So you stopped drinking Starbucks because the coffee tasted too “bold” or “intense,” as the chain’s press materials describe it (or over-roasted, as others do). The caffeine conglomerate is trying to lure drinkers to the lighter side with a new line of milder “blonde roast” coffees in regular and vanilla flavors, and is taking a cue from food trucks to do it.
Today through February 19, you can catch the Starbucks “mobile cafe” on the streets of DC. Baristas will dole out gratis six-ounce cups of the new drinks—that’s half the size of a tall coffee—to anyone who lines up in the given location from 7 AM to 1 PM (unless otherwise noted). Check out the full schedule below, which includes stops at Union Station, Gallery Place, and Georgetown.
If you’re a fan of edible swag, it’s a good time to be in Washington. Ben & Jerry’s is also giving away a thousand free scoops of the just-released “Liz Lemon” flavored ice cream on Friday at Union Station (get full details from our earlier post), and local branches of the Corner Bakery chain are offering a free “power panini” (a healthy breakfast sandwich) for those who reserve online. Better yet, certain restaurants and bars are offering gratis meals or seriously discounted drinks and eats for Super Bowl watchers. Browse our Food Lover’s Guide to Where to Watch the Super Bowl for details.
Starbucks mobile cafe schedule:
Union Station (50 Mass. Ave., NE): February 5, 7, 13, and 15
Gallery Place Metro (Sixth and G St., NW): February 6, 8, and 12
Georgetown (1205 Wisconsin Ave., NW): February 11, 14, and 19
Washington Convention Center (DC Auto Show)
February 1: Noon to 10 PM
February 2: 10 AM to 10 PM
February 3: 10 AM to 10 PM
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
