As an American living in France who must have coffee-to-go, I'm interested in seeing how the formula works over here. I'll be in Paris next week so I figured it's worth stopping in for fun. I make my mochas at home and take them out with me in a plastic thermos cup. When I went to the hair salon one morning a crowd of french ladies (in various stages of hair treatment) gathered around me to see for themselves, amazed that I would be carrying coffee with me. It was hilarious!

Babette, is there a starbucks in Paris? We were there a few weeks ago and I did not spot it; reading your post, I realized I did not see parisians walking around with their coffee like we do in north america !!

Do you think Parisians will catch the Starbucks fever and people will start lining up for the cardboard cups and walk around with them?

Hi

If you go to www.google.com and enter "starbucks paris" you will find that they are not there yet.

Ira -

Isn't that wonderful to hear "no Starbucks in Paris" - forget their designer coffees (if you can call them coffee), but their regular coffee is the worst that's every passed my lips.

Sandi,

If Starbucks coffee is the worst you've ever had -- you are lucky.

Thank God, there is no such thing as a Starbucks in Paris (yet?). God preserve us from this over-roasted, over-priced coffee, not to mention the ghastly vanilla or raspberry flavours!
When I go to a Starbucks in the States, I always make a point to ask for a "real" expresso cup (not the styrofoam heresy), and I have to confess my delightment at the attendants' panicked face. Grace has to be given to the legendary American service, they eventually always find some old chinaware somewhere in the store!

Coffee-to-go (in paper cups) does not seem to be popular in Europe. I have never seen people carrying around paper coffee cups.

Several times I have tried buying coffee-to-go in several countries, but have never found any places providing paper cups. This is true even in train stations. Customers are expected to drink their coffee in china cups at the coffee bar. Starbucks may be an exception to this, if you can find one.

I think there is one there.....
Author: coffeeboy
Date: 05/21/2002, 02:54 pm
Message: I've a friend in Paris who says that Starbucks is doing well there, too. I guess it's the novelty of it all.

Try locating one of the Columbus Café shops...
http://www.columbuscafe.com/us/INDEX.HTM

This is a French-owned "American style" coffee shop/espesso bar.

IRA I agree 100% with you.
I cannot imagine how people think that Sturbuks coffee is any good!!!!!!!!!!!
Besides drink a coffee in a cafe , relaxing a few minutes to do it, may be meeting a friend ....makes taste better French , ITalian....coffee than rushing with coffee in a paper cup.....
Why do we want to make other people do as we do, LET US LEAVE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE....

Starbucks DOES NOT have a store in France. They expect to open in Paris in early 2004. Here is the press release address:

http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=343

I think Starbucks in Europe is radiculous. Are they trying to get the Europeans to drink on the go like Americans? The reason cafes are set up the way they are, is that you "have" to take a break in order to drink a cup of coffee. I vote that cafes stay the way they are.

Starbucks in Europe is an okay idea. Why not give the locals and the tourists a real choice on how and when to drink coffee? All the cafes are not going to go out of business just because Starbucks opens a few stores.

Question to all: WHY do Americans prefer coffee in cardboard to go in lieu of lingering at a cafe drinking it from glass/china???

I can't speak for all Americans, but I don't know of many places I can go and "linger" while drinking coffee out of china or glass. Granted, that many cities have more options I know. Also, most of us I think are getting coffee "on the way" somewhere and need to get it quickly. The act of going and hanging out at a cafe vs. needing a cup of coffee on the go are two different things I think.

bardo, most americans like having the option of doing both. Linger if you have the time and are in the mood or grab a quick cup when you are busy and lack the time. Its not a question of which is better, but which fits the situation.

I noticed that during morning rush hour Italians do not linger over their coffee in public places. They go to the coffee bar closest to their bus stop, order the espresso at the bar, gulp it down as fast as possible and hop on the bus. One could do the same in France. No need for a paper cup.

The genius behind Starbucks continues to amaze me. We walk in and leave many dollars behind for something that costs much less other places.

I love to linger and have a coffee while I travel, but I also love having coffee to go. When we ride in the car or I walk around a park and sit for awhile. I bring my to-go coffee cup with me while I travel. I buy a second cup before I leave the cafe and pour it into the to-go cup, usually in the a.m. I love Europe and all it has to offer, but in my heart I love my coffee "to go".

Glad to see this question sparked such a debate! I remember my first trip to Paris and stopping into a cafe to request a coffee "to go" for our long walk to the Louvre. Quelle horreur! The funny thing is, they did try -- in those flimsy little soft plastic cups that scalded our cold little hands! Yes, we did gulp!

Of course it's wonderful to sit and linger over a coffee in a quaint little cafe. That is one of the great turn-ons of France. And that will never change.

But, after a few years in L.A. with a nasty little commute each morning, I took great pleasure in my big mocha sharing the drive up the 405 with me. Personally, I don't like the flavor of Starbuck's coffee; I stopped each morning at The Heidelberg, around the corner from my house in Laguna Beach. When I told the German owner, Claudia, that I was moving to France, she said, "Don't worry, you will find plenty of good coffee there," which is true.

However, on those early mornings where I have to get up early to sit in a chilly classroom to study this beautiful language, all the other students are jealous of my steaming plastic mug! They are paying a half a Euro for the little cups of horrid sludge from the vending machine in the hall - you know the kind, where the cup drops down and then fills up with some brown liquid from a mystery source inside the big box?

I've thought that a Starbucks-style coffee shop would be a great business to open here (in Aix-en-Provence). And, by Starbucks-style, I'm only referring to the "to go" convenience. I was discussing this idea with some french friends the other evening after they had mentioned how well Starbucks was doing in various European cities. They said a shop on the Cours Mirabeau would do brisk business until the cafe mafia killed me. So, perhaps I'll just keep my sipping to myself!

I do find that something as simple as a cup of coffee provides so much information on the difference between the American and French cultures. And I know many people believe that France would not embrace "to go" coffee, but look at those long, long lines at the French McDonalds. I hear many complaints about them buy who are all those people buying Les Big Macs? (By the way, just try to get ice in your Coke at a French McDo!)

My, I have digressed! Too much mocha this morning! (for the record, I do drink out of a china cup at home) Thanks for all your great input. I'll let you know what I find in Paris next week.