Monday, December 26, 2005

Have coffee, will travel

Starbucks driven to new levels

Nearly 15% of Starbucks' 300 U.S. stores now serve customers on the go. The world's largest specialty coffee chain once shunned the drive-through concept. However, the company now is cashing in on the large numbers of regulars in search of a quick java fix. More on convenience and caffeine from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer/AP.


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4 comments:

Cecilia said...

How lovely it would be to have Starbucks here in Belgium! We have to go to Germany, the UK or Paris for this!

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

Cecilia: No Starbucks in Belgium?? Gasp! Perhaps one day there will be one near you. That's no fun - having to travel to another country for a gourmet java fix.

BTW, a year ago, Starbucks reportedly had stores in nine European nations. However, it's clear that the company is expanding faster in some countries and slower in others. Let's hope 2006 brings you a Starbucks closer to home!

Rose said...

I don't like Starbucks. What is the fuss about. I like Quick Trips Capucinni. (No fat French vanilla)

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

Rose: Die-hard Starbucks lovers will tell you it's the place to go for a serious java fix. I can drink one regular cup of Starbucks and keep a buzz for an entire day!

Starbucks is a bit on the pricey side for me. There are two stores not far from where I live, but I stay away from both of them. Otherwise, I could easily develop a serious caffeine habit! It gets expensive to spend more than three bucks a day for a cup of coffee. But I do find Starbucks a nice place to go to treat myself - if I'm in the mood for a gourmet treat - a mocha, for instance. Or if I've dragged myself into work with only three hours sleep.

Interestingly, high school students are becoming big consumers of Starbucks. My daughter, a teenager, says she knows many students who bring coffee to school. She's not that serious about coffee. However, like you, my daughter loves cappuccinos, particularly the ones at Quik Trip. Even so, if I told her I was treating her to a cappuccino at Starbucks, she'd beat me to the car!

I love going to Quik Trip for a good cup of coffee at a modest price. The chain is in nine states. It can't touch Starbucks when it comes to its presence in major U.S. and overseas markets.

I've written so much on this topic, I feel as if I've done a dissertation on coffee! That's intersting, considering my beverage of choice is tea. LOL