Starbucks New Schedule Wreaks Havoc Among SHS Students

Starbucks has become an integral part of many SHS students’ daily routines. The iconic coffee company’s drinks and pastries have led many students, including myself, to consider themselves on the verge of addiction. Unfortunately, this habit has caused extreme damage to many wallets, with their spectacular flavors promoting a priority of daily coffee over stable bank accounts.

A devotion to Starbucks Coffee is mirrored by many others in the Scituate community. On any given school day, one can see students carrying their mobile orders, drive-thru pickups, or in-person coffee purchases around campus.

Their pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin cream cold brews propelled many through fall, making the long school days bearable. This past holiday season, Starbucks launched their holiday cups and infamous holiday drinks and pastries, sparking excitement and holiday spirit within the Starbucks connoisseurs of SHS. The new Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte and the Reindeer Cakepops, to name a few, brought joy to the after-school experience and encouraged an early shift to the winter mindset. 

The recent surge in obsession for Starbucks has raised concern for many students. The store has been experiencing overwhelming rushes and simply doesn’t have enough staff to deal with the massive increase of customers. As a result, the Cohasset Starbucks will close 4 ½ hours earlier than usual, at 2:00 PM rather than 6:30 PM on both Wednesdays and Thursdays–before the after-school rush. 

Additionally, the convenient mobile order feature, which allows you to pre-order your customized beverages, is now often shut off during key rush periods. For students, this means long drive-thru lines and wait times, making it difficult to obtain orders and arrive at school on time in the mornings. Many students appear frustrated and saddened by the inconvenience, and some may even resort to going to Dunkin Donuts before class. 

Although the changes are disappointing, as a regular Starbucks consumer, I admire the Starbucks workers and baristas. Managing three different ordering methods and making complex and unique drinks for each individual customer is no easy task. Though I hope for a return to familiar practices and swift Starbucks’ experiences, I would be remiss not to appreciate the stability these disruptions have brought to my bank account. In the meantime, I will continue patronizing Starbucks whenever possible and will make up for the lost coffee with a homemade brew.