The only reason to use Starbucks in Europe is for the free wifi. Italy, Francem Netherlands Belgium coffee even UK chains is so much better

I love Starbucks but rarely go, too expensive but, I met my account at one of our Starbucks last week and had two Grande Lattes to make up for lost time.

The Starbucks on Blvd. Montparnasse was packed when I was in Paris last time. I was tired, had to pack, so wanted a "kick", so hit Starbucks on the way back to the hotel and it was wall to wall full of people..as Thin said, a young crowd mostly.

"so hit Starbucks on the way back to the hotel and it was wall to wall full of people..as Thin said, a young crowd mostly."
"

same with McDonald's.., the GAP, and some other American imports. If natives or tourist like ... well..


In many European countries ( and Australia)they make a great cup of coffee almost anywhere ( Vienna ,for example).
In Edinburgh, I went to Starbucks every day - it was the only drinkable coffee in town.

Starbuck's? Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

LOL, Larry.

There are several Starbucks in Basel and most are busy.
I must say, I'm impressed by the number of middle-aged American tourists at those Starbucks who speak fluent Swiss German.

>>>>
If you don't like Starbucks, then don't go in. But, I don't see why you want to deprive others of something they appreciate.
>>>>>

quite simply...the american europhiles don't like to see american things (or americans) in europe. it grates on them like fingernails on a chalk board. they should go to epcot center if they want to see a 'pure' view of europe. while i'm not a fan of starbucks (but do understand its appeal), most of us here in europe are ok with foreign things.

and stepping back...i have a hard time understanding why a concept that involves stylish, well kept shops in great locations, comfortable chairs, a relaxed atomosphere that invites leisurely visits reading, chatting with friends or working or playing on one's laptop is such an evil thing for america to 'force' on europe!

if starbucks was a european company doing business only in europe and there was no such equivalent in america, american europhiles would be singing its praises from the highest hills. they would rave about how sophisticated and 'european' it is to linger over a cup of free trade coffee while disparaging everything american as so rushed, unsophisticated, and 'drive thru'.

if i'm wrong, just let me know.

and stepping back...i have a hard time understanding why a concept that involves stylish, well kept shops in great locations, comfortable chairs, a relaxed atmosphere that invites leisurely visits reading, chatting with friends or working or playing on one's laptop is such an evil thing for America to 'force' on Europe!

I spent a lot of my late teens hanging around in coffee bars drinking frothy coffee. We called them espresso bars and there are still elderly Britons who get a shock when they meet their first real espresso in Italy. We didn't have laptops of course ;-)
For some reason, coffee bars declined after the 60s until the returned as a "novelty" in the 80s.

dont like starbucks
theyre normal shots are too weak for my taste and if you ask for a double shot it is too strong

i dont mind their mochas - at least the chocolate added kills the taste of the coffee
i try to get mochas when im worried that i wont like the coffee

best coffee consistently was in vienna

the worst was in croatia and, amazingly, italy

this time im taking my own

It's pretty funny to me that if you simply state you don't like the taste of something you're accused of reverse snobbery or of being an "American europhile," as if that were some sort of curse. There are plenty of purely European things I don't like the taste of, too - Ladurée macarons would be a good example. What kind of snobbism do you attribute that to?

StCirq - sorry if my brush painted too wide a stroke. Comments like yours about individual taste are not the issue, more the puffery akin to whining about corporate imperialism and cultural hegemony.
BTW, next time someone gifts you with a box of Laduree macarons just let me know and I will be glad to take them off your hands. ;-)

"Ladurée macarons would be a good example"
Thanks StCirq

I did not care for them either. The ones I bought one night at Monoprix ( in the bakery) tasted much better!

Seamus, I'll hand them over at Mark's Duck House anytime you want to make good on that offer:)

The others have virtually no redeeming features though.>

Talk about inane generalisations!!!'

no redeeming features?

what about clean toilets for one thing

WI-FI

Starbucks has cheap good coffee

No redeeming features - get down off your haughty upper crust English horse, chap IMO

Oooh - and another one!

I think the the word is 'stalker'.

Starbucks isn't cheap overseas.

In London, the one near Trafalgar Square charged more for capuccino than a local cafe a couple of blocks away.

If Starbucks can find customers, what difference does it make? Good for them and good for the the people who like them.
I've had a Starbucks card in my wallet for months and never use it. I’m waiting to use it if I get stuck with no decent coffee for miles and am forced to use SB.

Does anyone really drink Starbuck's or do they only pretend that they do? For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would drink it. Starbucks in Australia are closing most of their shops as we have a coffee culture we have inherited from our Italian immigrants. We drink real coffee, not dishwater.

Am I the only one who notices empty Starbucks cups littering all over the continent of North America? Local coffee is usually cheaper than Starbucks overseas. Could SB popularity have to do partly with the portability? Didn't see many people walking around Paris this month with to-go cups...Nor did I notice them all over store shelves, etc.

The fact that Americans don't want to see a Starbucks on every street corner in Europe is irrelevant. In order for them to be succesful, the locals must like them.

I like Starbucks. You get some pretty awful coffee in cafes in Belgium sometimes. And in most places you sit down, and order your coffee from a waiter. Sometimes you just want a coffee to take away, and Starbucks is fine for that. And at Brussels Airport, Starbucks is a huge improvement on the coffee available from the other outlets there. Judging from the lines at Starbucks, I'm not the only one who thinks so.

i agree tulips. i'm not a fan of starbucks (i just don't go out for coffee that often). however, it is very bizarre that so many people are taking aim at it. i laugh at the europhiles' assertion that 'europe already has superior coffee'. europe is a big place with a lot of bad coffee and bad coffee shops. certainly starbucks is not the worst coffee or worst coffee shops in europe. in fact, far from it. doesn't starbucks serve about 20 blends of coffee and tea as well? it's all complete rubbish and not as good as anything else in europe??? strange. i do understand personal preferences when it comes to coffee and maybe i just have very unsophisticated tastes but to rail against starbucks with such passion just seems odd and unjustified to me.

most people go out for coffee to relax, take a break, work, read, chat with friends, etc. starbucks seems to be a good place for this and even if their coffee is not exactly your taste, they do take care with their coffee (freshness, proper machines kept clean, trained staff, etc, etc).

so the only reason that i can think of for being so passionately against starbucks is that the american europhiles are offended by seeing american things in europe. they come here to experience 'something different' and it grates on them to see american things. they are further disappointed that europeans actually like it!

anyway, starbucks made a mistake by completely saturating the market and the number of stores (at least in the UK) will be scaled back to better fit with demand. nonetheless, starbucks have built their brand within the UK and other european markets, they have a loyal following and they are here to stay for the foreseeable future.