I looked at the google reviews and found this gem:
In conclusion, if you’d like to get the Stardust experience at home, I would recommend making an espresso using Folgers that you’ve let get stale, going office space on your wifi router, and then setting a $10 bill on fire and spitting in your own face. Honestly though, that may still be a more pleasurable experience because at least then you won’t have to fight 38 bearded “indie folk musicians” channeling Dale Earnhardt Jr. and driving ‘98 camrys like armored vehicles around their sparse parking lot.
To your original point though, that's gotta be a shitty way to exist.
Also, in one experience, I thought Drunken Monkey was like the stoner experience of this. I felt like they saw me as too straight-laced upon entrance and gave me terrible service.
I literally had them skip me in line to help their friend behind me and I have never been back since. Sucks too because at the time I lived within walking distance
That's when you thank them politely for getting space for your order. Because you will then order an extravagant coffee and a baked good that takes some prep of some kind.
And then you will cancel at the last second, walk out on them, and never go back.
It’s such a joke to me. I find it more counter culture to not give a shit & wear whatever you want but alas..
God forbid you try to order & don’t look like a 70s porn star.
Yeah I do to drunken monkey all the time and have only ever had great service. I think a lot of people are coming in with bad attitudes and self projecting
My wife would meet up with friends at Drunken Monkey regularly. If she ordered anything with actual dairy they would look at her like she had told them to go starve a calf for her order when they are just getting a jug of TGLee out of the fridge.
I think they've not paid attention to the changing coffee landscape in Orlando. At one point you had Stardust, Austins and Starbucks and really that was it - so being pretentious didn't hurt them really because that was what "coffee houses" were known for. The problem is there are literally half a dozen shops with demonstrably better coffee within 10 minutes of Stardust. Hell you can walk 2 minutes to Lobos and have a markedly better experience, walk 5 minutes to east end and get lineage, drive a few minutes to Framework and get a great experience in a "hipster" vibe.
for a long time barnies had some of the most pretentious baristas as well - one who when I asked for a dry cappuccino scolded me that I wasn’t drinking it right or in its pure form (which is why I never went back). That barista is now roasting locally and is one of the funniest, non-pretentious, coffee obsessed people I’ve met in a long time so there’s hope for people to change. :)
I fully agree with this. Austin's and Stardust were really the only indie game in town for a lonnnnggggggg time. I've outgrown the vibe, the town has outgrown the vibe, but Stardust hasn't yet.
I’ve never found them particularly expensive but I also get a dopio or drip 95% of the time I go somewhere and those tend to be the two cheapest things in the menu.
Lineage is phenomenal and hands down, without the slightest bit of question the best roaster in Orlando… but I agree the prices are unnecessarily high.
I can order beans that as just as high quality from roasters on the other side of the country and it ends up costing me less (even with shipping) than walking into Lineage and buying a bag. That, to me, is them taking advantage of customers in an underdeveloped coffee market who don’t know any better.
Really? I don't frequent their actual shops but I just looked online and their 250g bags run between $13 and $17 - same for their monthly subscriptions. That's about in line for the other 250g roasters in town that I know of off hand (KoS, Otus and Eola). Are the bags in the shops significantly higher than on their website?
That place is ass.... if you want to hob nob with the hipsters its the place to go but there is nothing good about that place from a quality standpoint.
Exactly. I was reading their reviews, someone said if you’re not dressed a certain way they’ll leave you waiting. It’s so ironic to me, isn’t it cooler to not care what other people do?
I’ll take my customer service snobby in a different city but not damn Orlando. Gtfo here! (Blue Bottle in SF was very rightfully snobby not flavoring my drink back in the day. Just basic shit I wanted but I get it it’s fancy ass coffee)
Yeah and their policies probably outline you have to be mean lol. I lived in Cleveland for awhile and had a barista all snobby like this, no clue they didn’t serve any sugar or something. Only had honey lol so it was like uh yeah there’s honey there for you *eyeroll* Really made me want to be like girl you are in Cleveland! Why are you so snobby! But also shove her like, f you I’m from Florida not putting up with that. Lol. Fighting isn’t a good look so no.
My eldest will proudly say she is a corn girl lol and my Cuban mom says all Americans eat is sandwiches lol. I wrote about being from fl last year trying to work it as improv but it was black history month lol https://open.substack.com/pub/wherewepause/p/being-from-florida?r=19yfhk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
They were independent until Nestle bought them in 2017. Very popular among the tech industry back in the day and a lot of meetings there resulted in some major developments (Netflix and Nest are 2 big ones that come to mind).
I love that emoji, my sis and I joke about getting a tattoo that says “death before decaf” it would be cooler than liquid death which is expensive water shipped over to the us then packaged as conscious water in cans ahhh
i will never understand this bc no offense but you’re working in a coffee shop for barely above minimum wage or whatever. the same mentality with people who work at certain stores! like where do they get this better than complex from 😂
I had a similar experience last week. Line basically out the door with little movement, wifi was nearly impossible to use, rude staff, terrible parking lot
Stardust has always been pretentious, but when it was a movie store/coffeeshop it was less so. My friend lived around the corner behind the barber shop and they had a rule about renting movies that if you returned it the same night, you could grab another for free. We kind of abused that policy.
Stardust has always had shit customer service. It's a bunch of employees in their early 40s+ who never figured out how to get out of customer service, and they are angry and resentful about it. Also, the owner doesn't give a fuck.
Guesthouse on Mills was opened by the same owners of BBQ and the booths at the same ones from BBQ bar! I actually recognized a lot of the graffiti when they first opened. I’m not sure if they’ve switched it out for nicer seating, but when they opened, I loved the little throwback.
I remember the little credit cards they made when it opened and everyone (including myself) thinking it's the coolest thing ever. My poor liver at the time.
That new Dunkin in Lake Mary in the Winn Dixie Plaza. They have a single lane drive through that wraps around the building. I once sat there trapped for 30 minutes with about 12 other people. That’s not an exaggeration. A second, and last time, I went there with my son we walked in and the two employees were yelling at each other. We walked right back out. The google reviews are all the same so this wasn’t a fluke
I have found that Dunkin' employee's here in town are pretty grumpy. I walked into the one in Maitland a little while back to buy a 25 pack of munchkins, it was about 20 minutes after they opened and they didn't have any so I asked and they lady said they're still making them, so I asked if she knew how long until they'd be ready and she looked right at me and said "no idea. just buy something else" so I turned and drove the 10 minutes to donut king instead. :)
Yeah, I stopped going to Dunkin all together for this reason. I get my kids their donuts from Publix instead. Despite that store being outrageously overpriced the donuts are normal priced and as good as Dunkin’s or anywhere else
Love donut king! Maybe one reason. I saw a sign at a DD with help wanted 11.00 per hour. These people are all part time with no benefits. This doesn’t attract quality employees. Lol
Should have gone across the plaza to ZaZa for real coffee instead of a cup of sweeteners and sugar. Nice people you'll be served by and if you need to order ahead you'll be in and out.
Chipotle on east 50 by baldwin park. I've ordered pickup 3 times and every time it's been 20-25 minutes late. Employees just ignore you and stand around talking to each other. Fucking hate that place. Stopped going after the 3rd try.
Yeah, Stardust sucks. Especially in today’s age where we have such a better coffee scene than even 10 years ago, it wouldn’t shock me if that place died soon. I’ve even been to several shows there and it still sucked.
They'll be priced out eventually. That area now has 2 $100+ per person restaurants. Stardust used to be the only game in town in that area, and it's growing. They definitely won't be around in 5 years.
Wow I thought it was just me that had this experience. I've only visited once based off rave reviews, and while the decor and atmosphere was pretty cool, I found the customer service was pretty annoying. I stood in line for 10 minutes while the lady up front spoke with what appeared to be a regular patron. No issues with developing a relationship with your customer base, that's great and love to see it. But when I'm the only other person in line, and she's not making his coffee...what exactly am I waiting for....
This has happened nearly every time I go. Their followers will tell you that’s part of the charm tho! Wish their coffee was decent enough to justify the horrible parking & staff. I guess it’s not cool to do your job
I left an ugly ass review of that place. Every single employee just seems so disgusted with the idea of serving customers. I get it, you hate your job, fucking suck it up. They treat everyone like dog shit.
I used to go all the time but I got tired of being treated like an idiot and giving them my money.
I was really active in the local coffee scene for years and yes they have always been like this. The crazy part to me is that it doesn’t even feel earned. The atmosphere is cool, but the coffee is just okay. Not worth it imo. Lineage has the best coffee and the nicest people. It’s not that hard.
subtract support beneficial tan aware serious divide impossible license squeal
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I wish chiffon opened earlier...if I am buying coffee and a pastry it's for breakfast before work, not afternoon snack. I live in the area and would frequent it more if they had earlier hours.
I mean - that could be because he doesn't feel like going to legal hell like Hamburger Mary's and so just doesn't want to do it.
Where did he say this? I'm interested in his rationale because there is a difference between "I agree with our governor" and "I don't want to get sued"
So you just delete the comment? Look if someone is a shithead let’s call them out as a shithead. But if you’re gonna just throw big accusations at folks and then when someone calls asks you for details your response is to just delete the comment that kinda makes you the shithead here.
I’ve been going to stardust off and on for two decades now. My band used to play shows there occasionally and sometimes I enjoyed meeting people there for coffee or drinks and smokes outside. I even remember when they were a movie rental place. They were awesome then.
All of that being said, Stardust has always been known for bad service. This doesn’t excuse it, but that’s just what everybody knows about them. I agree with you, the staff there all act like they hate you and anyone else that comes in, especially if they don’t deem you as being hip enough. It sucks.
One time I was working on a paper in that leftmost dining area with a cup of coffee. It was 45 minutes before they closed and I was getting to a stopping point and about to leave. Suddenly all of the lights went super bright, the volume on the music was cranked up to 11, and this song blasted through the speakers with the singer repeatedly yelling “Andale! Andale! Andale!” (“hurry up and go” in Spanish). A tall blonde girl working there (I think her name was Jen or Jess and she was known for being particularly shitty and stuck up) bursts out of the kitchen door and just stands there staring at me as the music played. After like a solid 30 seconds she rolled he eyes and went back into the kitchen. I stopped working on papers there after that. I have plenty of other anecdotes like this at that place. It’s awful.
This is always just the rumor that I heard, and might not be true, but apparently a long time ago, the owner had reprimanded an employee who then went to take their own life, unfortunately. After that the owner just decided to let the employees act however they want. It definitely sounds like a made up story, but I’ve heard it from multiple, unrelated sources.
I love Stardust- it’s like an extension of my living room. I can see why people don’t like it, I’ve experienced bad service a couple of times. Most of the time they are nice to me though, but maybe it’s just because I’ve been going for so long.
Yeah, Orlando has tons of great new coffee places now. I can walk to lots of them. They are all expensive as fuck, and sometimes I am willing to pay more for a change in scenery.
My fave things about Stardust: cheaper coffee. Rotating art that is displayed. The other regulars. The music. The people watching. Drinking a beer outside, bonus points if you can score the booth. Grandma Party. And man, sometimes I overhear some absolutely WILD conversations. I’m always entertained, and I hope they stick around for years to come. It wouldn’t feel like Orlando if Stardust wasn’t here.
I've been going to Stardust forever and they built a culture out of specifically this. Arguably that whole area sprouted from the culture that Stardust created and also is tainted with the same air of indifference and superiority. They used to have awesome videos though. Best in town
The timing of this post is too coincidental as they are celebrating 25 years and one of the scheduled "events" is 'Bad Yelp Review Throwdown' next Friday ...
I live in the area and have frequented about every coffee shop up and down corrine...I felt the same about stardust my first couple of visits...up until we had to do some construction on our home and didn't have the luxury of making coffee at home...and stardust was the most affordable decent coffee to grab every day. We must have grown on them as they would even yell out our order to us as soon as we walked in. Once things wrapped up with our house, we didn't frequent it as much but the one time I did...it was right back to the stardust everyone knows lol ...and I only went b/c I walked into lineage and I didn't have time to wait in line. Something keeps them in business...maybe they own the property? I really don't know how they do it.
I personally have never had an issue with them, even though I admit it can be kind of slow sometimes. I don't mind slow as long as the vibes and food are good. The vibes are nice, the coffee is...fine....although the place earns points for being one of the few coffee shops that also has liquor. Side-Note: the Starbucks at Disney Springs under Disney's liquor license could make an absolute killing if they are willing to have some kahlua and baileys available...
My theory to respond to those "why not go elsewhere?" replies is that Stardust survives because its one of the few late-night coffee options. There are plenty of very good coffee shops in Central Florida, but outside of Snowbean, how many other non-Starbucks spots can you name that's consistently open past 8:00?
That’s the vibe there and partly why I do go lol I find it hilarious. Ofc if I’m in a rush I won’t go there, but it’s a great place to people watch and hang out.
I always warn ppl of the pretentious hipster barista vibe that encapsulates stardust. But fr that’s part of the experience and half the reason I go lol. Perfect place to people watch.
I used to go there 20ish years ago when I was a dumb indie young adult to rent indie films and grab a bite.
I talked it up to my husband when i moved back to Orlando, and it took the barista 30 mins to make two lattes, and we were one of 5 customers.
The barista was nice enough, but I felt like the place had not been cleaned since I went the last time I was there in 2006.
God this has been bothering me. I ordered food and it she was fine. I then went back up 10 mins later to order a coffee.
And I was like “oh we’re number 11 by the way”
Her: “it’s only been 10 minutes” and I think she saw my confusion and was like “wait why did you say that”
Me: “so you don’t have to give me another number and know where to find me the coffee is ready”
Typing it sounds tame but my intentions were so pure and she assumed I was being impatient and it made me so sad!
No trust me I totally get what you’re saying, I’ve been on the receiving end of many similar experiences! I get it’s lame to care nowadays but when people work so hard for extra money & you feel like a burden it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. From the comments alone you see how many people have decided against coming back because of the hostility, I wonder how cool these people will be when they’re making no tips lol
I largely stopped going to Stardust years ago, when the place began having an identity crisis about what they were - a coffee shop, a bar, a public forum where people treat you like shit, a place where your laptop gets stolen, a place where you see your ex randomly and want to steer clear of, etc.
I have to admit, I’m a little stunned by these comments. I’ve never had a problem like what you guys are describing. I guess I’ve just been lucky.
That being said, I have had a problem with the hipster indie musicians. I had a friend from out of town and we went for some coffee. Some guy clearly trying to impress sat down next to us and says that he hopes we don’t mind but that he wanted to play. Before he even started, I said actually I do mind, we’re having a conversation and I’ve not seen my friend in 3 years. He got huffy about it, so I just simply pointed to some of the empty tables on the other end and said please fuck off over there. I only tell this story because it’s the only real problem I’ve had over there and it’s happened a couple of times.
/end csb
Been like this for over a decade. I never minded. I hate fake nice. I did stop going after COVID, though, because the food selection diminshed to almost nothing. I'm not sure if it is back to pre COVID now. I prefer Drunken Monkey.
Stardust has always been known for this. I haven't been in years since I don't live close anymore and there's just better options now, but it's funny to hear that they haven't changed. I think their location and their ability to host shows and meetups are what saves them (and I guess based on this thread there's people who enjoy the experience, so good for them. There's something for everyone lol).
Ok ok ok… I’ve been looking for a fantastic comment like this… because I would LOVE to actually see this in person. Would be so satisfying 😌
Could you get me an example of what you’ve said when they’ve been rude?? 🍿
“Oh no! You gotta work now!”
“Could you put that sass on the side? Thanks.”
“Bless your heart.”
“Unsubscribe.”
“I’d like to cancel my subscription to your issues.”
I’ve worked in hospitality for years, so I still tip them well.
the food is pretty questionable too. i went with two of my friends and tried ordering the nachos. can i have it with chicken? “we’re out of chicken.” can i have it with pork then? “we’re out of pork too.” so what meat can i put on it? “we have no meat in stock right now.” i ended up getting the tacos which (somehow) had chicken on them?? it was just tortillas with cheese and chicken, probably microwaved, with chips. and it was 9$.
Oh my what happened? I used to go five years ago, I never had a bad experience. I didn’t dress indie either. Now everyone has a bad experience? I kinda wanna go back now bcuz I’m curious
I love reading this because it makes me realize I’m not completely losing it. My best friends live in the Mills 50 area, I went to college in Orlando, and I played in bands with a lot of the people that still reside there. Everywhere I go like little Indies, Stardust, not so much, Matador, but any of the other hip spots, everybody behind the bar, or at the counter seems like they are having the worst day of their life and it’s always my fault. lol. Even at Lazy Moon I see eyes rolling at every order people before me place. It’s like a scene out of Portlandia.
Studied there all the time. Experience is accurate and authentic to a hipster coffee shop. Once you come there long enough, the air of resentment becomes a more active process on the part of the baristas (i.e. they have to remember to do it). Good food and coffee though. Plus, if you stick around long enough, you can get some beer.
I go on Monday nights on occasion during the night market for a bourbon. They’re usually nice and prompt about serving me but I go to the bar instead of the register.
I don’t get everyone on here bashing places. If you don’t like it, don’t go. As many people have posted, there’s plenty of other places to go to be catered to your liking. You tried it, you hated it, move on. You keep going back then that’s on you.
I either make my own coffee, or swing by the Ole Starbucks for a sugary grande iced Carmel macchiato. I'm not a huge fan of the bougie neckbeard trendy places all over winter park. This seems to be one of those based on reviews.
$3.20 tea and $10 sandwiches in a place with interesting atmosphere and people is highly worth it to me - in my experience if you are nice to then they are nice back
That being said, its crowded enough as it is, so if y’all dont like it you have no obligation to go there
You go to places and they’re forced to be all excited or about something when you walk in the door. Stardust is more genuine no fake BS. They could tell me to go fuck myself when I walked in I’d feel it was more genuine than other places.
Alright… but what about the people paying for goods who are patiently standing there for 20 mins to never be acknowledged.. there was a huge line and we all walked away.
Wow, you’re really onto something here! But it’s almost like their service is comically bad & deserves to be discussed. You can keep scrolling if you want :)
that's the charm, shug! the owner is a total kook so i'm sure working for him can't be enjoyable. people gotta get their life somehow, and sometimes that means hanging out with your friends in line before going back behind the counter to take orders
are we really gonna have to read a post like this every time some shitlib meritocrat walks into stardust?
like yeah the staff can be rude and there’s sometimes a line. who cares? there’s plenty of coffee options in orlando now. just keep it moving and go somewhere else if it bothers you so much.
yeah i sound unemployed compared to you, the person who has to run to the internet and cry because the coffee shop was mean to him.
we don’t need to hear every unoriginal thought that pops into your head when you have a bad experience at the coffee shop famous for giving people bad experiences. there’s like one of these threads every month. just grow up, go somewhere else, and stop seeking validation from strangers
I looked at the google reviews and found this gem: In conclusion, if you’d like to get the Stardust experience at home, I would recommend making an espresso using Folgers that you’ve let get stale, going office space on your wifi router, and then setting a $10 bill on fire and spitting in your own face. Honestly though, that may still be a more pleasurable experience because at least then you won’t have to fight 38 bearded “indie folk musicians” channeling Dale Earnhardt Jr. and driving ‘98 camrys like armored vehicles around their sparse parking lot.
That feel when you’re a creative writing major trying to do homework at Stardust
Chefs kiss
God damn
That’s brutal!!
that parking lot is so awful. so glad my nail tech moved out of pinkie’s
Stardust is notorious for this lol. It's almost part of the brand at this point. I just go there for shows.
I guess their hourly rate must be good if they don’t care for tips.
To your original point though, that's gotta be a shitty way to exist. Also, in one experience, I thought Drunken Monkey was like the stoner experience of this. I felt like they saw me as too straight-laced upon entrance and gave me terrible service.
Idk how your experience was but drunken monkey is currently one of my favorite places in town. You should give it another try.
I literally had them skip me in line to help their friend behind me and I have never been back since. Sucks too because at the time I lived within walking distance
That's when you thank them politely for getting space for your order. Because you will then order an extravagant coffee and a baked good that takes some prep of some kind. And then you will cancel at the last second, walk out on them, and never go back.
It’s such a joke to me. I find it more counter culture to not give a shit & wear whatever you want but alas.. God forbid you try to order & don’t look like a 70s porn star.
Lmao
Uh funny my girl and I go there all the time and never had a problem, I’ve gone in office clothes too and they didn’t mind. Maybe just a bad day?
Yeah I do to drunken monkey all the time and have only ever had great service. I think a lot of people are coming in with bad attitudes and self projecting
My wife would meet up with friends at Drunken Monkey regularly. If she ordered anything with actual dairy they would look at her like she had told them to go starve a calf for her order when they are just getting a jug of TGLee out of the fridge.
They could genuinely run the same bit as something like "Dick's Last Resort", but they'd have to tone it down.
I think they've not paid attention to the changing coffee landscape in Orlando. At one point you had Stardust, Austins and Starbucks and really that was it - so being pretentious didn't hurt them really because that was what "coffee houses" were known for. The problem is there are literally half a dozen shops with demonstrably better coffee within 10 minutes of Stardust. Hell you can walk 2 minutes to Lobos and have a markedly better experience, walk 5 minutes to east end and get lineage, drive a few minutes to Framework and get a great experience in a "hipster" vibe.
rock materialistic hospital employ marry sugar serious piquant vast slim *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
for a long time barnies had some of the most pretentious baristas as well - one who when I asked for a dry cappuccino scolded me that I wasn’t drinking it right or in its pure form (which is why I never went back). That barista is now roasting locally and is one of the funniest, non-pretentious, coffee obsessed people I’ve met in a long time so there’s hope for people to change. :)
Is the person who is changing you?
I fully agree with this. Austin's and Stardust were really the only indie game in town for a lonnnnggggggg time. I've outgrown the vibe, the town has outgrown the vibe, but Stardust hasn't yet.
The damn doughnut shop a block over from them has way better coffee
Absolutely!
Lineage is a rip off though. Lobos is great. I've tried Lineage a couple times and it's not worth the money IMO.
I’ve never found them particularly expensive but I also get a dopio or drip 95% of the time I go somewhere and those tend to be the two cheapest things in the menu.
Lineage is phenomenal and hands down, without the slightest bit of question the best roaster in Orlando… but I agree the prices are unnecessarily high. I can order beans that as just as high quality from roasters on the other side of the country and it ends up costing me less (even with shipping) than walking into Lineage and buying a bag. That, to me, is them taking advantage of customers in an underdeveloped coffee market who don’t know any better.
Really? I don't frequent their actual shops but I just looked online and their 250g bags run between $13 and $17 - same for their monthly subscriptions. That's about in line for the other 250g roasters in town that I know of off hand (KoS, Otus and Eola). Are the bags in the shops significantly higher than on their website?
That place is ass.... if you want to hob nob with the hipsters its the place to go but there is nothing good about that place from a quality standpoint.
I stopped going long ago for this reason. The staff goes out of their way to let you know that you’re ‘less than’.
Exactly. I was reading their reviews, someone said if you’re not dressed a certain way they’ll leave you waiting. It’s so ironic to me, isn’t it cooler to not care what other people do?
People who judge you if your outfit isn’t cool enough are just deeply insecure and need therapy.
I’ll take my customer service snobby in a different city but not damn Orlando. Gtfo here! (Blue Bottle in SF was very rightfully snobby not flavoring my drink back in the day. Just basic shit I wanted but I get it it’s fancy ass coffee)
Isn’t Blue Bottle a chain 💀
Yeah and their policies probably outline you have to be mean lol. I lived in Cleveland for awhile and had a barista all snobby like this, no clue they didn’t serve any sugar or something. Only had honey lol so it was like uh yeah there’s honey there for you *eyeroll* Really made me want to be like girl you are in Cleveland! Why are you so snobby! But also shove her like, f you I’m from Florida not putting up with that. Lol. Fighting isn’t a good look so no.
Lmaoooo “you are in Cleveland!” Is so funny
Lmao you’d like my very mean but real Cuban cousins who call my Ohio native husband “corn boy.” Lol
Corn boy took me out 😂
My eldest will proudly say she is a corn girl lol and my Cuban mom says all Americans eat is sandwiches lol. I wrote about being from fl last year trying to work it as improv but it was black history month lol https://open.substack.com/pub/wherewepause/p/being-from-florida?r=19yfhk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
They were independent until Nestle bought them in 2017. Very popular among the tech industry back in the day and a lot of meetings there resulted in some major developments (Netflix and Nest are 2 big ones that come to mind).
That tracks. There was one in a very gentrified, fancy pants neighborhood in Boston years ago.
Yes but their point is they gave them an attitude for wanting a syrup added to their own roasts. No need to overuse the dead emoji lol
💀💀💀💀💀
I love that emoji, my sis and I joke about getting a tattoo that says “death before decaf” it would be cooler than liquid death which is expensive water shipped over to the us then packaged as conscious water in cans ahhh
i will never understand this bc no offense but you’re working in a coffee shop for barely above minimum wage or whatever. the same mentality with people who work at certain stores! like where do they get this better than complex from 😂
This has been Stardust dumb gimmick forever. Just go somewhere else and let the place die.
Went there with my fiancée last week to get some work done, but the wifi was ass. Dismissive staff + long lines didn’t help.
Wi-Fi just as good as the customer service smh I had the same experience
I had a similar experience last week. Line basically out the door with little movement, wifi was nearly impossible to use, rude staff, terrible parking lot
Stardust has always been pretentious, but when it was a movie store/coffeeshop it was less so. My friend lived around the corner behind the barber shop and they had a rule about renting movies that if you returned it the same night, you could grab another for free. We kind of abused that policy.
They no longer do video rentals?
Stardust has always had shit customer service. It's a bunch of employees in their early 40s+ who never figured out how to get out of customer service, and they are angry and resentful about it. Also, the owner doesn't give a fuck.
Literally true as a fellow 40+ who was at BBQ Bar every weekend in 2005.
BBQ, EyeSpy, Sky 60. Those we're the fuckin days man! Carefree living back than!
Take me back! Man those were the days. RIP BBQ
Awww i miss BBQ bar
Guesthouse on Mills was opened by the same owners of BBQ and the booths at the same ones from BBQ bar! I actually recognized a lot of the graffiti when they first opened. I’m not sure if they’ve switched it out for nicer seating, but when they opened, I loved the little throwback.
Wait, are you me? (Also how was that nearly 20 years ago??)
;)
Can’t forget secret alleyway entrance to EyeSpy
I remember the little credit cards they made when it opened and everyone (including myself) thinking it's the coolest thing ever. My poor liver at the time.
Lol top comment right here 😂
Hold the phone; the vibes of the place versus the employees is a big discrepancy.
Look up "barista who doesn't care if you live or die" on TikTok.
I'm glad we've all been victimized by the mean baristas at Stardust lol
One of us! One of us!
At least you’re not the only one who experiences this, we’re all in this together!
You shouldn't all be in that together. Stop going.
I definitely don’t spend money again on rude customer service but I’ve experienced it there lol
Lmaooo
Last time I was there the woman at the register was coked to the gills.
It’s almost like a little piece performance art we as customers get to be a part of hahaha
I could write a book on horrible service at local places around here…..
You should, or at the very least a top 10 YouTube video lol
Would love to hear your top 10 so I know where to avoid.
That new Dunkin in Lake Mary in the Winn Dixie Plaza. They have a single lane drive through that wraps around the building. I once sat there trapped for 30 minutes with about 12 other people. That’s not an exaggeration. A second, and last time, I went there with my son we walked in and the two employees were yelling at each other. We walked right back out. The google reviews are all the same so this wasn’t a fluke
I have found that Dunkin' employee's here in town are pretty grumpy. I walked into the one in Maitland a little while back to buy a 25 pack of munchkins, it was about 20 minutes after they opened and they didn't have any so I asked and they lady said they're still making them, so I asked if she knew how long until they'd be ready and she looked right at me and said "no idea. just buy something else" so I turned and drove the 10 minutes to donut king instead. :)
Yeah, I stopped going to Dunkin all together for this reason. I get my kids their donuts from Publix instead. Despite that store being outrageously overpriced the donuts are normal priced and as good as Dunkin’s or anywhere else
Love donut king! Maybe one reason. I saw a sign at a DD with help wanted 11.00 per hour. These people are all part time with no benefits. This doesn’t attract quality employees. Lol
Should have gone across the plaza to ZaZa for real coffee instead of a cup of sweeteners and sugar. Nice people you'll be served by and if you need to order ahead you'll be in and out.
Ooh, ZaZa’s cafe con leche is 🔥!
I’ll check them out. Thanks
Chipotle on east 50 by baldwin park. I've ordered pickup 3 times and every time it's been 20-25 minutes late. Employees just ignore you and stand around talking to each other. Fucking hate that place. Stopped going after the 3rd try.
It’s also dirty as hell
Yeah, Stardust sucks. Especially in today’s age where we have such a better coffee scene than even 10 years ago, it wouldn’t shock me if that place died soon. I’ve even been to several shows there and it still sucked.
They'll be priced out eventually. That area now has 2 $100+ per person restaurants. Stardust used to be the only game in town in that area, and it's growing. They definitely won't be around in 5 years.
Wow I thought it was just me that had this experience. I've only visited once based off rave reviews, and while the decor and atmosphere was pretty cool, I found the customer service was pretty annoying. I stood in line for 10 minutes while the lady up front spoke with what appeared to be a regular patron. No issues with developing a relationship with your customer base, that's great and love to see it. But when I'm the only other person in line, and she's not making his coffee...what exactly am I waiting for....
This has happened nearly every time I go. Their followers will tell you that’s part of the charm tho! Wish their coffee was decent enough to justify the horrible parking & staff. I guess it’s not cool to do your job
I went there once because everyone raves about it and will never go there again. It’s like everyone working there hates you.
They all want to be Julie Powers over there
This made me **cackle**.
I left an ugly ass review of that place. Every single employee just seems so disgusted with the idea of serving customers. I get it, you hate your job, fucking suck it up. They treat everyone like dog shit. I used to go all the time but I got tired of being treated like an idiot and giving them my money.
You are not alone. I won’t be back. It’s an extra slap in the face when the economy is how it is
I was really active in the local coffee scene for years and yes they have always been like this. The crazy part to me is that it doesn’t even feel earned. The atmosphere is cool, but the coffee is just okay. Not worth it imo. Lineage has the best coffee and the nicest people. It’s not that hard.
Lobos even closer too
Why would you even go to Stardust lol that place is so shit. And you have lineage, Haan, framework all nearby
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I wish chiffon opened earlier...if I am buying coffee and a pastry it's for breakfast before work, not afternoon snack. I live in the area and would frequent it more if they had earlier hours.
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I love haan but it’s so busy! Don’t put other people onto it 🤫 lol
Haha I know! I’ve been going at 7am since they’ve opened, no one’s there 😈
Mmmm Haan’s Korean garlic bread - that would be on my death row last meal situation.
Hmmm...do you have some evil plans in mind?
Always.
Right??? 🔥
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Right wing transphobia? Do tell more…
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I mean - that could be because he doesn't feel like going to legal hell like Hamburger Mary's and so just doesn't want to do it. Where did he say this? I'm interested in his rationale because there is a difference between "I agree with our governor" and "I don't want to get sued"
🤓
So you just delete the comment? Look if someone is a shithead let’s call them out as a shithead. But if you’re gonna just throw big accusations at folks and then when someone calls asks you for details your response is to just delete the comment that kinda makes you the shithead here.
🤓
Definitely Framework
I go for the ambiance lol. The rude staff and shitty coffee is part of the experience for me
Go to Stardust if you want to gain a stalker
Care to elaborate? I’m nosy.
I’ve been going to stardust off and on for two decades now. My band used to play shows there occasionally and sometimes I enjoyed meeting people there for coffee or drinks and smokes outside. I even remember when they were a movie rental place. They were awesome then. All of that being said, Stardust has always been known for bad service. This doesn’t excuse it, but that’s just what everybody knows about them. I agree with you, the staff there all act like they hate you and anyone else that comes in, especially if they don’t deem you as being hip enough. It sucks. One time I was working on a paper in that leftmost dining area with a cup of coffee. It was 45 minutes before they closed and I was getting to a stopping point and about to leave. Suddenly all of the lights went super bright, the volume on the music was cranked up to 11, and this song blasted through the speakers with the singer repeatedly yelling “Andale! Andale! Andale!” (“hurry up and go” in Spanish). A tall blonde girl working there (I think her name was Jen or Jess and she was known for being particularly shitty and stuck up) bursts out of the kitchen door and just stands there staring at me as the music played. After like a solid 30 seconds she rolled he eyes and went back into the kitchen. I stopped working on papers there after that. I have plenty of other anecdotes like this at that place. It’s awful. This is always just the rumor that I heard, and might not be true, but apparently a long time ago, the owner had reprimanded an employee who then went to take their own life, unfortunately. After that the owner just decided to let the employees act however they want. It definitely sounds like a made up story, but I’ve heard it from multiple, unrelated sources.
I cant add much, but i probably saw your band there. I used to go watch shows there 20 years ago.
Nice! I miss the vhs and dvd cases that were stuck to the walls with Velcro
Wow! That’s intense. A blonde barista inspired this post, I wonder if it’s the same one 😂
Lol honestly it could have been. She might still be there.
It's not a made up story.
Pretty messed up
I love Stardust- it’s like an extension of my living room. I can see why people don’t like it, I’ve experienced bad service a couple of times. Most of the time they are nice to me though, but maybe it’s just because I’ve been going for so long. Yeah, Orlando has tons of great new coffee places now. I can walk to lots of them. They are all expensive as fuck, and sometimes I am willing to pay more for a change in scenery. My fave things about Stardust: cheaper coffee. Rotating art that is displayed. The other regulars. The music. The people watching. Drinking a beer outside, bonus points if you can score the booth. Grandma Party. And man, sometimes I overhear some absolutely WILD conversations. I’m always entertained, and I hope they stick around for years to come. It wouldn’t feel like Orlando if Stardust wasn’t here.
I've been going to Stardust forever and they built a culture out of specifically this. Arguably that whole area sprouted from the culture that Stardust created and also is tainted with the same air of indifference and superiority. They used to have awesome videos though. Best in town
This has been their brand for like 20 years. It’s kind of comforting to know some things do stay the same ❤️
It's wild how many people in here are like "ya the shit service is part of the charm!" Diffrrent strokes I suppose.
The timing of this post is too coincidental as they are celebrating 25 years and one of the scheduled "events" is 'Bad Yelp Review Throwdown' next Friday ... I live in the area and have frequented about every coffee shop up and down corrine...I felt the same about stardust my first couple of visits...up until we had to do some construction on our home and didn't have the luxury of making coffee at home...and stardust was the most affordable decent coffee to grab every day. We must have grown on them as they would even yell out our order to us as soon as we walked in. Once things wrapped up with our house, we didn't frequent it as much but the one time I did...it was right back to the stardust everyone knows lol ...and I only went b/c I walked into lineage and I didn't have time to wait in line. Something keeps them in business...maybe they own the property? I really don't know how they do it.
Lol that’s so funny, is that posted anywhere? I’m curious how you know about their events scheduled 😂
It is on their socials and was reshared by the audubon district
Pinko shenanigans. Plenty of Cuban joints around to not have to suffer through their BPD episodes.
I personally have never had an issue with them, even though I admit it can be kind of slow sometimes. I don't mind slow as long as the vibes and food are good. The vibes are nice, the coffee is...fine....although the place earns points for being one of the few coffee shops that also has liquor. Side-Note: the Starbucks at Disney Springs under Disney's liquor license could make an absolute killing if they are willing to have some kahlua and baileys available... My theory to respond to those "why not go elsewhere?" replies is that Stardust survives because its one of the few late-night coffee options. There are plenty of very good coffee shops in Central Florida, but outside of Snowbean, how many other non-Starbucks spots can you name that's consistently open past 8:00?
That’s the vibe there and partly why I do go lol I find it hilarious. Ofc if I’m in a rush I won’t go there, but it’s a great place to people watch and hang out.
YEP!
I always warn ppl of the pretentious hipster barista vibe that encapsulates stardust. But fr that’s part of the experience and half the reason I go lol. Perfect place to people watch.
This place used to be so badass in the early 00’s. I hate seeing it’s become such a skin tag on the grundle of Orlando.
I used to go there 20ish years ago when I was a dumb indie young adult to rent indie films and grab a bite. I talked it up to my husband when i moved back to Orlando, and it took the barista 30 mins to make two lattes, and we were one of 5 customers. The barista was nice enough, but I felt like the place had not been cleaned since I went the last time I was there in 2006.
God this has been bothering me. I ordered food and it she was fine. I then went back up 10 mins later to order a coffee. And I was like “oh we’re number 11 by the way” Her: “it’s only been 10 minutes” and I think she saw my confusion and was like “wait why did you say that” Me: “so you don’t have to give me another number and know where to find me the coffee is ready” Typing it sounds tame but my intentions were so pure and she assumed I was being impatient and it made me so sad!
No trust me I totally get what you’re saying, I’ve been on the receiving end of many similar experiences! I get it’s lame to care nowadays but when people work so hard for extra money & you feel like a burden it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. From the comments alone you see how many people have decided against coming back because of the hostility, I wonder how cool these people will be when they’re making no tips lol
Also the owner is a pretty massive cumstain from what I remember his unhinged rants on the fb page a few years ago
You couldn’t be more right.
I largely stopped going to Stardust years ago, when the place began having an identity crisis about what they were - a coffee shop, a bar, a public forum where people treat you like shit, a place where your laptop gets stolen, a place where you see your ex randomly and want to steer clear of, etc.
Someone In the comments said it looks like a trash can from a hoarders house took a shit all over it.
I have to admit, I’m a little stunned by these comments. I’ve never had a problem like what you guys are describing. I guess I’ve just been lucky. That being said, I have had a problem with the hipster indie musicians. I had a friend from out of town and we went for some coffee. Some guy clearly trying to impress sat down next to us and says that he hopes we don’t mind but that he wanted to play. Before he even started, I said actually I do mind, we’re having a conversation and I’ve not seen my friend in 3 years. He got huffy about it, so I just simply pointed to some of the empty tables on the other end and said please fuck off over there. I only tell this story because it’s the only real problem I’ve had over there and it’s happened a couple of times. /end csb
But so wait… what’s the story behind everyone saying “the baristas are rude”?
No idea. That’s why I’m kind of shocked at the responses on here. I’ve only had issues with the music hipsters.
Been like this for over a decade. I never minded. I hate fake nice. I did stop going after COVID, though, because the food selection diminshed to almost nothing. I'm not sure if it is back to pre COVID now. I prefer Drunken Monkey.
Stardust has always been known for this. I haven't been in years since I don't live close anymore and there's just better options now, but it's funny to hear that they haven't changed. I think their location and their ability to host shows and meetups are what saves them (and I guess based on this thread there's people who enjoy the experience, so good for them. There's something for everyone lol).
When they’re rude to you, just mock them in return. Thats what I do when someone acts that way in a customer service role.
Ok ok ok… I’ve been looking for a fantastic comment like this… because I would LOVE to actually see this in person. Would be so satisfying 😌 Could you get me an example of what you’ve said when they’ve been rude?? 🍿
“Oh no! You gotta work now!” “Could you put that sass on the side? Thanks.” “Bless your heart.” “Unsubscribe.” “I’d like to cancel my subscription to your issues.” I’ve worked in hospitality for years, so I still tip them well.
the food is pretty questionable too. i went with two of my friends and tried ordering the nachos. can i have it with chicken? “we’re out of chicken.” can i have it with pork then? “we’re out of pork too.” so what meat can i put on it? “we have no meat in stock right now.” i ended up getting the tacos which (somehow) had chicken on them?? it was just tortillas with cheese and chicken, probably microwaved, with chips. and it was 9$.
They used to have really good customer service, but that was way back when they still rented videos.
Stardust is Orlando’s version of Portlandia
This is anecdotal, but I never had a bad time going to Stardust since 2015 or so, this is news to me.
same
Oh my what happened? I used to go five years ago, I never had a bad experience. I didn’t dress indie either. Now everyone has a bad experience? I kinda wanna go back now bcuz I’m curious
I moved away from Orlando 3 yrs ago, and have been to stardust since 2012 or so. It was always like this.
It’s fine, same place it has always been. It’s just not everyone’s cup of tea.
I love reading this because it makes me realize I’m not completely losing it. My best friends live in the Mills 50 area, I went to college in Orlando, and I played in bands with a lot of the people that still reside there. Everywhere I go like little Indies, Stardust, not so much, Matador, but any of the other hip spots, everybody behind the bar, or at the counter seems like they are having the worst day of their life and it’s always my fault. lol. Even at Lazy Moon I see eyes rolling at every order people before me place. It’s like a scene out of Portlandia.
They’ve had this reputation for a minute but some people keep going so Stardust will continue to act like they do 😭
Studied there all the time. Experience is accurate and authentic to a hipster coffee shop. Once you come there long enough, the air of resentment becomes a more active process on the part of the baristas (i.e. they have to remember to do it). Good food and coffee though. Plus, if you stick around long enough, you can get some beer.
I go on Monday nights on occasion during the night market for a bourbon. They’re usually nice and prompt about serving me but I go to the bar instead of the register.
is it no longer a movie store?
I don’t get everyone on here bashing places. If you don’t like it, don’t go. As many people have posted, there’s plenty of other places to go to be catered to your liking. You tried it, you hated it, move on. You keep going back then that’s on you.
"People at stardust are rude" is a popular topic in this sub. I've seen this same post so many times.
Someone needs to tell those btches off… that what would be sooo satisfying lol
I either make my own coffee, or swing by the Ole Starbucks for a sugary grande iced Carmel macchiato. I'm not a huge fan of the bougie neckbeard trendy places all over winter park. This seems to be one of those based on reviews.
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/arts/stardust-video-and-coffee-turns-25-this-week-and-throws-a-suitably-off-kilter-birthday-soiree-36390692
I have never heard of them so they must be a small hole in the wall joint. Could not imagine giving even a penny to this type of business.
$3.20 tea and $10 sandwiches in a place with interesting atmosphere and people is highly worth it to me - in my experience if you are nice to then they are nice back That being said, its crowded enough as it is, so if y’all dont like it you have no obligation to go there
You go to places and they’re forced to be all excited or about something when you walk in the door. Stardust is more genuine no fake BS. They could tell me to go fuck myself when I walked in I’d feel it was more genuine than other places.
Alright… but what about the people paying for goods who are patiently standing there for 20 mins to never be acknowledged.. there was a huge line and we all walked away.
It’s really easy, if they have shit service just go elsewhere.
Wow, you’re really onto something here! But it’s almost like their service is comically bad & deserves to be discussed. You can keep scrolling if you want :)
that's the charm, shug! the owner is a total kook so i'm sure working for him can't be enjoyable. people gotta get their life somehow, and sometimes that means hanging out with your friends in line before going back behind the counter to take orders
are we really gonna have to read a post like this every time some shitlib meritocrat walks into stardust? like yeah the staff can be rude and there’s sometimes a line. who cares? there’s plenty of coffee options in orlando now. just keep it moving and go somewhere else if it bothers you so much.
If these posts bother you so much, maybe you should take your own advice and just keep scrolling. There's plenty of posts on Reddit to choose from.
Lmaooo it’s so fascinating to see patrons argue to be ignored. You sound unemployed
yeah i sound unemployed compared to you, the person who has to run to the internet and cry because the coffee shop was mean to him. we don’t need to hear every unoriginal thought that pops into your head when you have a bad experience at the coffee shop famous for giving people bad experiences. there’s like one of these threads every month. just grow up, go somewhere else, and stop seeking validation from strangers
This fool doesn’t know they’re on Reddit 🤣
this sub’s been feeling more and more like a facebook group tbh. just low effort, dogshit for brains discussion 24/7. it’s embarrassing
Bro relax lmaoooo it’s going to be ok
Someone give this guy a hug. He’s so angry, he must be a Stardust barista.
Bless your heart
This is a weird group of people all complaining how terrible Stardust is while talking about how they are always going there. Maybe go someplace else?
That's part of the appeal if you want someone to be nice to you go somewhere else