Chasidish, Would you buy at Starbucks for a friend?

amother

Hotpink

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 1:10 pm

I was supposed to meet with an old friend (is Otd now)in Manhattan, she was running late so she asked if I mind going into Starbucks to get her a drink.
Told her I'm uncomfortable doing this favor.

She totally understood me, however afterwards I thought maybe I was rude.

Wwyd?

HonesttoGod

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 1:18 pm

Starbucks have many many many kosher items.
You could have ordered her a drink with soy milk if you didn't like ordering something for her with milk that is not chalav yisrael (although it is still kosher and it is not for you so I don't see the problem).

Blessing1

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 1:19 pm

Im chassidish & I buy at Starbucks for myself.
Afew Starbucks that have many jewish shoppers have cholav Yisroel milk. Or u can ask for coffee whitner/whip instead of milk.

amother

Aubergine

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 2:02 pm

I was in the palisades mall last week. A bunch of chassidish ladies walked out of starbucks with black ice coffee. I saw them later at the tables with their own milk.

sky

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 2:03 pm

Some don't drink at any Starbucks that serve meat sandwiches, regardless of the milk.
http://www.crcweb.org/starbucks_overview.php

If you are uncomfortable buying something I think your friend should respect that.

It is rude to expect you to do something you would rather not.

Some hold that if the iced coffee sits 24 hours in a plastic pitcher washed with trief meat dishes it is a problem. So not everyone would even buy the iced coffee.

Last edited by sky on Wed, Aug 24 2016, 2:05 pm; edited 1 time in total

greenfire

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 2:04 pm

I could see if you didn't want to purchase a ham & cheese on rye ... but coffee ~ no comprendo

youngishbear

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 2:34 pm

If she asked me for a drink, I would get a snapple or vitamin water or whatever other OU drink there is in the fridge. There are also some starbucks drinks that are kosher, that you can halachically buy for someone else even if it's not on your personal standard of kashrus.

However, if you have no familiarity with these details, it's not fair to expect you to begin figuring it out on the spur of the moment. I suggest, if you plan to keep this relationship long term, that you find someone to ask such questions from because they may crop up again in different ways.

Hatzlacha!

MrsDash

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 2:42 pm

Regardless, if you felt uncomfortable, don't feel bad. It doesn't matter what anyone else would do, you're the one who felt uneasy completing that task. Don't beat yourself up over nothing, which this is.

amother

Mauve

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 2:55 pm

Blessing1 wrote:

Im chassidish & I buy at Starbucks for myself.
Afew Starbucks that have many jewish shoppers have cholav Yisroel milk. Or u can ask for coffee whitner/whip instead of milk.

Which starbucks has chalav Yisroel milk?

wifenmother

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 3:28 pm

youngishbear wrote:

However, if you have no familiarity with these details, it's not fair to expect you to begin figuring it out on the spur of the moment. I suggest, if you plan to keep this relationship long term, that you find someone to ask such questions from because they may crop up again in different ways.

Hatzlacha!

Well said.

No use second guessing yourself so long as you did what you felt was right.

I especially like your comment about finding someone to turn to with questions if this relationship is ongoing.

mizle10

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 4:28 pm

There are some real kashrus issues regarding Starbucks besides for the milk!! It's not so simple to drink a coffee from there at all! I think it was the cor that had a whole write up about it.

asmileaday

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 4:32 pm

amother wrote:

Which starbucks has chalav Yisroel milk?

Google it. I think there are about 9 or 10 locations where they are trying this.

tichellady

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 5:13 pm

mizle10 wrote:

There are some real kashrus issues regarding Starbucks besides for the milk!! It's not so simple to drink a coffee from there at all! I think it was the cor that had a whole write up about it.

You are entitled not to drink coffee at Starbucks but recognize that according to Mainstream halakha it's perfectly fine, and so it's not an issue of Marat ayen to get someone coffee there. Honestly, I can't even believe this is a conversation.

sky

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 5:18 pm

tichellady wrote:

According to the CRC its not as clear cut as people assume it is for everyone.
I don't think the OP did anything wrong.

Riki12345

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 5:23 pm

Op next time you can go buy for your friend a drink and for yourself a bottled water, a banana or whatever else they sell that's fine with you.

mizle10

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 6:14 pm

tichellady wrote:

Have you done research or looked into the issue or just assuming because the actual coffee is kosher it's ok?

amother

Orange

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 6:31 pm

I am surprised how many people here say they drink Starbucks coffee. I have read extensive write-ups from the star-k and the crc, and both mention many potential issues. I hope nobody reads this thread and assumes drinking starbucks coffee in stores is just fine. People should ask their rabbis or at least do their research.

tichellady

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 7:14 pm

mizle10 wrote:

Have you done research or looked into the issue or just assuming because the actual coffee is kosher it's ok?

I went over the article with my rabbi who said it was relying on extremely machmir opinions ( and completely ignored the shulchan arukh) and that it is not the job of a rabbi to try to make something that is commonly accepted assur. He said we have enough actual problems and we don't need to create new ones. If chazal never wanted us to eat at a non certified kosher establishment they would have made those laws- instead they made bishul akum laws with all sorts of Rules and exceptions- they were not trying to make life impossible for us.

amother

Jetblack

Wed, Aug 24 2016, 7:30 pm

The CRC is not by any stretch of the imagination trying to make more chumras.

To say that about them is not to know what they are all about. Please feel free to browse through their website and you will see for yourself.

(They also say which kinds of starbucks are less likely to be a problem btw.)