About a week ago I decided I needed a pain au chocolat with enough urgency to give the new Starbucks pastry line a try.  The marketing campaign certainly made these food products seem delightful, and packaging made them look even better.  Why not? 

Here’s why not: 

The marketing promise is not authentic for several reasons– 

1. Customer Service: The team at Starbucks is not well-trained and unable to describe the French menu. I asked for a pain au chocolat but the team member didn’t know what that was, she only understood chocolate croissant; that should have been my first clue

2. Food Preparation: I received a scalding hot ‘chocolate croissant’. 

3. Attitude, Attitude: When I asked for a different 'chocolate croissant’ because mine was way too hot, I was told that all pastries come hot now.  I explained that mine was much too hot and that traditionally, bakeries in France (and authentic French bakeries in the U.S.) do not reheat pastry because it ruins the layers in the dough. I got the skunk eye and roll.

4. Quality of Experience: I ate my not-scalding-hot 'chocolate croissant’.  It was bad. The pastry dough was clearly old, likely frozen for too long, and just not at all airy like a good croissant should be. 

Bottom line: Despite all the hype, Starbucks does not serve good food.  It serves nasty reheated pastries with attitude at high prices. I’ll save my money for great food. 

(Source: marketwellnow.com)