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I disagree. Starbucks and similar needs to be automated, at least partially, while maintaining the premium it charges on a per cup basis. That means that it w

I disagree. Starbucks and similar needs to be automated, at least partially, while maintaining the premium it charges on a per cup basis. That means that it would need to keep the traditional expresso machines and process that people believe they are paying for -- if they just replace those with large blockly traditional coffee machine people will stop going to Starbucks because they are no longer a premium differentiated solution. You need to keep the premium that Starbucks customers pay for and that is using traditional methods with lots of customization options. Making coffee at Starbucks is sort of a performance, and that is remaining because that is what people are paying for. You are misunderstanding Starbuck and the premium coffee experience completely. I think that something like this will succeed at the medium-high end. But "artisan" premium coffee that is hand made at an espresso machine will remain but it will likely get even more expensive. Remember that we have already automated pretty fully the low end coffee market with Nespresso, Kurig, etc. I think you are completely wrong, there is a market for this.

supermatt 8y ago
Well, I disagree thats its a $200 coffee machine, but theres no way on earth this needs to be an arm emulating a human user on existing machines. Im pretty sure you could buy a "premium" commercial automatic coffee machine for less than the cost of the arm - in fact, thats what the arm appears to be operating!
- supermatt 8y ago
  Looks like I misunderstood GP. He's pointing out that all the arm is doing is moving cup and pressing buttons on automatic coffee machine too. I agree, this isn't anything special, this is just a robotic arm performing simple manoeuvres.
renholder 8y ago
The majority of your argument seems to be Starbucks provides a sort of performance art, which can't be replaced by machines and, whilst partially true, the general idea of automation is "fire and forget". I pay €29K (gotta love the exchange rate, right now) for a machine which will replace a worker that I probably pay for year the same service. Sure it's not "artisanal" but, given enough time to tweak the machine's behaviours, it could be. For the lower-end markets, definitely, it would be a god-send (in the ROI sense); however, I think your arguments of dissuasion that Starbucks would never do this are akin to the arguments of high-end car manufacturers never moving to automation to build vehicles. Put succinctly: If the end-goal of business is to increase the profit-marigin (which it is), then someone, somewhere will find a way to make that happen and this would be, in general, no exception to that rule. Eventually, they'll hit that sweet spot to make it work; even if it's slightly sub-par from the quality of today's product.
- bobthepanda 8y ago
  The question is whether or not Starbucks is like a moderately high-end car or a luxury handbag, where the whiff of anything not 100% assembled by hand makes consumers flee. Starbucks really muddled the waters during their rapid expansion about which customer they‘re targeting, and at some point they will be forced to pick.
cimmanom 8y ago
> “Starbucks needs to be automated.” That’s a pretty bold assertion. It seems to be doing just fine without having been automated.
YeahSureWhyNot 8y ago
all those people who ordered using Starbucks app and walk in hoping to see their cup ready for pickup absolutely don't care about the 'performance' or which machine was used to make it. some people just want their coffee and gtfo of there
- mc32 8y ago
  Indeed people trust the brand. As long as it keeps tasting the way it does and meets expectations, you could have it coming out of tubes from some automated mini factory in the back and 9 out of 10 wouldn’t care. They just want their drink. Not to make it equivalent but in Japan and other places people get their coffee from cans. All they want is a little pick me up routine in the morning or whenever.
rezeroed 8y ago
Starbucks is premium? In London I consider it bog standard.
- shawabawa3 8y ago
  I think "premium" means in relation to office provided filter coffee/pod coffee, not in relation to cafe coffee
  - rezeroed 8y ago
    It's been years since I worked somewhere that didn't have bean machines. Figured it was the norm these days.
- bobthepanda 8y ago
  They started off that way. It was one of the places in America that treated workers nicely and probably one of the first chains to source beans that were fair trade and sustainable. Then they decided that moving into every big box store and rest stop was important.

supermatt 8y ago

Well, I disagree thats its a $200 coffee machine, but theres no way on earth this needs to be an arm emulating a human user on existing machines. Im pretty sure you could buy a "premium" commercial automatic coffee machine for less than the cost of the arm - in fact, thats what the arm appears to be operating!

supermatt 8y ago
Looks like I misunderstood GP. He's pointing out that all the arm is doing is moving cup and pressing buttons on automatic coffee machine too. I agree, this isn't anything special, this is just a robotic arm performing simple manoeuvres.

renholder 8y ago

The majority of your argument seems to be Starbucks provides a sort of performance art, which can't be replaced by machines and, whilst partially true, the general idea of automation is "fire and forget". I pay €29K (gotta love the exchange rate, right now) for a machine which will replace a worker that I probably pay for year the same service. Sure it's not "artisanal" but, given enough time to tweak the machine's behaviours, it could be. For the lower-end markets, definitely, it would be a god-send (in the ROI sense); however, I think your arguments of dissuasion that Starbucks would never do this are akin to the arguments of high-end car manufacturers never moving to automation to build vehicles. Put succinctly: If the end-goal of business is to increase the profit-marigin (which it is), then someone, somewhere will find a way to make that happen and this would be, in general, no exception to that rule. Eventually, they'll hit that sweet spot to make it work; even if it's slightly sub-par from the quality of today's product.

bobthepanda 8y ago
The question is whether or not Starbucks is like a moderately high-end car or a luxury handbag, where the whiff of anything not 100% assembled by hand makes consumers flee. Starbucks really muddled the waters during their rapid expansion about which customer they‘re targeting, and at some point they will be forced to pick.

cimmanom 8y ago

> “Starbucks needs to be automated.” That’s a pretty bold assertion. It seems to be doing just fine without having been automated.

YeahSureWhyNot 8y ago

all those people who ordered using Starbucks app and walk in hoping to see their cup ready for pickup absolutely don't care about the 'performance' or which machine was used to make it. some people just want their coffee and gtfo of there

mc32 8y ago
Indeed people trust the brand. As long as it keeps tasting the way it does and meets expectations, you could have it coming out of tubes from some automated mini factory in the back and 9 out of 10 wouldn’t care. They just want their drink. Not to make it equivalent but in Japan and other places people get their coffee from cans. All they want is a little pick me up routine in the morning or whenever.

rezeroed 8y ago

Starbucks is premium? In London I consider it bog standard.

shawabawa3 8y ago
I think "premium" means in relation to office provided filter coffee/pod coffee, not in relation to cafe coffee
- rezeroed 8y ago
  It's been years since I worked somewhere that didn't have bean machines. Figured it was the norm these days.
bobthepanda 8y ago
They started off that way. It was one of the places in America that treated workers nicely and probably one of the first chains to source beans that were fair trade and sustainable. Then they decided that moving into every big box store and rest stop was important.