We know a pop culture artifact helps define a society during a given time. Among the various artifacts, I would have to say Starbucks coffee is definitely one of them. Starbucks, the company, has completely shaped the way Americans drink coffee over the last two decades. Coffee is no longer just made at home in the morning; it’s purchased at coffee bars at all hours of the day.
The people of our society have fallen in love with the convenience and persona of ordering their coffee from a trendy coffee bar. As workers continue to crunch their spare time with busier schedules, it’s easier to swing by a Starbucks drive-thru than take the time to brew coffee at home. Many people also like the atmosphere of the Starbucks locations. The stores are really trendy with sleek furniture, designer lighting, popular music, and wireless Internet available. The Starbucks coffee bars have become a popular hangout for studying, distance working, and social networking.
Here’s a little history on the company. Starbucks Corporation is an international chain based in Seattle, Washington. It actually started out as a coffee bean seller before venturing into the beverage industry in the early 1990s (Starbucks Corp, 2008). It’s now the largest coffeehouse chain in the world! By the end of 2007, Starbucks had over 15,000 stores in 44 countries (Wikipedia, 2008). It seems like there is a Starbucks every 3 miles in my home city. There’s even a Starbucks inside my local university!
Starbucks serves a large variety of beverages including their infamous brewed coffee, hot chocolate, espresso, teas, Fruppuccinos, and fruit smoothies. One of the greatest things about Starbucks coffee is the option to order a coffee just the way you like it. Whether you like cappuccinos or simple coffees, you can request steamed milk, whipped topping, ice-blended, flavors, or even additional espresso shots. I personally like the Carmel Frappuccinos the best if I’m going to Starbucks. The coffee bars also offer several snacks and trendy coffee merchandise.
The days of coffee only being consumed by adults is over. Thanks to Starbucks’ various forms of coffee, we see a lot of teenagers drinking coffee as well. I’ve personally witnessed high school students going to a nearby Starbucks to buy a frozen coffee on their lunch break instead of eating a “real” meal. What’s even crazier is the price they are paying for the coffee. Our society is willing to spend absurdly high prices for Starbucks beverages even though we know how cheap the ingredients are. I have several friends that spend hundreds of dollars a year on Starbucks coffees. Is the Starbucks coffee that much better? Is the image someone gets by drinking the brand coffee? Whatever it is, Starbucks can be proud of what they have created!
References:
Starbucks Corporation (2008). About us: Starbucks Coffee Company. Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/
Wikipedia (2008). Starbuck Corporation, Wikipedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/starbucks/
2 comments:
I'll have a Carmel Machiata with extra sweetener, please! It is interesting that coffee shops are not new themselves, it is the venue that Starbuck's offers that makes coffee bars so popular today. I also think it is just the American popular culture, because in Toronto and England, there are coffee shops on every single street corner downtown. It just took awhile to catch on in America, I think.
Starbucks is a great treat to a hard week of homework. I love them but not as an everyday stop. They have really created loyal customers.
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