Starbucks at Salford Quays opened in the unit previously occupied by Frankie and Benny's in Summer 2024.
The interior is bright, modern and comfortable and consists of pretty much all comfortable seating. The staff are friendly, and the store is always well-staffed due to being a busy store.
They're open until 10 PM every day, which is really good for me, as I prefer visiting Starbucks later on in the day, and this is the closest Starbucks to the city centre, that's actually open past 8 PM.
It is easily accessed via public transport with a Metrolink stop right outside, although do be wary if visiting in a car as the parking is only free for up to 20 minutes, after this time you'll need to pay and display - it works out around £1 for up to 2 hours, as of September 2024 - this car park is also shared with The Matchstick Man Pub nearby.
I do think not having free parking is the biggest con about this place - most likely down to the private company that runs the car park but I've never seen a Starbucks like this which did not have free parking, I presume it's to stop people parking here and using the tram into the city centre, or using the car park for Old Trafford on a match-day with the football stadium within walking distance, but it could be much better thought out.
The drink and service quality here tend to be very good, as a corporate-owned store, you won't pay any extra here for your drinks. Call me basic, but recently my go-to order has been an Iced PSL and they're always good.
I think this store has done a fantastic job since opening as they've set a great standard right away. The only issues I've had have been slight stock issues with certain products being out of stock occasionally, but considering I visit in the final hour or two of the day, and they're still getting used to working out how busy they are, I can't blame them for that at all.
PRO TIPS:
- Make sure you pay for parking if you plan to stay for over 20 minutes to avoid getting a fine. Based on a Google search, the car park appears to be using ANPR and is confusing a lot of people.
- Connect to the free WiFi inside the cafe as the mobile data is poor so you may be better off with their WiFi.
4* - A strong four-star review, it could have very easily been a five with the parking situation sorted. read more