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100% of cafés in Italy serve coffee in non-disposable cups and it rarely costs more than a euro. It's a cultural thing, not economical. Most food and beverages

by carlob 8y ago

100% of cafés in Italy serve coffee in non-disposable cups and it rarely costs more than a euro. It's a cultural thing, not economical. Most food and beverages are take out by default in the US.

mc32 8y ago
No doubt. But given the context here of “connoisseur” it’s odd you’d bring up Italian coffee because Starbucks’ Milano Roastery is learning that most Italians aren’t used to and aren’t willing to pay more than a euro or two for coffee which means it’s not the best beans or roast. So very average coffee in fancy cups. As I said, taste is very regional and is subjective. Compare what Russians, Turks or Greeks think good coffee is.
- carlob 8y ago
  I call bullshit. Go to any grocery store in Italy and the prices range from 1 to 7 euros for a 250 g pack, go to a local roaster and you can go up to 10, yet the cup of espresso is always 0.80-1.20 euros. Why is that? Given the amount of coffee that goes in a cup, the price of that is negligible while you pay for location, service etc. So given these considerations, as an Italian if I pay more than 3 euros for a coffee I expect: * to be served in a bone china cup * to be served by a polite waiter * to be sitting at an outdoors table with view of some major monument * to have a glass of mineral water and a small cookie come with it (As an aside I once had a coffee at one of those fancier Starbucks in the US, it was 4 dollars + tax and honestly not very good) (and I'm not going to get started on a rant on the sheer cultural colonialism and appropriation that goes with what you just said)
blacksmith_tb 8y ago
But typically people drink it quickly in the cafe, don't they? Which is easier when it's a small cup of espresso, as opposed to people in the US getting half a liter of hot milk and sugar with a small amount of espresso added...

by carlob 8y ago

100% of cafés in Italy serve coffee in non-disposable cups and it rarely costs more than a euro. It's a cultural thing, not economical. Most food and beverages are take out by default in the US.

mc32 8y ago

No doubt. But given the context here of “connoisseur” it’s odd you’d bring up Italian coffee because Starbucks’ Milano Roastery is learning that most Italians aren’t used to and aren’t willing to pay more than a euro or two for coffee which means it’s not the best beans or roast. So very average coffee in fancy cups. As I said, taste is very regional and is subjective. Compare what Russians, Turks or Greeks think good coffee is.

carlob 8y ago
I call bullshit. Go to any grocery store in Italy and the prices range from 1 to 7 euros for a 250 g pack, go to a local roaster and you can go up to 10, yet the cup of espresso is always 0.80-1.20 euros. Why is that? Given the amount of coffee that goes in a cup, the price of that is negligible while you pay for location, service etc. So given these considerations, as an Italian if I pay more than 3 euros for a coffee I expect: * to be served in a bone china cup * to be served by a polite waiter * to be sitting at an outdoors table with view of some major monument * to have a glass of mineral water and a small cookie come with it (As an aside I once had a coffee at one of those fancier Starbucks in the US, it was 4 dollars + tax and honestly not very good) (and I'm not going to get started on a rant on the sheer cultural colonialism and appropriation that goes with what you just said)

blacksmith_tb 8y ago

But typically people drink it quickly in the cafe, don't they? Which is easier when it's a small cup of espresso, as opposed to people in the US getting half a liter of hot milk and sugar with a small amount of espresso added...