On campus, you will often find students inside of the Joe Crowley Student Union (JCSU) or the Knowledge Center. Both locations offer popular study spots and the JCSU has the most food locations on campus. However, the only place to get a good cup of coffee on campus is at the Starbucks in the JCSU, and frankly it’s not even that good.
Starbucks is a staple in almost every city, the thousands of mugs and tumblers people collect are a testament to that, however,the quality of consistent products aren’t rated as highly as several locally-owned coffee spots.
According to Yelp, the Starbucks on Keystone and West 5th Street have a 3.2 and a 3.6 star rating, respectively, whereas Buzzed coffee, a local coffee shop near campus, has a 4.6 star rating. The Starbucks in the JCSU does not have a Yelp page.
Starbucks has also been a hot news topic, regarding a frenzy surrounding its exclusive merchandise. The campus Starbucks only received 2 of the viral bear cups on November 6th, which sold out before they were even able to open all of the doors.
Nationally, Starbucks has also faced controversy from its employees. APNews.com shared that 30 additional stores had joined the Starbucks Workers United string that started on November 13, the company’s annual Red Cup day which has run since 2018.
There were 95 stores in 65 cities that joined the strike for better contracts in that same month. According to The Guardian, workers were shrinking over stalled contract negotiations and unfair labor practices. They were hoping for overall better pay, more reasonable hours and adequate staffing. This was likely a result of the hundreds of unfair labor practice charges filed against the company.
According to the New York Times, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, announced a $38.9 million settlement with Starbucks over violations of New York City’s law guaranteeing fair working conditions. In the suit, it was stated that the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection found Starbucks to be in violation of the law over a half a million times since 2021.
UNR has supported efforts by urging a separation from Starbucks. According to KOLOTV News, UNR has joined students across the country in opposition to the chain’s unfair worker contracts. UNR students are also voicing opposition to staffing, hours and advocating for job protection.
The coffee giant also isn’t friendly to a wallet with a typical college student’s budget. College kids should not have to pay $6 for a coffee, and that’s not even the most expensive drink they offer, yet we still pay for it as there is nowhere else to go that is close to the majority of people on campus
In search of another option, students may stop by Buzzed Coffee, but that’s only if they happen to walk past it or live near the bottom of campus. Peet’s coffee, with locations in the Pennington Student Achievement Center (PSAC) and inside of the Overlook, is also a great option but is still not as centrally located as the campus’ Starbucks.
When it comes down to the coffee itself, Starbucks and Peet’s have two very different flavors and styles of coffee that makes comparing them difficult. According to Coffee Geek, Peet’s specializes in dark roasts which are stronger in flavor, whereas Starbucks offers a lighter roast that’s easier to customize.
Some people also prefer smaller local coffee shops because they offer a unique and personal experience along with superior coffee quality. Local shops will often have unique blends of coffee offering a distinct flavor that is specialized for their establishment. Starbucks has a standardized bean across all locations which limits variety in taste and freshness.
Despite better coffee shops existing, Starbucks is where the students are on campus. Many students live off-campus, so one of the first places commuters pass when walking to class is the campus Starbucks.
Starbucks is not only good for coffee and small bites, though, it’s also a place many students choose to study. According to a Medium article, “The Coffee Shop Effect” is a phenomenon proving that working in coffee shops makes people more creative. For example, JK Rowling wrote her first Harry Potter novel in a coffee shop.
In an article from JSTOR, the authors explore the effects of ambient noise and how it affects creativity and found that productivity increases when there is a certain amount of sound in the background. The Starbucks on campus is no different with chatter, music playing and the coffee shop buzz that is well known.
Coffee isn’t a need for everyone, but it is a big staple for many college students. Even if you don’t love coffee, Starbucks offers other caffeinated beverages that sleep-deprived college students might need; This summer, Starbucks even launched energy drinks.
Coffee blog Corner Coffee Store gathered statistics about college students and coffee consumption, finding that 92% of students consume caffeine.They also found that 26% of students study in coffee shops at least once a week, supporting that coffee shops are preferred spots for studying.
Students seeking a coffee fix on a budget could buy their own coffee maker, if they can afford one, or can join programs like the Panera Sip club. If you’re not a coffee person, but you still spend $6 a day on a Starbucks refresher or tea, you can always go to the Wolf Shop next door, and buy yourself an energy drink, iced tea or even a Starbucks bottled coffee.
Beyond personal budget choices, the community at UNR deserves more than just a convenient cup of coffee with a long list of controversies to go with it. The location’s convenience might pull students, faculty and the rest of the campus community into Starbucks, but it doesn’t benefit them financially or benefit the community ethically. Local coffee shops around campus offer better quality and fairer treatment to workers while still providing the benefit of a coffee shop environment to students.
If students were to choose locally sourced coffee instead of large chains, it would show that our campus wants more diverse coffee shop options and is willing to support businesses that are a better fit with the values of students at UNR. If students want better choices for coffee on campus, we can’t keep settling for the “easiest” option.
