We Ordered a Beer Latte via Starbucks' New Delivery System Because WTFN
During a groggy, slow-to-start morning at the Beijinger office, with most of us still reeling from the closure of our only nearby coffee outlet, the news of Starbucks’ delivery service via their app was probably met with more excitement than warranted. My hankering for caffeine was bolstered by a curiosity of how efficient the process would be given the many reports of how the once dominant Seattle coffee giant has been struggling here as of late thanks to an influx of savvy, delivery-ready local competitors.
After successfully navigating the app and ordering a round of java for my nearest and dearest, I can happily to say that the experience was positive overall, aside from a few minor quibbles. First off, the app is incredibly user-friendly. After the download, simply input your email, make a username and password, and provide your delivery information. It also sports a thoroughly bilingual interface, making it a breeze for the Mandarin-illiterate among us to use.
From there you're directed to the delivery menu, where my eyes were quickly drawn past lame lattes and Americanos, straight to the brand's new beer-flavored latte (perhaps taking a cue from Pacific Coffee's baijiu variety). Sadly, don't get too excited: it's clearly labeled as beer-flavored only (i.e. booze-free), though it purports to evoke malts and butterbeer.
The best part of the experience was how quickly our order arrived: in a speedy 18 minutes. Arguably, there are a few of Starbucks’ branches within a couple of kilometers of our office, but that promptness was nevertheless laudable. Despite having the exact address, the deliveryman nevertheless called to check where I was, which may cause a small hiccup for any foreigners with zilch Mandarin skills.
There's a 3 kuai delivery fee per cup, which is a decent rate. Even better, there’s no packaging fee. And for those of you striving to go zero waste or at least cut down on cardboard and plastic – of whom there’s a growing number these days – you’ll be happy to note that the junk only amounted to our cups and cardboard trays to hold each, although the order did arrive in two bags when it easily could have been one.
As for the beer latte: it was certainly more fragrant than I had expected. One colleague equated the smell to leftover beer from the night prior, while I quietly lamented the beer breath I was sure to be left with as I made my way through the workday, without any of woozy benefits that come with day drinking. Thankfully, it tastes much better than it smells, and once your befuddled palate processes the contrast of warm foamy coffee with a boozy aftertaste (more Belgian blanc sweet than the hoppy malty quality described on the app’s menu), it actually amounts to pretty tasty brew, though perhaps only to the point of being a fun novelty for curious foodies.
Together, the speedy delivery time, the straightforward usability of the app, reasonable delivery fee, and the fun novelty of the new beer brew all made for a decent experience with Starbucks' new app. Whether or not this will help the monolith barista knock its spunky new rival Luckin down a peg or two remains to be seen, but the success of this new service is likely to give the java giant a fresh competitive edge.
Perk up with the Beijinger's complete coverage of the capital's café scene here.
Photos: Joey Guo, courtesy of Starbucks
