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What’s funny is Starbucks in China is considered high end coffee shop (it literally cost $8 for an ice latte). So you can even see “influencers” bragging themse

What’s funny is Starbucks in China is considered high end coffee shop (it literally cost $8 for an ice latte). So you can even see “influencers” bragging themselves there

thaumasiotes 7y ago
If you think that's funny, you should see the Pizza Huts.
- whoevercares 7y ago
  That’s true. To be fair though, Chinese version of Pizza Huts & KFC is whole another level better
  - seanmcdirmid 7y ago
    Pizza Hut sure, but KFC is similar to its American fast food incarnation. Starbucks serves as the consistently nice place to hang out, in both the USA and China, so no surprise there. Interesting aspect that in China there are many less TOGO orders, people are really paying for the nice place to hang out part.
- coupdejarnac 7y ago
  Is Pizza Hut still considered fine dining these days?
  - seanmcdirmid 7y ago
    In China it is more on par with TGIF and such chain restaurants.
  - yourapostasy 7y ago
    They're trying to upscale it even more [1], and when they first entered the China market, they were considered upscale relative to other options [2], and were far more sit-down oriented than their US branches during that long-ago time period. Since then, options have proliferated, and competition has heated up to the point that such low-level differentiation is no longer sufficient, hence their current even greater upscaling efforts. I'd like to hear from Chinese HN readers who grew up remembering Pizza Hut arriving in their locale, and how it was viewed then versus now with the greater competition. With innovations like Haidilao's highly-automated (not fully-automated) robotic restaurant [3] for locals, and even Tier 2 cities with business class Western hotel chains like Sheraton boasting every day dinner buffets that put US Sunday brunch at Four Seasons to shame, I think Chinese citizens in most metro areas have an embarrassment of culinary riches in options now. The local hole in the wall restaurants in the more rural areas that I tried were also a delight. To stay at the top of the game, Western restaurant chains have a high bar to clear, especially as many home-grown Chinese restauranteurs have cottoned onto how dining out is not about food, it is about entertainment. [1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yum-china-hldg-pizzahut-focus/fast-food-fashion-yum-chinas-plan-to-get-pizza-hut-back-in-vogue-idUSKCN1M72XV https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yum-china-hldg-pizzahut-f... [2] https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Pizza-Hut-so-much-better-in-China-compared-to-the-US https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Pizza-Hut-so-much-better-in-Chi... [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61y2nAE8GsI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61y2nAE8GsI
baybal2 7y ago
> $8 for an ice latte You have not been to their "reserve" stores where they sell noname American whiskey for $20 a cup This is a funny things that happened with many American brands in China. McDonalds has desk service, and actually quite satiating meals Wallmart turned into a somewhat upscale store KFC - Same story as Mac Pizza hut... Ever seen a $50 pizza hut pizza meal? Wendy's? Probably along same lines Buick!!!!!! Pffffffff!!!!! - China is the one of a kind country where people will buys a car falling apart as you drive just because it is American. Other GM brands, Ford, Lincoln - more or less the same on a lesser scale. Ford was a latecomer to selling "Americanness," but I think they just got it right now. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ford-motor-china-lincoln/ford-to-build-more-lincolns-for-chinese-market-locally-cfo-idUSKCN1SL1UT https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ford-motor-china-lincoln/... GE appliances (actually Haier now) - same story I even recall stories of some "made in USA" clothing and apparel going big I personally saw a very plain looking black plastic sunglasses going for $100+ with "Made in USA" and your flag boldly silkscreened on it.

What’s funny is Starbucks in China is considered high end coffee shop (it literally cost $8 for an ice latte). So you can even see “influencers” bragging themselves there

thaumasiotes 7y ago

If you think that's funny, you should see the Pizza Huts.

whoevercares 7y ago
That’s true. To be fair though, Chinese version of Pizza Huts & KFC is whole another level better
- seanmcdirmid 7y ago
  Pizza Hut sure, but KFC is similar to its American fast food incarnation. Starbucks serves as the consistently nice place to hang out, in both the USA and China, so no surprise there. Interesting aspect that in China there are many less TOGO orders, people are really paying for the nice place to hang out part.
coupdejarnac 7y ago
Is Pizza Hut still considered fine dining these days?
- seanmcdirmid 7y ago
  In China it is more on par with TGIF and such chain restaurants.
- yourapostasy 7y ago
  They're trying to upscale it even more [1], and when they first entered the China market, they were considered upscale relative to other options [2], and were far more sit-down oriented than their US branches during that long-ago time period. Since then, options have proliferated, and competition has heated up to the point that such low-level differentiation is no longer sufficient, hence their current even greater upscaling efforts. I'd like to hear from Chinese HN readers who grew up remembering Pizza Hut arriving in their locale, and how it was viewed then versus now with the greater competition. With innovations like Haidilao's highly-automated (not fully-automated) robotic restaurant [3] for locals, and even Tier 2 cities with business class Western hotel chains like Sheraton boasting every day dinner buffets that put US Sunday brunch at Four Seasons to shame, I think Chinese citizens in most metro areas have an embarrassment of culinary riches in options now. The local hole in the wall restaurants in the more rural areas that I tried were also a delight. To stay at the top of the game, Western restaurant chains have a high bar to clear, especially as many home-grown Chinese restauranteurs have cottoned onto how dining out is not about food, it is about entertainment. [1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yum-china-hldg-pizzahut-focus/fast-food-fashion-yum-chinas-plan-to-get-pizza-hut-back-in-vogue-idUSKCN1M72XV https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yum-china-hldg-pizzahut-f... [2] https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Pizza-Hut-so-much-better-in-China-compared-to-the-US https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Pizza-Hut-so-much-better-in-Chi... [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61y2nAE8GsI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61y2nAE8GsI

baybal2 7y ago

> $8 for an ice latte You have not been to their "reserve" stores where they sell noname American whiskey for $20 a cup This is a funny things that happened with many American brands in China. McDonalds has desk service, and actually quite satiating meals Wallmart turned into a somewhat upscale store KFC - Same story as Mac Pizza hut... Ever seen a $50 pizza hut pizza meal? Wendy's? Probably along same lines Buick!!!!!! Pffffffff!!!!! - China is the one of a kind country where people will buys a car falling apart as you drive just because it is American. Other GM brands, Ford, Lincoln - more or less the same on a lesser scale. Ford was a latecomer to selling "Americanness," but I think they just got it right now. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ford-motor-china-lincoln/ford-to-build-more-lincolns-for-chinese-market-locally-cfo-idUSKCN1SL1UT https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ford-motor-china-lincoln/... GE appliances (actually Haier now) - same story I even recall stories of some "made in USA" clothing and apparel going big I personally saw a very plain looking black plastic sunglasses going for $100+ with "Made in USA" and your flag boldly silkscreened on it.