Posted on 01/28/2009 2:15:21 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
aah... contrary to popular opinion around here, I think ‘bucks is pretty tasty. But I always get the down menu, low-cost plain old coffee of the day, if it’s one of the roasts and varietals I like.
My point is, when the price of coffee spiked, the rest of the industry, the folgers and maxwell houses of the world, kept the price down but just started serving crap coffee, figuring Americans were too stoopid to know the difference.
Starbucks exploited that market, selling tasty coffee, albeit at a realistic price which was quite high. NOW the competition realizes they have to serve good tasting coffee to keep up, and the market loophole is closing.
Starbucks has made it - this is probably a smart move (slashing stores), and they’ll be around indefinitely, but the glory days may be over for them.
Out here in CA, that means to me: "they speak English at Starbucks". I can't tell you how many times I've felt that they should give "McDonalds" the slogan of: "Little Mexico - with Burgers!"
There are going to be some hardworking kids who are customer focused (from what I can see) going to be out of work soon. Maybe that has to happen due to overexpansion and a contracting economy, but I'm not going to be doing a happy-dance over it. (Unless I can figure out how to hire some for my own business, which I can't right now.)
Such a pretentious place is Starbucks and there are always trust-fund babies camped out there with their flip-flops, Mac laptops and obligatory granny glasses. It's like a Doonesbury comic strip come to life.
Anyway, one good thing Starbucks accomplished was to force McDonald's and other chains to make their coffee taste much better. Looking at McDonald's latest quarterly earning statement, I'm sure McDonald's shareholders are very appreciative as well.
This is good news for coffee drinkers.
Junk coffee shops closing means that the good ones have more chance to survive.
Yeah I knew the quote wasn’t exactly right, and really didn’t think I would be corrected either, so thanks overprotective watchdog of movie quotes for setting it straight, lol!
Americans losing their jobs is a good thing?
Starbucks may be the ultimate early economic indicator. The marginal propensity to consume $5 cups of coffee is directly proportionate to the amount of jingle in one’s pocket and confidence in the future.
Yeeeee Haaa! - Truer werds wuz never spoke.
That's nothing. There is a Starbucks in my office building and one in the office building across the street. They're both busy, since they serve the crowds coming out of two different Metro stops.
And your proof that the staff is american is?????
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt that they should give “McDonalds” the slogan of: “Little Mexico - with Burgers!”
Actually, I am comparing apples and oranges. My experience with places like Macdonalds is based on my previous residency in the Wash DC area where the employees were almost universally arrogant and treated customers with contempt. I now live in NC where I find retail employees almost consistently friendly and helpful.
They did drive out all the funky neighborhood one-off coffee shops by putting a bucks next door or across the street.
I love Netflix.
I've always found Starbucks' staff to be nice. Usually college kids, or retirees. There is a gorgeous goth chick who works in the Starbucks im my building. She's really nice and friendly, though a little young (even if I was single)
For an east coast outfit, they actually have ok coffee. (almost anyplace is better than Starpukes)
It's a job that requires some significant communication with the customer, given the many possible order combinations. That's tough for someone who barely speaks English. I can't recall ever seeing employees who appeared to be illegals at Starbucks.
I'm sorry, with a statement like that, I just can't take you seriously. ;-)
But you're right, they have enough market pentration and brand equity that they won't go anywhere - I'm just saying that their market strategy of "1 Starbucks per 2 people" was quite effective under the assumptions they had made. Unfortunately, those assumptions no longer hold.
Gorgeous and goth do not intersect!
Yep, and the coffee is most definitely better, and without the waft of stale grease coming from the drive-up window. Where I live, all I hear are the usual lefty/hippie/unemployed/struggling artist/wannabe hipsters complaining about soul-less Starbucks corporate coffee squeezing out local shops. So, apparently Starbucks can’t win with anyone. It’s good coffee, and unless you’re a big fan of the flavored stuff, it’s quite reasonably priced.
If you would like 100% Hawaiian Kauai Coffee, go here:
http://www.kauaicoffee.com/OurCoffee/faq.aspx
We pick it up at the plantation on Kauai every two years, when we vacation there. There just isn’t anything better.
That link is where the Island of Kauai folks sell their coffee on the internet.
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