Starbucks in Urbandale

“Typical Starbucks. Not a fan but had gift cards to use and needed a caffeine jolt whilst traversing the tedious stretch of traffic known as I-80. Ordered plain old coffee and it was served lukewarm. Ugh. Tasted like it had sat for hours. The staff did kindly take it back and brewed fresh. This detour took about 15 minutes from standing in line to order to drinkable coffee in hand. Meanwhile, the fancy pants coffee and tea beverages were efficiently served.Lesson learned: Starbucks excels in designer drinks, but it is not worth the time (or money - $3.25 (gasp))for a basic cup of coffee for purists such as myself.Staff helpful for managing gift cards. Not a slam on the staff, it's my impression basic coffee gets short shrift from the chain compared to the multiple ingredient and step menu items.

Parking: This Starbucks is inside of a Target store. Parking can be crazy due to pedestrian traffic. I advise to park in the outskirts of the lot and pull through, walk a few extra steps to the store and save yourself some traffic grief. Your heart will thank you.“

“Starbucks is mainly known for its excellent, if pricey coffee. Service is generally not very efficient and much matter-of-fact, not friendly.

Parking: There is just one strip of parking and exiting that is directly into the drive-in way to the ordering window. I had a near collision with someone exiting from a parking spot - only my passenger’s shouting prevented this.

Kid-friendliness: There is no entertainment for kids. There are some menu items suitable for kids. Not really attractive to kids and too pricey.“