About the all powerful Starbucks

Have you ever felt just full after drinking say a Tall Starbucks dark before? I always do and it's weird because it's like I literally had an actual breakfast. Maybe I should go for the non-dark coffee instead for once, but you've got to hand it to the wizards over at Starbucks for creating one stellar product. I also love the atmosphere by the way even thou it's almost stifling in its attack on the creative spirit as each location almost feels like a Wal-Mart (minus the ones in the book stores and at my local Safeway of course).

Hm Starbucks (IMHO) offer the worst coffee, the most ridiculous marshmallow (etc) infested concoctions at the most exhorbitant prices, with arrogant undertrained staff thrown-in too.

The true test of a coffee shop must be the quality of a single espresso - on that basis Starbucks offer the 6th (at least) best coffee from a major chain in London.

They represent everything that's rotten and corrupt about globalisation `- they've crucified local opposition, bought up the majority of the market, they lever their dominant postion through high prices, and their actual offer is at best poor.

Thank god for AMT, Nero, Republic, Costa and Pret; with them and my gaggia it means I never need to go near Starcrooks again

Ha Ha,,, that was a cruel reply, but I like honesty.
I'm in the process of putting a coffee bar inside my store. The closest Starbucks is more than 20 miles away so I think we might do OK for a while.
Starbucks does kinda "take over" when they move into an area. That's not a very moral business practice. I'll be able to keep our prices at about half of what they charge and make a tidy profit at the same time. That alone shows me that their prices are greatly inflated. As big as they are, wouldn't they make more money by reducing the prices somewhere into the "affordable" range? We use all natural stuff and no instant powders, and we're gonna make a good profit at a reduced price,,,, why can't they?

I bet you didn't know that the world's largest Starbucks cafe will be built at the center of what will soon be the world's largest mall. And so Starbucks becomes even more powerful despite the increase of the smoldering resentment of their mighty success. Delicious!