Kevin Knox, who was in charge of coffee quality at Starbucks from 1987 to 1993, recalled on his blog in 2010 how George Howell, coffee veteran and founder of the Cup of Excellence, had been appalled at the dark roasted beans that Starbucks was selling in 1990.[34][73] Talking to the New York Times in 2008, Howell stated his opinion that the dark roast used by Starbucks does not deepen the flavor of coffee, but instead can destroy purported nuances of flavor.[34] The March 2007 issue of Consumer Reports compared American fast-food chain coffees and ranked Starbucks behind McDonald's Premium Roast. The magazine called Starbucks coffee "strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open".[74] As reported by TIME in 2010, third wave coffee proponents generally criticize Starbucks for over-roasting beans.[75]
Although drip brew coffee options are available at every Starbucks location, the company generally does not advertise them conspicuously, because preparation times are much higher and thus profits are lower than for espresso-based variations.[76]