Wednesday, August 1, 2007

St*rbucks

I had a first today.

I visited Starbucks.

I had a three dollar coffee. My goodness.

There was a choice of six kinds of milk and a language, a jargon, an only-the-cool-can-understand lingo....

They are wildly successful. The place is comfy..they have worked very hard at making the store a place to hang out in, to be comfortable in....and it works....They apparently phrase it that they want to make it people's third place...the first two places you want to hang and I suppose being home and ????

The other thing I came away with though was how spoiled we are as a culture...I mean really, can we let this go...it is like a toddler who has to have their milk in a specific sippy cup, with a specific lid, and a specific straw while seated in a specific chair. I mean really, do we need this sort of choice? The guy there listed off six different types of milk and then added that they would be getting 2% soon, like I should be excited.

I actually asked him, somewhat scornfully, whether that was because there wasn't enough choice?

Be glad you have the money for a coffee and get out of town.

5 comments:

Beth said...

I find Starbucks overwhelming too. The fact that so many people are addicted to these special (expensive!) coffees is also amazing.
Great marketing though, for our crazy society!

Helen said...

I Hate Starbucks. I don't know if my experience was very bad but I had one of the worst cups of so called cappuccino ever, and a very stale scone at a very exorbitant price in a not very pleasant place. Loathe them and don't go near them. I'd rather go to McDonalds because their coffee is better and cheaper (you reading this J??)

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris,I wrote a few words in the post below,regarding Stacy.Thanks Jose

oreneta said...

Beth: Exactly....

Helen: Come back to Spain for another visit...coffee is very good, and not expensive at all???

Jose; Thank you, I hope we see you soon.

Anonymous said...

Hi Helen - actually was just about to comment that the closest business model to Starbucks is...... McDonald's! (And yes - McD has better coffee too according to blind taste test in US - ha ha ha!!!)
But seriously I think original idea of Starbs was ok - but they totally went crazy with the expansion plans.
We just got back from Sicily vacation where many people by the pool were reading book 7 - i am drooling. don't have a copy yet....
JC