[anon373839]

Starbucks is in the business of selling milk, mainly. That’s where they make the most money. If you’re going to serve someone a “coffee” drink with 30 oz. of dairy, the espresso has to be as black as tar or it won’t be tasted at all. This is the main reason Starbucks roasts the coffee as they do.

The second reason is cheap consistency: it’s harder to do a medium roast blend and get a reliable flavor profile than to just burn everything to ash.