in the DOCO area likely affected Starbucks and still impacts other businesses in the area.
DOCO businesses did not want to go on camera, but several of them told KCRA 3 that homelessness at DOCO is getting worse.
The businesses said that the unhoused people coming onto their properties, asking for money and food, and leaving a mess are driving customers away.
Residents, including Sacramento resident Kendall Banks, said security at DOCO is a concern too. While security guards and Sacramento Police Department officers are seen in the area, many say it is not enough.
KCRA 3 Investigates looked at where violent crimes happened downtown in 2023. Most were reported near DOCO.
In response to KCRA 3’s inquires about police enforcement of the unhoused in the DOCO area, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department responded by saying that “DOCO has their own security team that handles the property and calls PD if needed.”
Police also said the city’s Incident Management Team responds to calls regarding the unhoused.
“It’s definitely sad to see in the city that businesses feel like they have to close down due to their surrounding circumstances, for sure. You hate to see it,” Banks said. “You can only do so much. I know that nobody wants to close doors.”
A Starbucks spokesperson said the company is working with Worked United to “collaborate on next steps, including transfer options, for the 7 partners (employees)” who worked at the DOCO Starbucks.
KCRA 3 reached out to DOCO staff, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Visit Sacramento, the City of Sacramento’s Nighttime Economy Manager, District 4 City Councilmember Katie Valenzuela and the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce to ask about the concerns brought up by DOCO businesses and customers.
As of Friday evening, we have not received direct comment.
While the City of Sacramento would not comment specifically about the Starbucks closure or the issues at DOCO, a spokesperson sent KCRA 3 the following statement:
“The City of Sacramento encourages investments of all types and looks forward to the launch of any new business that provides community benefit and contributes to the overall vibrancy of the area.”
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These games seem to have gotten progressively worse over the years, but still worth playing if you like Starbucks and have some free time.
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William Charles
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Americans are addicted to caffeine but not to Starbucks, it seems.
When Chicago writer Natalia Nebel steps out for an espresso, for instance, Starbucks no longer comes to mind, even though she lives within walking distance to two of the coffee chain’s more than 17,000 U.S. stores.
“I used to go all the time and now I don’t go anymore,” said Nebel, 61, recalling her pre-COVID routine of setting up shop four days a week at a local Starbucks, finding it an enjoyable change of scenery and a comfortable spot to work. “I liked being around people in a different setting,” Nebel told CBS MoneyWatch.
But Starbucks’ appeal for Nebel faded along with the pandemic. “Once I stopped going, I didn’t really miss it,” she said, noting that she prefers the ambiance of the independent cafes in her Lincoln Park neighborhood.
“The whole concept got old. Starbucks started really feeling like corporate America in a way it hadn’t before,” she added.
Delaware resident Troy Turner also sees benefits to brewing at home, saying it’s relatively easy, quick and far less expensive to make “significantly better coffee than anything you’d get at Starbucks.”
The home barista community has gained traction online, with tutorials available on making coffee, noted Turner, 29, a leave and disability examiner who lives in Dover.
“A few years ago, when I was first getting into coffee, I was on the fence about Starbucks versus Dunkin’ Donuts, but I quickly got out of attending both places,” said Turner, a self-described coffee enthusiast.
Nebel and Turner are not alone in forging a life without Starbucks, at least if the company’s latest earnings report is any guide.
The biggest coffee chain on the planet is losing ground with people around the globe, its first drop in quarterly revenue since 2020 recently showed. The slowdown in store traffic was particularly acute in the U.S., with same-store sales down 3% in the January through March period from a year ago.
Budget-conscious consumers are shelling out less on quick-service offerings, and that includes Starbucks, according to CEO Laxman Narasimhan.
“We continue to feel the impact of a more cautious consumer,” he said on an earnings call last week.
“Many customers have been more exacting about where and how they choose to spend their money, particularly with stimulus savings mostly spent,” Narasimhan said. “We saw this materialize over the quarter as customers made the trade-offs, but being food away from home and food at home.”
The company’s plan to turn things around includes updating its app and mobile payment offerings, speeding up service, and overhauling its menu to lure customers back, he said.
“The consumer is starting to feel the bite of tighter finances, and Starbucks is one of those indulgent luxuries that people can easily cut out,” said Neal Saunders, managing director, retail, at GlobalData.
The financial setback last quarter also prompted some unsolicited advice from former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who led the company for decades as it expanded around the globe.
“The stores require a maniacal focus on the customer experience, through the eyes of a merchant. The answer does not lie in data, but in the stores,” Schultz wrote on his LinkedIn account on Monday. Starbucks should revamp its mobile ordering and payment app to “once again make it the uplifting experience it was designed to be,” suggested Schultz, who finished his third stint as CEO early last year but remains one of the company’s biggest shareholders.
According to Schultz, Starbucks will recover, but it’s “clearly not business as usual.”
“We always appreciate Howard’s perspective. The challenges and opportunities he highlights are the ones we are focused on. And like Howard, we are confident in Starbucks long-term success,” a Starbucks spokesperson said in response to Schultz’s remarks.
The “customer experience flags in a world where seamless mobile/digital ordering and throughput are emphasized,” Sean Dunlop, an analyst at MorningStar, said. “If baristas are constantly operating at 100% capacity, it’s challenging to snap out of that and ensure that a customer’s having a really unique experience — they simply don’t have the bandwidth,” Dunlop said.
If one looks at the long history of Starbucks, the brand in its early days was very much an experiential occasion, with consumers “going in, ordering a beverage just the way they wanted it and having a nice interaction with the barista, a nice feel-good experience,” said David Tarantino, an analyst at Robert W. Baird. “One of the downsides of mobile ordering is it becomes very transactional.”
Both Nebel and Turner mentioned Starbucks’ strife with employees as another reason they choose not to patronize the business, although most analysts downplayed the issue.
From Nebel’s perspective, a Starbucks cafe in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood that used to bustle with energy and people now has fewer patrons and a downbeat atmosphere. “I don’t know that the employees seem that happy there, and maybe you pick up on it, too,” she said.
Starbucks and the union organizing its workers are currently in contract negotiations after a protracted battle that has the Supreme Court hearing its case challenging the authority of the National Labor Relations Board.
“It’s not implausible to surmise that the occasional consumer or a consumer with less affinity for Starbucks in general might shift a couple of visits, at the margin, away from the brand if they found labor practices particularly distasteful,” said Dunlop at MorningStar. “The great irony there, of course, is that Starbucks offers one of the best employee value propositions (wages and benefits) in the restaurant industry, so they’re being punished for labor practices that most folks partake in.”
Meanwhile, headlines about Starbucks employees not being allowed to wear Black Lives Matter attire tarnished the brand for Morgan Bissett-Tessier, a 31-year-old law school student and part-time school administrator in New York. The Brooklyn resident now avoids Starbucks despite the company reversing its dress code policy on BLM.
Starbucks “was never a regular thing for me because it was expensive, so it was a treat,” Bissett-Tessier said. “Now it doesn’t feel worth it.”
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This won’t code as a grocery purchase as it’s Kroger online and processed by Blackhawk Network. Stacks with the 4x fuel points promo.
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Chuck
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Starbucks workers at the Old Keene Mill location in Springfield, Virginia, and the Shipley’s Grant location in Ellicott City, Maryland, have voted unanimously to join Starbucks Workers United, among almost a dozen other Starbucks locations in the D.C. metro that have now unionized or filed to.
Starbucks workers at the Old Keene Mill location in Springfield, Virginia, and the Shipley’s Grant location in Ellicott City, Maryland, have voted to join Starbucks Workers United, among almost a dozen other Starbucks locations in the D.C. metro that have now unionized or filed to.
Workers at another Starbucks location in Springfield, at Huntsman Square, rejected union efforts two years ago.
The Shipley’s Grant store is the second Starbucks in Ellicott City to vote to unionize.
Workers United said there have been more than 20 union wins at Starbucks stores in the past month, with more than 420 stores having successfully unionized since 2021. That is still a small fraction of the more than 17,000 U.S. Starbucks stores.
Voting in favor of unionizing does not automatically mean union protections. Starbucks, thus far, has not reached labor agreements with Workers United.
In February, Starbucks and Workers United agreed to begin talks about company-wide labor agreements, a thawing in relations between the two sides. Starbucks has said it is restarting the talks with a goal of ratifying agreements sometime in 2024.
“We respect the rights of our partners to organize and bargain collectively, and we are eager to reach ratified agreements in 2024 for represented stores.” Starbucks said in an emailed statement.
Initial face-to-face talks between Starbucks and Workers United officials are scheduled for next week.
One hurdle will be the more than 100 pending charges against Starbucks filed with the National Labor Relations Board over treatment of employees at stores that have voted to unionize, including unfair labor practice complaints and labor law violations.
Other local Starbucks that have voted to unionize or filed to vote include stores in Falls Church, Leesburg, Sterling, Arlington and Ashburn in Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C.
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Jeff Clabaugh
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The cannabis industry has had a rough couple of years, but things are looking brighter. The one constant positive is consumer demand has continuously increased. You know it is good when Missouri has over $1 billion in sales last year. And, despite the struggles, the industry continues to grow. In fact, surpassing other job reports, the cannabis industry grew 5%. Around 440,000 work in market as of today. It is a clear indicator legal cannabis is here to stay.
RELATED: California or New York, Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess
While 440,000 is a big number – how big is it in relation to other industries? BDSA, an analytical firm who covers cannabis, reported the industry made $29.5 billion in the legal market. It would have been over $30 billion if not for the chaos and huge illicit market in New York. Like most industries, the weed one includes dispensaries, manufactures, some ancillary services, farmers and management. It is also a very small sliver of greater farming community. America’s farm families represent two percent of the population and help feed the other 98%.
Subway Sandwiches with a revenue of 16.5 billion employees roughly 410,000 including the franchises.
Grocer Kroger employs 430,000 in 36 states in 2,700 locations with sales of $150,000.
Target has 440,000 in their US retail stores with sales of $107 billion.
Starbucks and their famed coffee have 381,000 brewing almost $36 billion in sales at 16,449 locations.
Dentists, clocking in at half the number at 202,000, but if you fold in everyone in the industry including dental hygienists, they have 1,140,861 people employed in the US dental industry as of 2023.
CocaCola’s total number of employees in 2022 was 82,500. This helps drive the juggernaut of beverages with more than 1.9 billion servings of drinks sold in more than 200 countries each day.
RELATED: The Most Popular Marijuana Flavors
The US alcohol industry supports around 4 million jobs, including employment in production, distribution, sales, bartenders and other related services. They help drive the drinks market of $183.5 billion last year.
Constellation, the alcohol company invested in cannabis has approximately 10,000 employees and Diageo has 3,100 people across North America.
Tobacco manufacturing in 2021 had 16,767 people and generated $886.09 billion in 2023.
The U.S. pharmaceutical industry employs over 1.3 million people. It is the largest pharmaceutical market generating over $550 billion dollars.
There are 29,711 people employed in the Strip Clubs in the US as of 2023.
RELATED: The Most Popular Marijuana Flavors
As the cannabis market continues to grow and partner with adjacent industries, it will another part of employments, economy and everyday life.
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Anthony Washington
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Calling all lemon lovers! 💛 Glazed Lemon Cake is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. This sunny lemony cake is topped with a simple lemon glaze for the ultimate lemony treat!
That’s my go-to leverage tool when I ask Malloree if she’ll run to the grocery store with me. She’s my shopping bud, and most of the time will come without me having to dangle the proverbial carrot in front of her face. However on the days when I can see she’s hesitant, an iced caramel macchiato with caramel in the cup is on the table.
If you’ve ever stepped foot into a Starbucks, you’re most likely aware of the thick slices of glazed lemon loaf. If you’re not familiar, I’ll break it down for you. Think 1-inch slices of a super moist and lemony cake with the thickest layer of frosting ever.
Preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).
First measure and whisk together 1-1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, add the 2 tablespoons lemon zest and 1 cup sugar.
Then using your impeccably clean hands, massage the sugar and zest.
To the bowl with the sugar, crack in 3 large eggs, add 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/3 cup melted (cooled butter), whisking to combine.
Alternate adding 1/3 (of the 1/2 cup) milk and dry ingredients. Stirring just until incorporated.
With that said, be super careful not to over mix because you don’t want a dense cake.
Next, pour the batter into a 8×5 that has been sprayed and lined with parchment paper.
Then slip the pan into your preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Once baked, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge and using the parchment to remove the loaf.
Once the cake has cooled, make the glaze by whisking 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
If the glaze seems a tad to thick, add a few small splashes of water to thin it out if need be. However, the glaze should be thick. Because I have zero patience when it comes to waiting, my cake was still a little to warm and as a result, my glaze looks a little thin.
This glazed lemon cake smells all kinds of amazing! And that glaze is phenomenal. It adds the perfect lemony final touch, so in other words, don’t skimp on the glaze!
Enjoy! And if you give this Glazed Lemon Cake recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Yield: 10 servings
Calling all lemon lovers! 💛 Glazed Lemon Cake is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. This sunny lemony cake is topped with a simple lemon glaze for the ultimate lemony treat!
Preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃) and spray a 8×5 loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
In a separate, larger mixing bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Us your fingers to rub the sugar and zest together.
To the bowl with the lemon sugar; add in the eggs, melted and cooled butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Whisking to combine.
Alternate adding 1/3 of the flour mixture and milk to the egg mixture. Whisking until just combined, being mindful not to over mix.
Pour the lemony batter into your prepared pan and bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean after inserting it into the middl of the cake.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the pan and using the parchment paper as handles to remove. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool.
Once cool make the glaze. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add a small splash of water if the glazed needs it. The glaze should be thick.
Pour the glaze onto of the cake and spread with an offset spatula. Slice and serve.
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 303mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 291IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg
This post may contain affiliate links.
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Laurie McNamara
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Closure of only Barnes & Noble is major blow to Clayton County
By Donnell Suggs
The fifth largest county in the state of Georgia will no longer have a major bookseller after May 7. The only Barnes & Noble franchise in Clayton County is scheduled to close in May and with it the only opportunity for locals to browse a large bookstore on weekends or read and study quietly in the attached Starbucks during the week.
Clayton County has just under 300,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census and with no major bookseller within the county boundaries after Store #2865 on Mount Zion Rd. in Morrow closes, residents will have to drive into Atlanta, more specifically, to Buckhead, to shop at a Barnes & Noble. The Morrow store had been in business for nearly 30 years. The closest major bookseller will be the Books-A-Million franchise on Jonesboro Rd. in McDonough.
The letter on the door of Store #2865 began with:
Dear Barnes & Noble Customers, It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of this bookstore as the landlord has chosen not to renew our lease.
The letter also read in part:
It has been our honor and privilege to be your bookseller here in Southlake for the last 27 years.
The closure of Barnes & Noble isn’t all bad news. Clayton County’s other bookstore, Nubian Books, will reap the benefit of the closure, says its owner.
“It’s good for me,” said Marcus Williams, owner and operator of Nubian Books, the only Black-owned bookstore in Clayton County.
On a warm spring Saturday afternoon Nubian Books was busy with customers buying books and fraternity and sorority merchandise. The store is one of the few places on the Southside to be able to buy either product. It is the only place where Black authors can hold book signings, which often takes place outside of Nubian Books. A lack of an available Barnes & Nobles or franchise bookseller will mean more business for this small business.
“It means more customers won’t have any place to buy books, but we’re open,” Williams said. Nubian Books has been serving the community since 1999.
Within the past few years Barnes & Noble locations on Camp Creek Parkway and Edgewood Avenue have been closed. During an off-the-record conversation with two longtime employees at the Morrow location, both expressed frustration over having to eventually go to work in Buckhead.
Editors Note:
Emails to Morrow City Hall and Barnes & Noble were not returned in time for this story’s publishing date. There will be an update to this story in the coming weeks.
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Donnell Suggs
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Starting Monday, most California fast-food workers will earn at least $20 an hour — the highest minimum wage across the U.S. restaurant industry. Yet the pay hike is sparking furious debate, with some restaurant owners warning of job losses and higher prices for customers, while labor advocates tout the benefits of higher wages.
The new law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last fall, takes effect on April 1, requiring that fast-food chains with at least 60 locations nationwide pay workers at least $20 an hour. The means the state’s 553,000 fast-food workers will earn more than the state’s $16 minimum wage for all other industries.
The new baseline wage comes as the fast-food industry is seeing booming earnings, with big chains like McDonald’s enjoying strong revenue growth and wider profit margins in recent years. That’s partly due to menu prices that have far outpaced inflation, with fast-food costs surging 47% over the past decade, compared with an average of 29% for all other prices, according to a new analysis from the Roosevelt Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.
“Prices have been so much higher than operating costs over the last decade that these companies could just absorb higher operating costs,” Roosevelt Institute labor expert Alí Bustamante, a co-author of the analysis, told CBS MoneyWatch. “This is about raising the floor and making sure that $20 being the new minimum wage puts workers on a better economic footing to cover their household needs.”
Prior to the April 1 pay hike, the highest paid fast-food workers in the U.S. were in Washington State, which has a minimum wage of $16.28 per hour.
Some California restaurant owners say that higher labor costs will lead to higher prices for customers, and even curb hiring. One California franchisee told CBS MoneyWatch that while major fast-food chains might be able to absorb such costs, smaller operators will struggle.
“We aren’t these big corporations with deep pockets — we’re not Wall Street, we are Main Street,” said Alex Johnson, who owns 10 franchised restaurants in the San Francisco area, including Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabons locations.
Johnson’s company is subject to the new wage law because the parent franchisors operate more than 60 restaurants across the U.S.
Alex Johnson
Johnson said the wage hike comes at a time when his restaurants are already coping with softer sales, which he attributes to consumers sapped by two years of elevated inflation and the high cost of living in California. To offset the new $20 minimum wage, Johnson expects to increase prices about 10% this year, which he plans to do in two smaller increments.
“You couldn’t think of a worse time to raise prices,” he said.
The typical California restaurant is facing an additional expense of $250,000 annually to cover the April 1 wage hike, according to the Save Local Restaurants coalition, citing data from a McDonald’s owner association. The group represents restaurant owners.
“We know we have to take something at a significant increase when you talk about a 20%-ish increase in wages,” Chipotle Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung said on an earnings call last month about the California law.
Chipotle’s 3,400 locations across the U.S. could see a 1% increase in prices to compensate, he added.
Starbucks told the Los Angeles Times it plans to offset the higher wages by boosting prices, among other measures.
“There isn’t a quick-service restaurant owner in California who can easily shoulder an immediate 25% wage increase for all their employees,” Mike Whatley, vice president of state affairs and grassroots advocacy for the National Restaurant Association, a trade organization for the industry, told CBS MoneyWatch.
He added, “Consumers are starting to see this in menu prices, and employees across the state are starting to feel it, too.”
Some critics of the wage law said the higher costs will lead to layoffs and curb hiring. Already, some Pizza Hut locations in California are planning to cut jobs, according to state labor filings. Pizza Hut didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
Johnson noted that he’s not hiring at the moment and plans to introduce more automation, such as ordering kiosks, to reduce his need for human labor. He’s also thinking about selling his franchise locations in California to focus on restaurants in Nevada, where costs are lower.
“I work really hard to treat employees fairly, but there are consequences to these actions that increase costs — we’re not hiring anymore, and I’m contemplating closing or selling my restaurants,” Johnson added. “It’s a sad time.”
Labor advocates argue the new law will help fast-food workers, who earn an average of $16.60 an hour, or just over $34,000 per year, according to government data. That’s below the poverty line for a family of four in California.
The higher pay is “a transformational step toward an economy that works for all, not just billionaires,” Tia Orr, executive director of the Service Employees International Union California, a labor group that pushed for the law, told the Associated Press.
When Newsom signed the law last year, he dismissed the notion that fast-food jobs are primarily held by teenagers, underscoring that many households depend on the jobs for income. The average age of fast-food workers is about 26, according to Business Insider.
Meanwhile, dozens of states and localities have hiked their minimum wages during the past several years, even as the federal baseline remains at $7.25 an hour — a rate that has remained frozen since 2009. Some economic research has found that higher wages don’t lead to job losses, while having the upside of providing financial security to workers and boosting consumer spending, which stimulates broader economic growth.
California businesses have had to digest multiple wage hikes during the past several years, yet continued to operate, experts point out.
“You’ve experienced minimum wage hikes in California for over 10 years now,” Bustamante said. “You don’t open up a business in California without expecting minimum wage increases.”
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When you’re searching for relief from the discomfort of a cold or the flu, you likely hit up the drugstore’s cold and flu aisle. But at least some people also swing by their local Starbucks for a semi-controversial, cult-favorite drink. Yes, we’re talking about the Starbucks “Medicine Ball,” a soothing tea blend that has garnered a loyal following for its comforting effects.
We’re believers that the best forms of relief come from the most unexpected places, and that anything that offers a glimmer of comfort amidst the discomfort of sickness is worth its weight in gold. The only problem with the Starbucks Medicine Ball drink is that you have to leave your house to get it – and, if you’re drinking it because you’re not feeling well, that means potentially exposing the hard-working baristas to your germs. With that in mind, we pulled together a Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe, to help you recreate the soothing comfort in the safety of your own home.
Firstly, it’s crucial to point out that the Starbucks Medicine Ball does not contain actual medicine. At Starbucks, the drink is officially known as Honey Citrus Mint Tea. The menu states it was a popular customer creation that ended up on the regular menu. The soothing beverage combines Jade Citrus Mint green tea, Peach Tranquility herbal tea (a tea made with sweet peach, pineapple, chamomile blossoms, and lemon verbena), hot water, steamed lemonade, and honey.
This drink does contain a small amount of caffeine, as it is made with a green tea which naturally contains this stimulant. But the overall caffeine level of this drink is relatively low compared to other Starbucks beverages, making it a comforting choice for those looking for a warm, soothing option with a hint of a caffeine pick-me-up.
And while, again, the Starbucks Medicine Ball does not contain any true medicine, some people find that consuming honey helps ease their sore throat somewhat, while mint may help clear congestion temporarily.
To order a Medicine Ball at Starbucks, simply approach the counter and ask for a Honey Citrus Mint Tea, the drink’s official name. If desired, you can customize your tea drink by asking for more or less lemonade and/or honey if you want it sweeter or not-as-sweet.
A word of warning: some baristas aren’t huge fans of the Starbucks Medicine Ball, as evidenced by several Reddit threads like this one. The main complaint seems to be its popularity among sick people, who put baristas’ health at risk by coming into stores in person to order the drink. So keep in mind that if you are sick and contagious, you may not be considered the kindest patron if you’re prancing into a crowded Starbucks store, sniffling and sneezing – potentially exposing other customers to your illness. If you’re sick and you want to enjoy this drink, send a friend to snag one for you, hit up the drive-through (while wearing a mask), or make our Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe at home instead.
Related: Is It Rude to Lie About Being Sick? And 21 Other Illness Etiquette Questions
To recreate the soothing Starbucks Medicine Ball tea at home, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Steps:
If you don’t have access to Teavana teas, you can use other brands of green tea, mint tea, and peach tea to recreate this concoction. And if you don’t have lemonade on hand, a healthy squeeze of lemon juice can do in a pinch, although you may need to increase the amount of water and honey you use to compensate.
Then, sip and enjoy the soothing sensation. Ahhh…
Lauren Manaker is an award-winning registered dietitian and freelance writer who is passionate about providing evidence-based nutrition information in a fun and interesting way.
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Lauren manaker
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Starbucks is pulling the plug on Odyssey, its Web3 rewards program that gave members access to collectible NFTs. The company updated its on Friday to let members know that the beta program is closing on March 31, and they have a little over a week left to complete any remaining activities (called journeys). Those will shut down March 25. Users won’t lose their Stamps (Starbucks’ NFTs), which are hosted on Nifty Gateway, but they’ll have to sign up for Nifty using their Starbucks Rewards email to access them there, if they haven’t already.
Starbucks was late to the NFT game with Odyssey, which launched in beta in late 2022 — well after interest in the digital collectibles peaked. Unlike some other NFT ventures from major brands, though, it seemed to be aiming for more than a quick cash grab. It gamified the rewards system, offering activities and coffee-related mini-games that encouraged members’ ongoing participation.
In a conversation with published just last month, Odyssey community lead Steve Kaczynski emphasized the community element, saying, “I’ve seen that people who live in California in the Starbucks Odyssey community are really good friends with people in Chicago and they have met up in real life at times. This never would have happened if not for Web3.” But it’s 2024, and brands and consumers alike have long since moved on from NFTs. (Naturally, Forum3, which worked with Starbucks on Odyssey, seems to have pivoted to AI).
Starbucks says the Odyssey marketplace, where members could buy and sell their stamps, will move over to the Nifty marketplace. They can also withdraw their Stamps to trade them on other platforms.
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Cheyenne MacDonald
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![[Targeted] Chase Offers/BofA: Save 15% at Starbucks – Doctor Of Credit](https://reportwire.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/starbucks.png)
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Update 2/22/24: Offer is back through 3/5/24. 15% back.
Update 9/5/22: Offer is back through October 20th
Check your Chase Offers or Bank Amerideals for the following offer:
This one just popped for me as a new round – I get this Starbucks offer on my Bank Amerideals regularly. I’ve neglected to post in the past, but I’m sitting comfortably on the couch now and decided to post. It’s an easy $3 savings for Starbucks users. Max this out with $30 in purchases; terms are clear that multiple smaller transactions will continue to earn 10% back until the full $3 max is reached. Update: There is a new Starbucks promo currently as well.
Post history:
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Chuck
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![[CA, NV] Save Mart / Lucky Supermarkets: Buy $100 In Select Giftcards & Get 1,500 Bonus Points (Airbnb, Disney, Southwest, Starbucks & More) – Doctor Of Credit](https://reportwire.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/save-mart.png)
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1,500 store bonus points gets you $15 off future grocery purchases. These are some top brands with can be the equivalent of a 15% discount.
Hat tip to GC Galore
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William Charles
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Bank of America & Starbucks have announced a new partnership.
Will be interesting to see if Bank of America eventually launches a Starbucks cobranded card.
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William Charles
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The announcement that Nintendo Switch Online’s Game Boy Advance range is to receive RPGs Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age is incredibly welcome news. But there are still some absolutely colossal gaps, some all-time great GBA games that we’d love to play on our Switches. Nintendo! Hear our pleas!
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McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said the restaurant chain is seeing a “meaningful business impact” in the Middle East and elsewhere related to the Israel-Hamas war.
In a letter posted to LinkedIn, the executive said Thursday that “misinformation” related to the conflict has affected several of McDonald’s markets across the world. Companies including McDonald’s and Starbucks have faced boycott campaigns from both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel groups over their perceived support for one side or the other following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
“This is disheartening and ill-founded,” Kempczinski said in the letter.
Kempczinski didn’t disclose how much the conflict has hurt sales. McDonald’s is expected to report its earnings later this month, which could reveal more about the effect of the conflict on its operations.
McDonald’s did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch’s request for comment.
McDonald’s came under fire this fall after one of its Israel-based restaurants offered discounts to Israeli military personnel, prompting some customers to boycott the burger joint. Some of the company’s franchises in Pakistan and Indonesia have made donations to aid organizations in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.
More than half of McDonald’s restaurants are located outside the U,S., with many of those restaurants locally operated franchises, according to the company’s data.
Last fall, supporters of Palestine boycotted and vandalized several Starbucks stores, decrying what they characterized as the company’s support for Israel. Around the same time, the coffee chain also drew criticism from pro-Israel groups in the U.S., with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce calling for a boycott after the Starbucks Workers United expressed support for Hamas’ cause.
In a letter to employees last month, Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan expressed concern about the impact of rising tensions over the conflict.
“While I am grateful for so much, I am concerned about the state of the world we live in, ” Narasimhan said. “There are conflicts in many parts. It has unleashed violence against the innocent, hate and weaponized speech and lies — all of which we condemn.”
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P2 has been doing this for about a year and a half (in Texas).
P2 goes to through the drivethru, says that they have their own cup and want to use it. The baristas usually give P2 the discount and stars and then put the drink in a regular cup just like normal.
So there is no expectation to use the reusable cup on the spot.
And even though we have been given this incentive (or discount), we have been going to sbux less and less, because the price of our goto has increased in price 40% since 2020.
…and since help is hard to find since 2020, the workers around us have been terrible, goofin up the orders, taking 20 minutes to make a non-mixed drink, making themselves drinks before customers.
Hard pass.
We put that money into a good espresso maker, and have been as happy as clams.
Only get sbux on long road trips now.
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William Charles
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Starbucks is rolling out a greener beverage option, but it won’t come in the company’s classic green-and-white cups.
Starting Wednesday, drive-thru customers and those who place orders through the coffee chain’s mobile app can bring their own cups, an effort to cut down on waste, the company said Wednesday. The only requirement is that cups must be clean.
“Offering customers more options to use a personal cup when they visit Starbucks marks tangible progress towards the future,” Starbucks Chief Sustainability Officer Michael Kobori said in a statement.
Starbucks said customers should inform employees at their local drive-thru that they have brought their own cup. A barista will then collect the cup at the pickup window using a “contactless vessel” and return the cup with the customer’s beverage of choice in the same way “to ensure hygiene and safety,” according to Starbucks.
Customers can receive a 10 cent discount or 25 Starbucks Rewards Bonus Stars at participating stores each time they fill up using their own cup.
Starbuck, which has long allowed dine-in customers to use their own cups, has said it wants to halve its waste production by 2030.
Until now, Starbucks drive-thrus have served drinks in cups made of paper and plastic, which are difficult to recycle, according to the company. An estimated 50 billion cups in the U.S. end up in landfills every year, while less than 1% of domestic paper recycling mills can process plastic-coated cups, according to chemical manufacturer BASF.
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