After getting through security many, see the big Starbucks sign and get excited. “Breakfast sandwich for Haily”, and ”Mocha for Samatha” are all one hears eagerly waiting for their food/drink. All the impatient parents wonder why they are waiting in line just to get overpriced drinks and food. 

If one gets to the airport shortly before their flight boards, skipping Starbucks for the day is highly recommended since there is a good chance your order will not be ready in time. If you still really want Starbucks, “try to order simpler drinks -– like a brewed coffee -– or at the very least something straight off the menu” (Beach). Not only will you save money getting an easier drink, but you will also have to wait less time. The abundance of options on the board are the ones that will take longer and cost more. Starbucks makes their boards appealing so you want to order those drinks without realizing they are more costly and result in a longer wait time.

The wait is worth it. Getting your favorite drink after waiting in line pays off. The delicious food that makes you want to get more and the drinks that either wake you up or cool you down. If you are traveling later in the day, getting Starbucks before you go to the airport is recommended. Though you can’t enjoy it on the plane, you will save your wait time.  According to a Medium post, “the average Starbucks wait time inside of a store is “around 4.5 minutes,”(Alban) with the article's author claiming they've never waited for their drink longer than 5 minutes in the store.” That is a drastic difference to the minimum 30-minute wait at the airport. When flying during spring break it is already the busiest time so allow extra time to wait. 

No matter where, you are always assured the same customer service. The energetic, smiling people will always be there to make your food and drinks. All these people have to figure out what to do with wasted food. This is a big concern for some, but “Driven by this concern, Starbucks teamed up with Feeding America in 2016 to develop the FoodShare program to donate all unsold food available to donate from stores to local Feeding America food banks and agencies. Five years later, we are donating unsold food from 100% of our U.S. company-owned Starbucks stores.” This assures people that food isn’t going in the trash, but rather to people who are in need. 

The wait in Starbucks may seem dreadful, but the consistency of their products keeps people coming back day in and day out.