New at Starbucks: DIY Iced Coffee

I will admit, the coffee we buy at our grocery store is of the Starbucks brand. Ethics and morals put aside, we like the taste of it. Which reminds me, we should switch our brand. Then again, Starbucks might be a good guy, and I just haven't done my research. But that's not the point of this story.

The point is that with the purchase of each bag, you receive a free tall (which, for any of you not familiar with Starbucks terms, is actually the small), brewed coffee in exchange. All you do is take the bag in, and you get a coffee in return.  It says so, printed on the bag. So we took two of these bags to the nearest Starbucks to redeem our prize.

It was about 95 degrees outside, and we were on our way to Luckenbach, about an hour and a half from Austin, without AC in the car. And I wanted iced coffee.  I realize perhaps I am out of tune with barista technology, but at home, when I want iced coffee, I simply pour out of the hot coffeepot into a glass filled with ice.

When I ordered the iced coffee at Starbucks, however, they told me they couldn't give me an iced coffee - the bag was only redeemable for a hot coffee. (Which is not true - it does not specify hot or cold on the bag.) Regardless of my convictions, I felt I'd be cooperative and comply with their policy.

Then, I asked, "How much is a cup of ice?"

"We don't charge for that," they replied. "We'll give you a cup of ice, no problem!"

So I took my hot brewed coffee, took the lid off, and poured it into the ice-filled cup they gave me for free.

I ended up throwing away about two ounces of coffee, plus the cup, lid, and cardboard sheath that were only in service for a minute.

I wonder, why, they could not have just poured the hot coffee into the cup with ice, to begin with?

DIY Iced Coffee! New at Starbucks. Low in calories, just the way you want it.