Starbucks – Coffee (Lana Altepter)
Starbucks coffeehouse chains seem to be on every corner in every major city, and within the last few years, can now be found in our grocery stores. When I am in the public domain I have noticed those who are carrying a coffee or tea, chose to get it from a Starbucks. It seems, as people’s lives get busier so does their need to keep moving, and stay awake. The caffeine in coffee or tea gives that morning jolt or afternoon pick-me-up that’s needed to take on the day. Their drinks come in three sizes and are made to order anyway you want. This pick-me-up can range in price from a 1.20 to 6.00 depending on what kind of drink you prefer.
The Starbucks Coffee Company started selling their deliciousness in a single coffeehouse in Seattle Washington. They currently have over 16,000 locations spanning from US and Canada to Japan. Starbucks is about to unveil a new line of instant coffee. They are also working on putting out 2 new applications for the iPhone that will allow customers to order their drinks and pay for them by phone. Starbucks also offers setup’s that allow business to offer Starbucks in break rooms or at catered events.
The reason I choose Starbucks for this spotlight is because of its popularity with my peers. Starbucks is a very pricey way to get caffeine. If I were to buy a coffee from there daily I would be spending over $30.00 a week on a beverage. And those of us who have a caffeine addiction have to have coffee every day, not just Monday through Friday. Starbucks doesn’t even seem effected by all the new energy drinks on the market.
Energy drinks are a cheaper alternative to the expensive coffee habits we have developed.
Although, every time I pass a Starbucks there is always a long line in the drive thru. I wonder how people can afford this cost in our current economy? Is this proof we are an overindulgent society?
You're absolutely right that Starbucks Coffe has become an ever-present staple in American culture, and has become a prominent symbol in its own right. And you're also right in stating that regardless of where you are in the world--whether you're in a small, desolate Mid-West town, in France, or in Peru--Starbucks will be there, its products and esthetics unchanging.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it is its very success that is also Starbucks' weakness. Long before the global recession, the company was planning on shutting down several thousand stores, and laying off thousands more employees. Officially, it was because Starbucks lost its down-home neighborhood coffehouse vibe, which was so attractive in the early 90s. Additionally, as the years progressed, it smelled less and less homey; gone were the aromas of freshly ground coffe beans and baked cookies. In recent years, Starbucks has attempted to reverse that trend and also released a new corporate logo, giving the paper cups a more "olde tyme" feel.
One has to wonder why Starbucks has become so popular and a cultural mainstay, and why this trend continues. They don't have the best coffe and are certainly overpriced (I personally prefer Pete's Coffee, which actually mentored Starbucks initially). Most likely it is because of its ubiquity and convenience, what with a store located every mile or so. I suppose it's easier than making it yourself
Finally, I wonder if we consume so much coffee because we are that sleep deprived and need the energy, or whether it's out of ritual and habit. I love my coffee, but I may well do it primarily because I like the ritual more than anything: getting up early when it's still cool out, padding downstairs to the coffe machine, putting in the water and coffee, waiting a few minutes, savoring the aroma filling the room, taking a few cautious sips of the steaming, nearly all black coffee, then going to the gym and then to school. The ritual, it seems, is just as important to me as the actual effects of the coffee.