Starbucks is Starbucks, but this is Starbucks in the Square. Take it or leave it.
Not everyone is open minded enough to be able to understand or handle living and/or shopping in a dense urban environment. Me, well I can't get enough. So please keep in mind that in any city, and any densely populated urban environment, in front of ANY store or establishment you are going to have homeless people, "crazy people", and panhandlers.
So if you choose to hit up the Starbucks on First and Yessler please keep that in mind and understand that Starbucks did not make them homeless and it is NOT a problem with this store.
The staff inside is attentive if not a little pre-occupied a lot of the time. They have a lot to deal with considering they have to handle orders, please customers and wrangle the homeless trying to get into the bathrooms.
Overall quality of the food and drinks is very good as it is all very typical Starbucks fare. As for the experience, it is what you make it. If you walk around downtown with an open mind, then you will never notice or care that there are homeless guys outside. I think the fact that Starbucks even is nice enough to let them have a seat every now and then is very kind. It isn't common because there are clearly marked signs that state seating is for customers only, but they do allow them sometimes.
And hey if you don't like it, there is a Tully's right across the street.
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