Starbucks

I now have a new appreciation for Starbucks. I was never a huge fan of Starbucks coffee and I always considered it as my emergency coffee break spot when I can’t find anything else. I used to even feel appalled by their global domination particularly when they started invading Europe to threaten their highly treasured coffee culture. However, my opinionated prejudice against Starbucks was completely shattered overnight after my dreadful search for free wifi in a town where the term «free» only exists in the dictionary. Thanks to their BT Openzone wifi, I was able to rebook my flight out of London after being stranded for a few days due to the snow storm. It is virtually impossible to find any free wifi in London and without Starbucks I’d probably be stuck in London for another week.
Once you pay 2 quids for their wi-​fi access initial fee, you’ll have access to all the Starbucks wi-​fi in the UK. This was so worth it, it literally saved me from hell!!! Without their wifi I’d be spending additional few hundred dollars making many international phone calls to rebook my flights and getting in touch with friends and family. I’ve literally spent at least 3,4 hours everyday at Starbucks for 5 days calling travel agents, airline companies, etc. Using their wi-​fi, I made the full use of Skype, emails, Internet search, PingChat, and other social networks to get help from friends around the world. This chain is less crowded and has better wi-​fi connection that the Starbucks on Oxford St near Selfridges.
In UK, all the Starbucks have different prices for stay and for take away. I didn’t mind paying extra to dine in because I knew I’m gonna be there for a while. The only downside is that you might feel very uncomfortable if you are a female and alone, because the majority of the customers are Middle Eastern men and they will stare at you unhesitatingly and start bothering you unless you tell them off. I was not in the mood to tolerate annoying flirtations, I had more than enough stress to deal with!!!
Anyways, my disasterous experience in London had altered my perspective on Starbucks brand 180 degrees. It was laughable how I got so excited to see a Starbucks every time I passed by one during my stay in London, mentally I was equating Starbucks as free wi-​fi, and my chance to get out of London. 3 stars for the coffee, and 5 stars for the wi-​fi!!!

Continuing their global expansion of the caffeine market, this Starbucks is in a very nice location two blocks from Marble Arch. It’s on a very busy street and the tables out front can usually be seen filled by smokers. Sadly, the chairs are right next to the door, so some smoke carries into the restaurant.
Easy to access BT Openzone wifi and plentiful power outlets. The tables and chairs and everything else (coffee and pastries and sandwiches) are the same as any other Starbucks in the UK.