How long would you queue for free coffee?
By squaretile
@squaretile (3778)
Singapore
December 9, 2009 8:48pm CST
Recently Starbucks was offering 'free' coffee at all their outlets for 2 hours, 5-7pm on a weekday.
Lots of people went to queue to get it.
However, the point of the promotion was to raise funds for charity. So Starbucks gives you free coffee, you make a freewill donation at the till.
I suppose most people went to queue cos 'free coffee' was too good to miss. some even queued for more than an hour.
but if you followed your conscience and donated money, then it's not really free is it? so you have queued to make a donation? doesn't make sense?
personally i'm not a coffee drinker so i gave the whole thing a miss. if I want to give to charity, i can do so without such gimmicks.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@sandymay16 (1617)
• Philippines
10 Dec 09
I would'nt queue for free coffee even if it's starbucks even if the queue is not too long. I just don't like queueing for coffee. Even if there's a charity going on with the free coffee, I would just donate directly to the charity. I am a coffee drinker but queuein for free coffee is not for me. And starbucks has enough to give to charity I think so giving free coffee once in a while to people is nice but not for something in return.
• China
10 Dec 09
I think I am a person with a quick temper.I consider I will not wait for a free coffee for a long time.It is a waste of time.But if the coffee tastes inviting,maybe I will consider waiting in the queue.
1 person likes this
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
11 Dec 09
sandy, you're right. starbucks earns enough to make an outright donation to charity. they are doing this for the media attention.
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
10 Dec 09
I wont be doing that for sure.. haha =D IT's kinda stupid, and all the more it reflects on how cheap skate ple can be, when it comes to 'free' stuffs?? haha =D
BUt to them, they are just queuing in the name of charity, when in fact, their purpose is for the free coffee, which makes their money more worthwhile.. haha =D
Flag days are meant for charity purpose too, but we dun see ple queuing to donate into those cans right?? lol =D 
1 person likes this
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
11 Dec 09
yeah, in fact we have perfected the side-step when we see those cans.
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@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
10 Dec 09
I agree that we can give to charities without having to fall for these kinds of gimmicks also. People will do just about anything to draw attention to their products and they will raise money for just about any cause too in the meantime.
1 person likes this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
10 Dec 09
I would queue if the queue is short.. Otherwise, I can do without too. At times, I really wonder if these sponsors are really into charity. Why not just give out a voucher so that people can "redeem" it when available. Why make people waste time and effort just to get that free coffee, in fact not free if one makes a freewill donation. Perhaps that is call sincerity on the donors' part.
1 person likes this
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
11 Dec 09
but this promo the queue is never short... just a waste of time.
@jaffatealc (2)
• United States
11 Dec 09
I think it is good that people donate some of their earnings, no matter how small, the way I see it is that Starbucks is giving people a free coffee for doing the right thing. some may take advantage of that by not donating, but they will later regret being greedy. it is like those salvation army people outside Walmarts in the winter, you hate they are always there, but you also want to help in some small way.
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
11 Dec 09
yup and they are out again, in our weather it's the heat they suffer not the cold though.
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
22 Dec 09
I am not much of a coffee drinker myself. I guess the only time you can get premium coffee for a token sum for donation from establishments like Starbucks, is at events like the one you mentioned.
I too would have given it a miss. No coffee is that good to make me wanna queue an hour or more for!
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
10 Dec 09
i think i heard of the promotion. i didn't turn up because of several reasons. one is of course i don't like starbucks' coffee. i'm a coffee drinker but i'm not a starbucks person.
another is the one that you mentioned. if i want to give to charity, i'll just give. if i don't want to give to charity, then i don't 'deserve' the coffee. also, the idea of queueing for coffee is incredulous to me. i'd rather spend my time doing something else. in fact, anything else will be better than that. 
@kaylachan (69370)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Dec 09
I don't drink coffee and I'm not sure if I even like it. I do however say the saying rings true "nothing in life is free" though everyone probably wishes there was such a thing as "truely free." But, yeah it was a nice idea for them though. I'm sure enough people actually donated to make the promotion well worth it.
1 person likes this
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
11 Dec 09
I think it would definitely been worth it for starbucks. the raw material cost of a cup of good coffee is sooooooooooooooo little.
