Starbucks Coffee

This is a good start, but I really think we need to offer FREE wi-fi.  Whether you buy something or not, registered card member or not.  Any person off the street should be able to come in, sit down, and get online.  People are constantly leaving our store in frustration and going to Panera Bread Co. across the street where they have "true" wi-fi.

Thanks.

You have to have completely free wi-fi now days.  Period, end of story.

Anything short of free and simple wi-fi access  is an insult to consumers and we'll vote with our modems and wallets to go across the street to Panera.

The two Starbucks I go to regularly; Viera, FL and Rockledge, FL are within a half mile of MacDonalds stores that have  free WiFi.  Folks will go there rather than Starbucks, it is that simple.

This is such a great Idea, however there are so many local competing businesses in my store's area that do have 100% free WIFI, and that's where many of my customers go. When you tell a customer about "All you need to do, is buy a card, load money on it, go SOMEPLACE ELSE, register your card, Come back, and THEN you have free WIFI for 2 hours at a time, and hopefully it works the first time.

It just needs to be Free WIFI.

I agree with everyone with the completely FREE WIFI.

I am currently a college student who loves studying at coffee shops.  There is a Starbucks 3 minutes away from my house, but, unfortunately, I cannot go there to study because there is no free WIFI so I would have to drive to the nearest Panera Bread or Coffee Bean to study.  I love the drinks at Starbucks and would love to stay there to study, but having no unlimited Free WIFI kills me.  

The idea of the registered card member is a good start, but I think it's inconvenient for a lot of people.  Getting unlimited, free WIFI is the best way to go!

$tarbucks, This is one area that you are way behind the times..... unconditional free wi-fi is virtually everywhere except $tarbucks.... why make your customers jump through hoops to get what everybody else is giving away?

There's only one Starbucks store that I've ever studied in for a long period of time. I got free wifi there because there was a TULLY'S ACROSS THE STREET!

I'd imagine WIFI is a loss leader for Panera.  Very smart:-)

Let's see...I have an AT&T mobile Blackberry for work, an AT&T iPhone 3G for personal stuff and an AT&T 3G wireless modem for when I need to work and can't find civilization (aka a WiFi network).  Here is the mystery: why don't I get free AT&T WiFi in Starbucks?  If you insist on doing the two-hour rationing thing, why not re-set the timer with every purchase?  I can't really work in Starbucks because I'm concerned I'll lose my WiFi access before I'm finished...As a result, you're losing more and more business from me.

Kevin,

Surely we can do better as a company when it comes to offering wi-fi to our customers.  Since the launch of the 2-hours free with a registered Starbucks Card, countless customers (myself included) need assistance with this "simple" procedure that takes up to half an hour, or sweep up all of their belongings with their laptop and run out the door.  Our wi-fi access is cumbersome, inconvenient, and "free" with a catch.   Many people I talk to would love to go to Starbucks with their laptop, but end up going to the local mom & pop cafes, other chain restaurants, and - heck - any other public building in town where the wi-fi is free and unlimited.  Starbucks really needs to catch up with the times on this one.

kevin.

this is whats wrong with starbucks. YOU DONT LISTEN. free doesnt mean two hours if you register a card. it doesnt mean purchasing something, it means free. stop perverting our ideas buy trying to find ways to profit from them. i go to cafe vita, the reef, batdorf and bronson, budd bay cafe and many more cafes for the free wifi. its too bad too, because starbucks is my favorite place to drink coffee.

When I can go to several, as in dozens of other coffee shops, restaurants, clubs and other businesses in my local community and log on to wi-fi for free, why is Starbucks still charging for a service that for the most part cost Starbucks nearly nothing to provide?

I 'uesd to" go to Starbucks several times a week in my job as sales in lieu of going to the office. Now I go to Panera. All of the comments before mine explain the reason why. 'nuff said!

Do you really only get two hours?  How disappointing - I would like to get a starbucks everyday, since I work from home, but I usually end up at Panera or Caribou, since the internet is free.  I am sure that I am not the only one doing this!

I have concluded that the Starbucks management would rather bankrupt the company than EVER offer truly free, no-cumbersome-hoops-to-jump-through Wifi. How is it that free Wifi works for fine for Panera's, Caribou Coffee, etc., even many McDonalds and Wendy's, with none of the problems Starbucks so fearfully envisions? Starbucks management should ask themselves: Why are we so corporately moribund that we cannot keep up with our competitors in the latest trends? Why are we no longer a trendsetter, but way behind the cultural curve? Until they address THAT issue the company is doomed to a slow death.

I don't use WiFi but sympathize with people who do.