I kind of think of Starbucks as that early innovator that did a lot of footwork, (massively) introducing something new to consumers, that was ultimately destroy

I kind of think of Starbucks as that early innovator that did a lot of footwork, (massively) introducing something new to consumers, that was ultimately destroyed by new entrants in the market. Think what AOL did with home internet access. Starbucks made coffee not just something for adults/people who work but really brought it to a broader group of people with things like Frappuccinos. As a result, they kind of did all the R&D for competitors like McD's and Dunkin Donuts (along with everyone else that is coming out with iced coffee/coffee flavored drinks). These competitors are able to eat into Starbucks' moat and differentiate by supplying beverages at a lower cost and supplanting it with existing food options. It puts a company like SBUX in a tough bind and I'm not sure how they're going to regain the oomph they once had.