If I need a barrister, I will hire my own.  I don't need to tip some coffeehouse hangeron.

If you order at the cash register, it's not going to kill you to throw a little in the tip jar, maybe your coin change. If the beverage is served to you at your table, then you have a different story.

I tip them every once in a great while, especially if they give me good service.

See, now this is why Starbucks is evil. After paying all that money for the coffee nobody wants to tip, but the employees get paid a somewhat LOW wage and could really use the money. I shun these trendy bastards...

Good question.  I'll have to think about it if I ever feel the need to go somewhere and get over charged for a cup of coffee.

I don't think you tip for the effort that the Barista (whether Starbucks or elsewhere)is putting into making your drink, instead it is the overall service that you are getting for you buck. In this day and age where almost everywhere you go the people behind the counter or in the drive thru are so drab, boring, or just plain rude, it is refreshing to step into a place, such as my Starbucks store, and be warmly greeted, asked how your day has been, or what your plans are. If you are in a hurry then most of us can see it and let you go, but if you are bored and need someone to talk to we are usually there. Do I get mad if someone doesn't tip, absolutely not, that is an individual choice and usually we get the bulk of our tips from our loyal folx : ) Make no mistake when people establish us as a regular stop it is not based upon the cutsie name and pretty cups with clever sayings on it, or the hype the teenie boppers make about us, no sir, it is the service, the friendly genuine smiles, from people who love what they do and love the customers too! I honestly believe that!

If Starbucks was a daily stop for me, I might think harder about this one. But, considering I only go on the rare occasion and the huge markup on a plain old cup of coffee at this establishment, I figure it's up to them to pay their Baristas well enough to pour/mix and hand it to me. I don't think a mildly exotic title and cute little cup justifies the involvment of any more of my paycheck than they're already getting.

I always tip the coffee folks. But here's a dilemna - I drink a large cafe au lait every morning. It's a little less caffeine, and tastes a little better than just coffee, but it's not as expensive as a latte.

The cost of an au lait at Muddy Waters (see my review from earlier today), is now 1.95.

I always feel stupid dropping a nickel in the tip jar... is it better not to tip at all?

I'm less inclined to put it in the tip jar; if I leave one, I hand it directly to the person at the counter.

My husband worked at one of those coffee bars at a Barnes & Noble (that serve Starbucks coffee, but isn't technically a Starbucks); the contents of the tip jar didn't go to the servers, but it was counted as part as the profits of the day. They didn't see a damn cent of it.

I don't tip when I got to starbucks or any other place where I order at the cash register. A waiter or a bartender is usually waiting on you for an extended period of time, while a barista is working on your drink for no more than a minute.

This one can be argued either way. You tip a bartender for getting you a beer, why not tip the barista who puts more effort in blending your frappucino? Both make around the same pay rate. My argument for not tipping would be that the bartender typically has to pay money and take a course in bartending, making them more deserving of a tip. Plus you're going in to Starbucks sometimes daily if you're a coffee drinker and those tips can add up to an already expensive cup of coffee. What it comes down to with me is if I've got a little change left over I'll sometimes drop it in the jar, depending on my mood, but I don't feel guilty if I don't tip.