Starbucks – Don't look behind ya now
Wasn’t it Satchel Paige that said “Don’t look behind you, they may be gaining on you!”?
This morning I was downtown Boston needing a morning cup of fuel and I popped into the City Place, down on Charles South. What was really interesting is that the Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts are basically right next to each other, but what took the cake was the huge line at Dunkin Donuts and almost nobody in the Starbucks!
Now, ever since Starbucks changed it’s morning offerings from the really tasty blends of: Lightnote, House and Breakfast Blend(s) and substituted them with Pike Place Roast, both drinkers and barista’s have been commenting that their morning brew tastes more like burned roofing tar paper than something good that they want to sip on their way to wherever they’re going. Although not a totally scientific survey, these comments seem to be growing in frequency and magnitude.
So, has the fad of drinking Starbucks finally become a bubble that may pop…or maybe level out? Or will Starbucks bring back the morning blends that appear to be more palatable than their current transition of a one size (or brew) that supposedly satiates all?
Let’s face it, spending that much money for a cup of coffee has to be classified as a fad. Fads have phases and phases go in cycles. It’s a law of nature, marketing and good taste in food. I mean, face it, if Papa John’s Pizza came out and told us that we were only going to be able to buy anchovie pies from now own as thier base product (of course we COULD put in a special order for a cheese or pepperoni, but it might take a while longer to get…) how long do you think they’d stay in business before places like Dominoes, Pizza Hut and every other pizza place down the street put them under the table?
And, yes, I realize that Dunkin Donuts started in a suburb of Boston some years ago, so you presume there may be some form of hometown loyalty and preferences….maybe. Thing is, I see this trend and hear these discussions in more areas than Boston. So, what’s up with that?
So, is the big green Starbucks bubble ready to pop? Only time will tell… Time to sell your Starbucks stock? Don’t ask me, ask your broker!
I’m Don Rima and that’s the way the pot perks, From Where I stand.
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