I try to avoid chains whenever possible but I did go to Starbucks more in the past than I do now. I don't really like the coffee itself. To be fair, in terms of price, a black coffee (or Grande as they call a "large," really more like a medium) is about the same or more in high end independent coffee shops. But I'd still rather support them and their coffee is usually better. I think another factor is that Starbucks began as something like a prestige brand (I guess this is way back in the 90s and early 2000s) and the novelty has worn off. It now just seems like another chain. Of course, prices are a factor. Like many, I make coffee at home more than I used to.