If you are not new to my blog, then chances are you know all about the Starbucks Tarts I've been obsessed with for about 6 months- first the Rustic Apple Tart, and more recently, the Peach Apple Tart.
When the Peach Apple Tart nutrition information became available, I posted it here. One of the comments in that blog made me realize the nutrition information couldn't possibly be right- It stated:
120 calories (total)I can't believe that I missed the inconsistency of that information- I know that 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. If the 12 grams of fat are accurate, the FAT CALORIES ALONE are 108- making it impossible for the TOTAL CALORIES to equal 120.
12 grams of fat
I wrote to them that day, and again a week later when I hadn't heard back. Meanwhile, I noticed the nutrition info for that item was no longer on the website.
Well, yesterday, another alert blog reader told me that the nutrition info was back up.
And it wasn't pretty-
The calorie count jumped from 120 to 280! MORE THAN DOUBLE! Bringing this item up from a respectable 3 points to a terrifying 6 POINTS!
Needless to say, I was very upset.
I wrote to them (of course), explaining how - as someone who actually uses the nutrition information- this affected me. I am upset about wasting so many points and calories for 6 months! Not to mention the expense!!! At $3.25, these things are the most expensive bakery item they sell! If I knew it was 6 points, I would have NEVER thrown away so many calories or dollars on them every day! (I no longer even trust the nutritional info of the Apple Tarts, they were likely as many calories as these...)
I also reminded them about NYC's Calorie law and asked them to make it a priority to replace the cards that currently state this item is 120 with new cards that show the 280 calorie count - for other calorie conscious NY'ers. (This is how they look now:)
They called me back to tell me the new info is on the site (duh, I just told them that in the email) and that they would replace the calorie cards in the NYC stores. They apologized, but offered me nothing - even after I told them what a loyal customer I had been for years (having spent over 800 dollars there this year alone!!!). That's an obscene amount of money, I know!
Between this very unfortunate discovery and the fact that they serve that disgusting Pike Place coffee as their default brew now, I've decided that when my current pre-paid card hits zero, I'm done with them.
And so the Starbucks boycott begins.
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27 comments:
Woo-hoo! I will very happily boycott WhoreBucks with you! (Actually, I've just been dying for someone else to join my very own sad, one-woman boycott for a long time. Welcome to the fight!) And don't worry -- I can help you make lovely renditions of these very tarts in your own kitchen for much closer to 120 calories. If you want to start experimenting, I guess we can take the hit for the team on that, right?
The revolution will be partly caffeinated!
wow! this is huge! no more starbucks! how will this affect your routine? where will you get coffee in the morning? anyway, without that hot guy what was the point of going to starbucks anyway?
Ms. Bitchcakes,
Long time reader, first time commenter. Just wanted to tell you that because of your previous posts re: the peachy apple and rustic apple tarts, I eagerly went to Starbucks near Grand Central on my way to work to give them a try. Just this past week, I ate three peachy apple tarts because they were delicious and supposedly only 3 points. Thanks for posting this update. I guess I'll be back to eating my fat free yogurt and All-Bran.
By the way, I love your blog! Congrats on your success with WW. You are my inspiration.
damn! that is quite the typo! and i can't believe they didn't offer you SOMEthing for letting them know just how 'off' they really were... good for you for boycotting because god knows how many other cards have the wrong info... and it's stupid of them to assume people can go online and double-check the nutritional info! :-p
Ugh.. Trader Joes did that recently too... Their Morning Lite cereal magically jumped from 120 calories/serving to 170 calories/serving.. I was none too pleased...
WOW. That is freaking LAME. Seriously lame. I don't blame you one bit for being P.O.'d. Their cavalier attitude is probably the most frustrating part of this debacle.
myself i prefer Brooklyn Label's coffee or Dunkin' Donuts, if buying local. tastier and cheaper.
near my office: amazing coffeecart man by 47-50th BDFV station, who remembers my order every day and wishes me a good weekend every Friday. a king among coffeecarts with coffee that actually tastes good.
That's ridiculous. The suspicious cynic in me wonders if it wasn't a purposeful "error". Good for you for boycotting! I hope you're able to find something that is good and doesn't throw off your schedule.
My cousin is a manager for a starbucks here in RI, and she always warned me that the food was high in calories. I buy lattes or coffee, no food there or even at D&D's. That stinks for 6 months!
There was a great article that hungry girl wrote for the WW website about not trusting Resturants NI. Eye opener.
You forgot to mention your also boycotting/ not going to sbux anymore bc I don't work there these days. Ha
I do miss you, Jarred. But I'll also miss Melanie, Tim, Adam, Tony, etc :( *sniff*
by the way, how would you feel about meeting a hot, blonde, 30 year old librarian friend of mine?
There is a lot of misinformation going around these days. Another WW from WA is suing Applebees for exactly this reason:
http://reason.com/blog/show/127020.html
WOW!!! I've been looking to try those, but none in the area seem to carry them. I too would be pissed to find out the extra points/calories you've been consuming! And they did nothing for you??? Not like them. I know people who complain to them about the littlest things and get at least a gift card.... ((starbucks boycott))
Wow. I wish I read this yesterday before making what I thought was a health-conscious decision. I bought mine in the Starbucks on 34th St between either 5th and Madison or Madison and Park. Guess they haven't updated the signs yet.
Thanks for looking into this. I just came back from the Starbucks at Broadway and 103rd Street in Manhattan. They were out of the lemon loaf slice, so I selected the Apple Peach tart. I couldn't believe it was only 120 calories and would have asked had it not been so busy.
The lemon loaf slice used to be listed as 500 calories. They narrowed the slice and the sign now says 360, maybe 380, I don't remember. I hope that's accurate.
I found your blog after Googling "Starbucks Apple Peach Tart calories."
At least Google still can be relied upon.
HI Ms Bitchcakes . . . The first time I ate one of those Starbucks apple pear tarts, it tasted like real BUTTER in that pastry bottom, and I felt like it had the calories TWO or more desserts.
So when I read the calories and your blog a few weeks ago, I thought they had some terrific mix of Butter Buds and Splenda brown sugar?
But it appears more likely, Starbucks had simply forgotten to tell us that there were TWO and a HALF servings in one tart. Or did they use real butter and sugar so it would taste better? Hmm...
There is the 230 calorie turkey sandwich with artichoke spread . . . but I default to the 90 calorie vanilla biscotti, and a Venti ice-ice water.
Cheers! Lisa, an italian, cowboy bootmaker. www.rexkelly.org.
I *knew* it was too good to be true. I had the same initial reaction as you when I first discovered these tarts about a month ago. But as soon as I tried it I knew it tasted too good (and too greasy) to really only be 120 calories. Needless to say I abstained after the first one. I was just eyeing them today when I stopped in for my daily lunch time biscotti (now wondering if the calorie count is accurate in that as well!). Good thing I decided to research them before I bought another one! To think that the only reason they charge $3.25 for them is BECAUSE of the supposedly low calorie content. What BS - I will be complaining!
Wow, you're a total hottie! Love the vintage barware collection.
You know, it sucks to be misled. I hear you. I'm not joining the boycott 'cause I like my occasional iced Americano (black).
Hope you get good news from corporate!
I might cry. I've been having these for breakfast more often than I'd like to admit (Starbucks is RIGHT NEXT DOOR to my office), and I love the peach apple tarts. While 280 isn't terrible, it isn't compelling.
-Sam
Wow, NYC makes the calories be on display right in front of the food item? That would make things interesting.
White woman, please!!! You can have your tart ... and eat it, too! Just take the shiv out of your Italian-made leather boots -the ones with the spiked stiletto heels- and cut the little lovely in half.
Discipline, my multi-hued inked sistah, discipline! (Please don't gouge my eyes out, though).
Btw: "clean clutterfree simple", it is Iced Americano (African-American). Run, Jesse, run
!
Good eye for catching that. I guess this falls under "if it seems too good to be true". . . .
Wow! Starbucks made a mistake and corrected it!?! You mean, they are human!?! And of course, being so righteous, you had to tell them actually how you felt about this. BTW, why were you looking (and probably) eating Peach Tarts when you are so concerned about calories and points? Shouldn't you have been looking at the fruit in a cup instead? Well, at least you got your name correct. You are so lame.
I'm lame? I'm not hiding under an anonymous comment.
Wow. That's scary! Thank you so much for doing the math on this one...it's so easy to take things at face value.
I stopped going to Starbucks when they switched to Pike Place -- that stuff really is gross.
I'm surprised Starbucks wasn't listed in this Gothamist post regarding incorrect calorie counts.
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