Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate: Crack in a paper cup

[Missy Vixen]

I heard Starbucks had a new product, so I sent my husband out to get me one earlier. (He's very understanding, especially when he heard it was chocolate. Chocolate tends to soothe the cranky wife.)

This is the most delicious thing I have had in my mouth that I can ever remember. It's dense, it's silky, it's absolutely addictive. Yes, I have checked the calorie count. This will be something I can maybe have once a week. The "tall" is almost 500 calories, for instance.

Have you tried this yet? Yes, I realize that Starbucks is a soulless corporate monolith and I should feel deep shame, but I'm helpless in the face of four different kinds of chocolate, caramel, and a pinch of sea salt...

Julie

[Iggo]

1. Is there any speed in it?

I only drink speedy drinks from Starbucks.

[Kool Kitty]

2. Dammit-I want one of those NOW.

[Dangerously Amused]

3. Did you try the Chantico when they still had it?

I wanted to try it after hearing some chocoholics rave about it, but they discontinued it right before I got there.

:(

[Kool Kitty]

5. I did. It was fabulous.

Like drinking chocolate silk.

[Dangerously Amused]

7. Now I am officially jealous.

Oh, what ecstasy was nearly mine. :cry:

[Shakespeare]

10. I still can't believe they discontinued it. It was orgasmically good.

I'll give the new hot chocolate a try this week.

[yellowdogintexas]

22. Chantico was a trip into another dimension. Like a Pot de Creme, just thinner

my Dark chocolate Jello pudding suddenly doesn't seem as tempting.

[kedrys]

8. Chantico was the only chocolate substance I've ever tried

that I thought was actually too much chocolate. And this is from a lifelong choco fiend.

[Dangerously Amused]

17. "Too much chocolate?"

The hell you say!

Blasphemy!



O, the hole 'ere mine heart that only Chantico could fill. :cry:

[kedrys]

28. Yeah, I know.

The first time I tried it, I thought it was the nectar of the gods. After buying it a few more times, I'd had enough.

I saw yesterday they have the hot chocolate up here, though... :)

[Manifestor_of_Light]

37. There is such a thing as too much chocolate.

Most chocolate recipes have too much chocolate for the amount of sugar. This makes it bitter.

I usually make recipes with one-half or one-third as much chocolate as it calls for.

This makes it sweeter and it has plenty of chocolate.

[Missy Vixen]

18. I never had Chantico

I'm telling you, though, this is the best stuff ever. It's going to be all I can do to stay away, because it's Calorie Hell.

Everyone else should enjoy it and think of me. :woohoo:

Julie

[seemunkee]

20. Loved it

It was like drinking chocolate pudding before it cooled down

[Godhumor]

4. Haven't heard of it, but now I have to try it

There's a few local dessert cafes that have started serving real drinking chocolate, and I love that.

[harmonicon]

6. how much do they pay you?

This is some of the better viral marketing that I've seen.

[Chan790]

11. Interesting...

I say that because we (partners at the store level) have been begging them to dump assets into advertising it and making it the big featured item instead of the PSL. Everybody knows about the Pumpkin Spice Latte...I don't really think it needs to be advertised.

Now if we could just get them to listen to us about cutting some of the chaff from the beverage menu. I could not be happier than if they eliminated the +Energy, +Protein and Matcha supplements, killed the "Doubleshot" over ice and maybe the Vivanno.

We stopped being great when we stopped selling only coffee, tea, pastries, and a small number of exceptional specialty beverages. We're not losing anywhere near as much money from declining sales as we are from terrible overhead. I want a simple one-board menu. <20 items.

Edit: Preemptive answer to the "How much do they pay you?" question...I make $9.50/hr. plus tips. I'm one of the best baristi in the entire company though.

[Shakespeare]

12. Honestly, I wish they'd promote the Vivanno MORE.

The banana-chocolate is really, really good, and low in calories, carbs and high in protein--it's one of my favorite things they sell now. I get "here, try one on us" cards in the mail all the time from Starbucks, and never would have tried the Vivanno if I hadn't had the freebie. Now I usually get at least a couple a week (we have one in the sub-lobby of our office building), but I see almost no advertising for it. :shrug:

I also wish they'd bring back the blue note blend, which was one of the few coffees I'd actually buy by the bag from Starbucks (my home coffee usually comes from Trader Joe's).

[Chan790]

13. I think it's regional appeal...

which is something else I've argued until I was blue in the face. We should have a regionalized menu. Things which sell well in New England, NYC, FL, DC or CA do not sell well elsewhere. We already do it for pastries, retail and sandwiches; we should do it for beverages too. Vivanno isn't selling here. Chantico sold like it was made of gold here and nowhere else. I get more requests for Sorbetto than you'd ever imagine...people really want ice cream in the cold CT fall. :shrug:

re: Blue Note. Fill out a comment card. We hear these sorts of things a lot in the stores but when I complain to the office monkeys...they say they don't get that many comments about it either on cards or through the customer service number. It seems that customer feedback is mostly the vocally-happy (people who write to say how much they like House Blend because it's bland) and rarely the quiet but unhappy (I get more people saying in-store they want Valencia, Coconut and Almond syrups back than have ever written that on a comment card.)

[Shakespeare]

16. I think that's a very smart idea (about the regional menu).

I'll look for a comment card RE the Blue Note (they also offered really, really good compilation CDs under the Blue Note label to go with, and I think I have every one they ever issued).

I didn't realize they'd discontinued the almond syrup--I've been on a sugar free vanilla kick for awhile, but I loved getting an almond latte. x(

[Left Is Write]

25. I'm so into the pumpkin spice latte that I know it comes back every year on September 1...

If I'm not mistaken, the egg nog latte comes back on November 1.

:D

[Kool Kitty]

26. OOOH, yum.

And don't forget the peppermint mocha. I love their fall and winter drinks.

[Chan790]

29. Actually...they've been getting earlier.

Both launches have gotten earlier every year since I started. PSL launch was Aug. 23rd this year. We were joking that if they got any earlier they'd have to use pumpkins from last year to make the syrup. My first year eggnog was launched the first Monday after Halloween, then it was Nov. 1...we're hoping they don't start launching before Halloween because that would mean we'd be launching Christmas beverages and Christmas Blend before the middle of November.

I'm not ready for Christmas yet.

[Left Is Write]

34. They rolled 'em out here on September 1 as usual.

I love the eggnog lattes, but I don't want them any earlier than November.

[Missy Vixen]

19. They don't pay me a thing

I live in the Seattle area. I'm a native. I thought it was delicious, so I said something.

Julie

[YDogg]

9. I'm slow. I was trying to figure out whether you spilled it bc of the crack in the paper cup.

:shrug:

[harmonicon]

15. it's just that thick and delicious

it is so thick, that the crack in the paper cup would have had to have been a bullet hole for any of this Starbucks (tm) elixer of the gods to escape.

[prole_for_peace]

21. That was my first thought also

I was all "Damn cracked cup" and then I was all "Ohhhh I get it"

[SmokingJacket]

14. I don't like sweet drinks...

Makes life simpler! ;)

[Kat45]

23. Is the product called "Signature Hot Chocolate"?

I remember having hot chocolate at Starbucks a couple of years ago and it wasn't that great, so if I check this out I want to make sure I'm getting the right beverage. 500 calories? Well, I'm such a chocoholic, maybe I can try it once.

[UndertheOcean]

24. what sort of crack ?

[BreweryYardRat]

27. Tried it on your recommendation...

...maybe I just have an unrefined palate, but I didn't think it was that much of a step above their usual brand. Good, but not spectacular.

Did you get the regular like me, or the salted caramel version?

[Chan790]

31. try the salted caramel...

it's to die for. I've had to limit myself to one short a day because it's like 500 calories for a grande.

The Hazelnut is good too, but it's not as good as the SCSHC. The damned stuff is ruining my diet. The five pounds I lost in September...all back and it's been a week. I don't want to break out the fat pants.

[Missy Vixen]

33. I had salted caramel

It was delicious. I want another one, but I'm going to have to wait. ;-)

Julie

[LostinVA]

30. I was eying the salted caramel hot chocolate one yesterday

I may have to treat myself this next weekend.

[lizziegrace]

32. Which flavor did you try?

Lelapin and I are meeting Venus Rising for coffee either today or tomorrow and it's definitely Starbucks. :)

[TommyO]

35. Now that I've had one, I can weigh in.

I went out today for lunch, and tried a tall Signature Hot Chocolate, with whipped cream. I enjoyed it quite a bit, it is very close to what I make at home using a good cocoa, and it's convenient, if a bit pricey ($3.29 with tax). I'll definitely be getting it again, though it won't be a frequent treat with 420 calories and 24 grams of fat.

[SOteric]

36. OMFG, the Signature Hazelnut Hot Chocolate!!!

Liquid Gianduia in a paper cup.