Costs vary from Dillard College of Business Adminstration and local licensed Starbucks
Siren, the infamous twin-tailed mermaid logo commonly seen on coffee cups and other gourmet beverages, came in to play when Starbucks was established in 1971. Now on a college campus, it’s rare to find a student strolling to class without one of these drinks in hand.
According Michael Clifton, director of dining services, Starbucks has been a part of Midwestern State for more than 12 years. It was first located in Clark Student Center in 1999 before moving to its current location in Dillard College of Business Administration.
“It’s in Dillard because it was a space provided in the reconstruction,” Clifton said.
The campus location of Starbucks is known as a “we proudly brew Starbucks” location, meaning the shop is not a fully licensed Starbucks coffee house. This disclaimer limits the menu options offered. One specific item this location does not carry is the Frappuccino, but it does carry a comparable item called a frappe.
“We’re not able to offer everything in a store like the one on Kemp and Kell does. It’s a more limited service. Starbucks dictates some of our pricing,” Clifton said.
Retail manager at the campus location Farid Chishty said the shop receives between 40 to 50 customers a day. According to Chishty, the five most popular drinks purchased by college students are the café mocha, caramel macchiato, white chocolate mocha, cinnamon dolce latte and the frappe. Prices vary from this location compared to a licensed retailer.
The Starbucks on Kemp and Kell is a fully licensed Starbucks café. This location receives around 100 to 150 students per day. Assistant Manager LaDonna Walker said licensed Starbucks must follow a strict recipe for each drink made unlike locations that are unlicensed.
“We’re held up to standards. (Unlicensed retailers) are not,” Walker said.
Such places may brew Starbucks brand name coffee, but the ingredients involved in the drink may vary from the original.
“We have to make Starbucks drinks,” Walker said.
Frappes offered at the Dillard Starbucks are strictly coffee and milk whereas the Frappuccino is a base mix. These drinks varied in price the most.
“The Frappuccino is a base mix that Starbucks has. Our frappe is just milk and coffee blended together,” Clifton said.
Prices vary between licensed and unlicensed Starbucks coffee brewers. The licensed Starbucks locations on Kemp and Kell and the Starbucks in Target share the same prices for each drink. Certain drinks at the coffee shop in Dillard are priced higher.
“We’re corporate owned. They don’t have to charge the same price as a licensed store,” Walker said.
Although the prices vary from each location, the cost difference is minimal. When comparing the most frequently purchased drinks, the largest increase was 40 cents. Prices are monitored regularly at a licensed retailer to ensure a comparable price. Clifton said the type of sale made at the Dillard Starbucks determines the amount of sale commission that returns to the university.
“We have prices that we have to charge from Starbucks. It’s very close,” Clifton said.