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It seems like everyone's experience is highly localised. Even within 3km of my place I have 4 starbucks. 1 is amazing, 2 are not great, and 1 is the takeaway va

It seems like everyone's experience is highly localised. Even within 3km of my place I have 4 starbucks. 1 is amazing, 2 are not great, and 1 is the takeaway variant. Which one is the true measure of "Starbucks"? It's the same for local cafes too. Also what's with the "they just want to make a profit" argument going round here? Why wouldn't they? They literally have a legal duty to do so. Should we instead incentivise cafes to not make a profit?

davemp 2y ago
> they just want to make a profit I think the “just” is the key word here. No one is going to get up in arms over modest profits. It’s the chasing growth at all costs even when it means sacrificing what should be the core value(s) of the business. A lot of franchises just end up as soulless real-estate/marketing plays that siphon money out of local economies and compete on axis other than actual value/quality.
ipaddr 2y ago
That's a great way to go out of business. Just make a profit driven companies don't invest in the companies future. Starbucks had a vision now it looks to maximize short term profits while playing a real estate game.
ETHisso2017 2y ago
Sounds like they need to split up the brand. Customers need to have a consistent experience across locations
- shermantanktop 2y ago
  Let’s segment this market! “Starbucks Deluxe” for the golfers and yacht owners. “Starbucks Influencer,” with pink cups and led rings at every table. “Starbucks Classic” for the retired and confused. And of course, “Starbucks Homeless” to capture the downtown vibe.
  - jerkstate 2y ago
    I think they are doing this already, I was in NYC a few months ago and saw a “Starbucks Reserve”
    - selimthegrim 2y ago
      Was the minimum size 24 ounces?
    - sampullman 2y ago
      Those have been around for a decade or so, I remember going to one in Shenzhen ~7 years ago.
    - kbos87 2y ago
      The Reserve stores are absolutely fantastic (and twice the price.) The Seattle location was the first one I had ever been to. Sadly it seemed to me like they stopped growing the concept... the one in Palm Springs is really just an ordinary Starbucks despite being branded as a Reserve, and they pulled the plug on an intended opening in Boston a few years back.
  - xarope 2y ago
    In the same vein, aren't there also McDonald's McCafe's too? Some friends have told me the coffee ain't too bad, actually. [oops, sorry, this should have been under the thread about Starbucks Reserve]
- willsmith72 2y ago
  do they? when i want to work, ill go to the big one. if im late for work and feel like coffee, the takeaway one is quicker and less chaotic without the tourists/campers/families im not usually one to defend a company, and i dont know what's best for starbucks the company and brand. but what i see isn't necessarily or obviously bad
selimthegrim 2y ago
Some of them do have community rooms you can reserve or take a Zoom meeting in.
rqtwteye 2y ago
"They literally have a legal duty to do so. " Their only legal duty is to conduct lawful business.
kbos87 2y ago
I don't have a problem with profit motive at all, but I think it's completely valid to point out situations where it's taken to an extreme that destroys the brand or puts it in a vulnerable position, which is arguably being done to Starbucks in my opinion.

davemp 2y ago

> they just want to make a profit I think the “just” is the key word here. No one is going to get up in arms over modest profits. It’s the chasing growth at all costs even when it means sacrificing what should be the core value(s) of the business. A lot of franchises just end up as soulless real-estate/marketing plays that siphon money out of local economies and compete on axis other than actual value/quality.

ipaddr 2y ago

That's a great way to go out of business. Just make a profit driven companies don't invest in the companies future. Starbucks had a vision now it looks to maximize short term profits while playing a real estate game.

ETHisso2017 2y ago

Sounds like they need to split up the brand. Customers need to have a consistent experience across locations

shermantanktop 2y ago
Let’s segment this market! “Starbucks Deluxe” for the golfers and yacht owners. “Starbucks Influencer,” with pink cups and led rings at every table. “Starbucks Classic” for the retired and confused. And of course, “Starbucks Homeless” to capture the downtown vibe.
- jerkstate 2y ago
  I think they are doing this already, I was in NYC a few months ago and saw a “Starbucks Reserve”
  - selimthegrim 2y ago
    Was the minimum size 24 ounces?
  - sampullman 2y ago
    Those have been around for a decade or so, I remember going to one in Shenzhen ~7 years ago.
  - kbos87 2y ago
    The Reserve stores are absolutely fantastic (and twice the price.) The Seattle location was the first one I had ever been to. Sadly it seemed to me like they stopped growing the concept... the one in Palm Springs is really just an ordinary Starbucks despite being branded as a Reserve, and they pulled the plug on an intended opening in Boston a few years back.
- xarope 2y ago
  In the same vein, aren't there also McDonald's McCafe's too? Some friends have told me the coffee ain't too bad, actually. [oops, sorry, this should have been under the thread about Starbucks Reserve]
willsmith72 2y ago
do they? when i want to work, ill go to the big one. if im late for work and feel like coffee, the takeaway one is quicker and less chaotic without the tourists/campers/families im not usually one to defend a company, and i dont know what's best for starbucks the company and brand. but what i see isn't necessarily or obviously bad

selimthegrim 2y ago

Some of them do have community rooms you can reserve or take a Zoom meeting in.

rqtwteye 2y ago

"They literally have a legal duty to do so. " Their only legal duty is to conduct lawful business.

kbos87 2y ago

I don't have a problem with profit motive at all, but I think it's completely valid to point out situations where it's taken to an extreme that destroys the brand or puts it in a vulnerable position, which is arguably being done to Starbucks in my opinion.