Which Campus Starbucks is Better?

Thoughts from a former barista

As busy college students most of us can’t survive without our daily dose of caffeine. Plenty of us flock to the cafés on campus to grab a quick coffee in between classes or study sessions. As a former Starbucks barista, I naturally gravitate to both locations on campus to get the drinks I know and love. But I’ve found that the Hancock Brew has much better service, drinks and overall atmosphere compared to the Library Brew.

It’s important to note that although both cafés on campus sport the Starbucks logo, they aren’t real Starbucks locations. They offer most of the drinks a regular Starbucks would, but they don’t always have seasonal or promotional drinks, and you can’t use Starbucks gift cards. Many of their ingredients, such as the flavored syrups, are different brands; they’re not the same kinds you would find in the Starbucks across the street from campus.

I try not to be overly critical about how my coffee gets made, but after being behind the counter for over a year, it’s hard not to be, when I see drinks being prepared incorrectly. Some of my issues are a bit particular to being a barista, like getting lattes filled with too much foam or watching the syrup get pumped into drinks out of sequence. I think everyone can agree that it’s frustrating when your 4 dollar drink doesn’t get filled up all the way.

Some of the practices at the Library Brew go beyond annoying and raise actual health concerns. I’ve witnessed things happen that would never pass in a regular Starbucks as far as food safety is concerned. Leaving milk out on the counter all day as opposed to putting it back in the fridge between uses is a serious no-go for a coffee shop. 

I’ve also seen employees mix different kinds of milk without checking in with the customer first, simply because the first carton ran out. They also pour espresso into a disposable cup and reuse it for several drinks. This is both wasteful and unsafe since the cup can’t be sanitized to prevent cross contamination from different kinds of espresso.

I’ve never complained about the quality of my coffee from the Hancock Brew. Even though it’s not the same as my Starbucks at home, the drinks come out great, and the employees serve them with a smile. The workers in Hancock always greet me warmly and I’ve heard them call other students by name. The atmosphere is welcoming and cozy, similar to a cute little coffee shop.

The Hancock Brew seems to have more options for food as well. They offer soups, salads, wraps and other goodies. Both shops have a decent selection of baked goods that can be paired with a cup of tea or coffee. I like to think I know coffee pretty well after all the time I’ve spent making it. The next time you’re trying to decide where to grab your afternoon pick-me-up, take my advice and head to Hancock.