Pike Place is Starbucks' attempt to address complaints that its regular cup of joe is bitter, overroasted and "burnt." The criticisms are partly valid (the result of roasting beans black and leaving pots to sit around until they reduce to a 10W40-like sauce), partly not (the result of customers being wusses who don't like dark-roasted coffee). Pike Place aims to fix this through technique (Pike Place is not supposed to sit for more than 30 minutes) and blending (it aims for a lighter, brighter mix of beans). The aim is a cup that's more broadly friendly, less overwhelming, more (though they would probably never say this) like Dunkin Donuts'.