Starbucks CEO: McDonald's Coffee Made Us Better

nytimes.com:

Starbucks Corp Chief Executive Howard Schultz said McDonald's Corp's McCafe launch earlier this year made the cafe chain better.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[CoconutLime]

Personally, I like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Their coffees and teas are much better and the coffee is not burned like Charbucks. I wish they'd come to my state.

[Sundialsvc4]

Starbucks needs some very serious help. Like many companies who have enjoyed some success, they really don't know what they are anymore. What they do. What they sell.

Oh, I think they've got a clear-enough notion of "who they sell to," in the sense that the aforesaid individual probably has "pimples and an iPhone" or the briefcase of the young-and-ambitious. But there are lots of things that are dreadfully wrong with their picture.

Starting with ... uhh, the coffee. I'm fortunate enough to live in a city with eight independent coffee roasters, all thriving, who know how to make great coffee; some who know how to make terrific desserts and pastries; others who dish a mean Dagwood sandwich. When you've tasted the good stuff you just can't settle for "Taster's Choice" even if Starbucks tries to package it to look "hip." If you call yourself a coffee shop and you don't make the best coffee in town, you're doing something wrong.

In this world, there are "shadows" and there are "the things that cast them." Starbucks is the shadow. Thirty years ago, in one store at Pike Place Market, they weren't.

[NoMoreBail2]

No more bailouts for too big to fail. NO more stupid tax cuts and other gimmicks. Need more jobs, affordable education & heath care.

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[PhilipTaylor]

If competition works for Starbucks then it can work for Health CARE!

FORCE INSURANCE COMPANIES TO COMPETE ON AN INTERNET EXCHANGE WITH MEDICARE PUBLIC OPTION!

Combine the Wyden Plan and Medicare together to give 100% of Americans access to Competition and Choice!

[ckfan]

sorry, but McCafe is better than Starbucks. And cheaper.

[Sundialsvc4]

Ray Kroc knew what the hell he was doing.

Yeah, "he was making lousy food," but he made it exactly the same way every time until he sold so many "billions of hamburgers served" that he stopped counting.

And Ray Kroc did one other thing that Starbucks does not: always, exclusively, the focus of McDonald's Corporation is the McDonald's Restaurant and the (crappy, but consistent) McDonald's Food. Not the people who go inside. Not their "lifestyle." Not their self-image of themselves. No one goes into Macky Dee's to be "hip." They go in to eat crappy food.

I haven't tried Mac's coffee yet, but who knows, I might someday. And I might or might not like it. But I do know this: if I like it here, I will like it everywhere because it will be exactly the same everywhere. And, "would I like fries with that?" Maybe.

[balancedsolution]

Starbucks coffee, the drip coffee, is horrible.

Their frappucinos are good.

But the economy has soured, so people aren't spending $4 and $5.00 plus to get a drink.

This is a great example of a company that overexpanded too quickly. They're everywhere. In your grocery store, in your n'hoods, in your office....

The brand is overdone.

They will go down in business books as what not to do, and how not to overexpand.

Sometimes enough is enough.

I would have them consider closing more stores down.

[magibrotherhood]

Starbucks and I broke up a year or so ago...their prices were exorbitant and the staff uppity and snotty...I don`t care if they have been reformed...they will never win me back : )

[AngusC]

I just had Starbuck brewed coffe not 30 minutes ago.
I had a free coupon from the taste test.
It was so bitter and terrible, I almost threw it up.

Their fancy drinks are good, but expensive, but the regular coffee is terrible.

[pros54]

Starbucks is like hot air. It is amazing that people spend their money that way. Who am I? people have so much money to waste.

[Gates trades]

Tired of boring news?

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[KarateKid]

If I have to buy hot coffee, when I can't brew my own, I go to Dunkin Donuts. Their coffee puts Starbucks to shame.

[TheBaffler]

Dunkin Donuts is the absolute worst.

[jade7243]

Unfortunately, their association with Morning Joe [Scarborough] has made it worse...

[trollslayer]

It's all bad. Anything you buy ready made, bIows.