Why Starbucks stores in China are larger

"To accommodate all of the lollygagging chatters," according this story. "In Hong Kong and China, coffee is still more of a social event than a daily necessity," says Michael Wu. "People come to meet their friends and talk." (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Comments

[Jeremy]

That comment is a little funny because it seems to imply that we here in America no longer think of meeting for coffee as a social event.

[L]

yeah, i need coffee, but i make it at home. when i go to Sbux, its usually a social event! (in america, i mean)

[Beverly]

I am cut and pasting a email that I recived. I would like to know if it true. If it is shame on you.

Did you hear about this????

Recently Marines in Iraq wrote to Starbucks because they wanted to let them
know how much they liked their coffees and to request that they send some
of it to the troops there.
Starbucks replied, telling the Marines thank you for their support in their
business, but that Starbucks does not support the war, nor anyone in it,
and that they would not send the troops their brand of coffee.
So as not to offend Starbucks, we should not support them by buying any of
their products. As a war vet writing to fellow patriots, I feel we should
get this out in the open. I know this war might not be very popular with
some folks, but that doesn't mean we don't support the boys on the ground
fighting street-to-street and house-to-house for what they and I believe is
right.
If you feel the same as I do then pass this along, or you can discard it
and no one will never know. Thanks very much for your support of me, and I
know you'll all be there again when I deploy once more.
Semper Fidelis." Sgt Howard C. Wright
1st Force Recon Co
1st Plt PLT RTO

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP webmaster]

Beverly -- You are using a government computer to spread a chain mail letter. You better hope someone doesn't turn you in. Do some simple research and you'll find this has been WIDELY DEBUNKED.

[Sarah]

Starbucks corporate may not send you coffee, but the individual stores can. Each Starbucks Barista is given 1lb of free coffee per week they call it a "Mark Out". I'm sure there are many barista's that are willing to donate there mark outs to support our troops.

[danny bloom]

There's a small Starbucks here in Chiayi City, in Taiwan, not communist China, but free democratic Taiwan, and the Starbucks in located in the first floor lobby of the local Chiayi Christian hospital. Are there any other hospital-based Starbucks in the known world?

I never go there. Not the most comfortable place to relax and drink coffee.

The only thing I ever drink at the other Starbucks in town, on a wide boulevard with a nice sunny sidewalk, 38 degrees centigrade in the shade, is coffee of the day, about US$1.50 in new Taiwan dollars. I would never, never pay anything more for a cup of coffee. Starbucks has pulled the wool over America's eyes and the end is near.