Smoothie King Leaves Me With a Bad Taste

This is the reflection of my personal encounter with Smoothie King, your experience might be different, but here is what I have to say about Smoothie King, the popular smoothie place in the East coast.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

This summer I have ordered about 35 smoothies from this Franchise from a number of their stores in the DC area and Northern Virginia. While they have a large of smoothies to satisfy all tastes out there, I found that their smoothies are bland, weak in taste and fail to leave with impressed.

Sure, the first sip is always good, but once that thrill is gone, the taste becomes dull and you feel obligated to finish what you ordered. You do not look forward to finishing the smoothie as it should. Also, I think that you lose touch with the smoothie as it goes to blend, the way Smoothie King is set up is you order and one place and pay at a different register while this concept is great for the store enabling them to take more orders and be efficient. I think the customer loses touch with his beverage as we walk to another register at the end of the store to pay. There's also one more problem that stands between the customer and having visuals on his/her smoothie:

The bulks of things Smoothie King wants to sell you, they have vitamins, powders, fruits, water, candy, protein bars, nuts, flayers....etc. you get distracted and cannot help but think those items should not belong to this store. This reminds me of few years ago Starbucks when they started trying to sell you all kind of things...ultimately they ended up changing all that and focusing on their number one seller coffee.

Smoothie king might find a lesson there. What else? I fail to see what the workers at the store put in my smoothie, my wife told me she saw them put sugar on mine, but I am willing to think that was added protein. But on another note, what's up with all those syrups and added flavors they have over there? I do not see those at any other stores. look in the fridge and near it you will see what I am talking about. those are not juices, but flavors.

Finlay, the pricing at Smoothie King is a bit higher than their competitors. Not sure why they have to charge 8 bucks for a medium smoothie? When you can get the same size for about 5 bucks at the other guys (whom I love) who are more front about their ingredients? Do not take my word for it go and compare prices.

will I go back to Smoothie King? Sure they are close to my place, why not? I would go becasue they tend to send out coupons in the mail too, but I think Smoothie King has an area for improvement. I think their corporate office needs to slow down and reflect back on their effort to build the brand itself and not just expand without having to win customer over. Not sure what founder Steve Kuhnau would have to say about the company now.

PS. I emailed their customer services with a complaints about an employee two weeks ago and I have yet to hear back! The only email on their website is for franchise information, I guess customers and their complaints do not matter. It's frustrating.

Samira Said Donates Blood

Best Jerky For Your Bucks

You know what's it like to find your favorite Jerky? It's like wining the lottery.... That's how I felt when I discovered Wind river Buffalo Jerky in little shop in the City of Orem in Utah in shadows of the Wasatch Mountains where jerky is celebrated in this outdoor crazed state. walking down State Street I see this little whole in the wall store that only sells Jerky....before I walked in, I thought this place will only be selling different types of Jerky from here and there. But once Roa and I walked into the Store we were greeted by Dian, a nice lady who greeted us and just wanted to talk about her jerky. She had me all once I learned she is cooking her jerky in the back of her shop...the aroma all over the place meant I would have to buy a load of her jerky. She asked me to sample some of her buffalo jerky and I did. Hot Pepper (Really hot no wusses allowed) and Lemon Pepper and I left the store with three different packs....I let happy. Chewy, fresh and flavorful that's how I would describe Wind River Creations.... Dian uses not preservatives and cooks up small batches to keep it fresh. She is very energized and excited when she talks about her recipes. Roa who can care less for jerky loves the lady and her spirit. Dian told us she ships orders all over the place, and has few stores that sell her jerky....but it's still a one man show and that's when you know the product is great. I only hopes Roa have packed some Wind River jerky in our carry one as I felt the next for some fine stakes on the go...Dian will be hearing from me again and getting more of my business.

DocuMart Is Perfect For Me

Want a print job done? Want a large scale print job done well? Want a small scale job done? Want to print flayers for you class? Want to send a large donor appeal?

I found out the one place that no other print shop wants you to know about

DocUMart

While shopping around for a new print shop to use for my work's next larger mailing appeal...I stumbled upon this company and I did not hesitate, I gave them a call.

A real person picked up the phone and this person wanted to help me with my order...they were all business and made me feel like this is a good place to get your print jobs done.

I emailed a sample of what I wanted printed and withing 24 hours, I had an estimate from the company and from the person that I spoke to...no 50 people to talk to...just one person and this person is the only one you need to know.

They are responsive, reasonably priced and really want to provide you with answers to your questions. This is a service that I recommend not only to my friends, but also to my family.

Give them a try and I am sure you will appreciate what they have to offer....If you know what you want, they will work with you and give you a great customer service.

Again the city of Portland gave us many wonderful things, DocuMart is one of them.

1800-Contacts Rocks

1800-Contacts

I just ordered a new box of contacts from 1800-Contacts store, and this marks my third order from this company that never stops on amazing me. It's the best source to get your contact lenses, here is why,

1. A real person answers your call, no wasting your time pressing 1, 2 or 5...call them a really nice person will talk to you.
2. They have an amazing technology...the moment you call they will know it's you and use your first name. They asked me about my Eye doctor, I said I know he is on this street...it took them 10 seconds to guess who was my doctor to verify his prescription.
   
3. You can order by phone or on the internet. They will save your prescription online and remind you when it will expire, so you can place an order and not having to see your doctor unless you want too.
4. They will most likely give you a free shipping and a free contacts case with every order.
5. 1800-Contacts will ship your order on the same day you order and you will get them withing 48 hours.
6. 1800-Contacts started in BYU as part of the Business competition.
   

Ghiradelli Chocolate

America has found its zen. There is only one place that makes chocolate treats worthy to be called chocolate. That's right Ghiradelli Chocolate are those!

They make America's best chocolate produced for the masses without losing what makes them unique. I am in love with their Dark Chocolate Carmel center squares...it just does not get any better. While I try to consume less milk chocolate, I have tried a great deal of their chocolate products and I am afraid many Europeans are upset by America's finest chocolate producer.

In Thanksgiving of 2001, I actually went to their store in San Francisco and fresh in the United States, I liked them, but I did not celebrate them until few years ago that I rediscovered them.

I know there might be some smaller vendors who make fine chocolate here in the States, but I do not think anyhow can rival Ghiradellie Chocolate in making their chocolate avialable pretty much anywhere Target, Safeway, Giant, Amazon and making them stand out in terms of taste, quality and importantly packaging.

I know the Speaker of the House keeps in her office boxes of those delicacies which she shares with those who visit her office. that would be a good enough reason to visit with the speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

Soon, I will be testing out their Brownie Mix, as brownie lover since my dorm days in Utah where brownies are everybody's choice, I will accept nothing by perfection from this American icon.

Vita Coco, Hydrate Naturally

Few weeks ago, I got my hands on a new drink, Vita Coco, a coconut water drink infused with fruits and all natural flavors. Another Brazilian produce that makes it big here in the States. Brazil makes great juices I have to say, but Vita coco is one of their best. At 70 calories per container, it is the smart way to hydrate. I saw this beverage few years ago sold online, I was quickly to dismiss it as just another drink....but when I came around and purchased it, I was pleasantly surprised by one how good it test and two how rich it is in minerals. The only one I tasted is the passion fruit and it was worth it. My wife also enjoyed the taste and the hydrating factory behind it. I give this drink a full mark and I can finally say kick the habit of drinking lame sport drinks that do more damage than good. Here find is @ Amazon.com