Starbucks conquest is complete-First Italian store opens in Milan

First sign of the apocalypse...

well I have actually counted the number of times I have had coffee in a Starbucks in my life so far and it is a total of ZERO!
I don't really care for coffee.

Given that this is in the General Europe section, perhaps this won't be too far off topic, but when we're in larger cities in France we typically will stop by a Starbucks and purchase a few bags of whole-bean coffee, because in France, it's difficult to find coffee that has been roasted beyond a medium brown color. Even imported coffee from Italy is roasted to medium brown, probably to cater to French tastes.

We stopped by a commercial torréfacteur (coffee roaster) in Lyon one time and he was willing to roast a batch for us to our specification, but it had to be a minimum of 2 kilograms.

That's a bit much for a one-time purchase for two people.

So, yes, while I don't buy prepared coffee drinks from Starbucks in France, I buy their coffee beans.

I will, on occasion, buy prepared unsweetened black iced tea at Starbucks on hot days because (1) it comes with lots of ice, which is rare in France, and (2) one can get it without sugar and without that noxious peach (pêche) flavor added, as is so common in prepared iced tea. Plus, their tea is pretty good, at least to my taste.

While traveling in Paris, we stopped at a few Starbucks and there were many young Parisians in the above age group working at laptops or talking. What they didn't do was the American habit of ordering to go as I didn't see many people in Spain or France walking around with coffee. I suspect Starbucks will do quite well with the young and their love of the sweet coffee drinks. Plus the fact that it's American.

Starbucks in the UK serves tasteless bland coffee compared to all other chains, so hopefully that in Italy will be better!

Before we get too many comments like what this topic often brings, the store that opened in Milan is not the standard Starbucks. It is their high end Reserve Roastery brand, this is only the third one, and is intended to offer a very different experience from the typical Italian coffee bar, and even from a Starbucks (No Frappucinnos.) Another link: https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/06/news/companies/starbucks-italy-first-store/index.html

It was noted that other Starbucks will open, they may be the more typical type, but as is often pointed out, Starbucks has their own brand and experience that appeals to young professionals, they have no intent to compete with the coffee bar, they just do not sell the same thing. They have done well all over Europe, no reason they will not succeed in Italy.

I recall seeing on CNN when Starbucks first hit Paris. Parisians were asked how they felt having Starbucks in their midst.

Friends don't let friends go to Starbucks'. I go to Caribou, I go to Dunn Bros. I will not go to Starbucks unless absolutely necessary. And I will not order a "venti" under any circumstances. It is so pretentious.

And.....Coca Cola just bought Costa. Personally, I go to independent coffee houses if I can. Especially in Italy where you never have to walk far to find a bar.

And Domino's offers delivery in Milan.

We've encountered some long lineups at Starbucks - the tweens and teens at the one in Ghent were especially plentiful. And also have encountered lines in London and Paris. Even darkened the doors of SB in the NL a few times. Listen, when your husband only likes regular old filter coffee with cream and sugar - no espressos or cappuccinos or lattes for him - seeing a Starbucks is a godsend. No, asking for an American style coffee in Italy rarely worked for him, it was still always too strong and a man can only put so many sugars in his coffee to make it drinkable before I worry he will get diabetes. I don't drink coffee - but Starbucks does a really yummy hot chocolate, so it works for me! Don't knock it.

The coffee drinkers in my house have been over Starbucks for a long time-they're fans of Costa so are happy about the Coke deal. Domino's in Italy? I'm not a fan of them here-why would I eat their pizzas in Italy? That's just awful!

Starbucks in Milan is akin to an Olive Garden chain opening in Milan.

they closed a lot of their stores in Australia,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FGUkxn5kZQ
the locals already have their favourite cafe, perhaps the same might happen in italy?

And the Americanization of the globe conitinues.

Not a plus in my book.

Rue Cler was French in the 70’s, now Americanized.

The fact that KFC and Pizza Hut can be found walking up to Windsor Castle depresses me.

And as I tell good friends “go to Cuba now before Starbucks and McDonalds show up on every corner.”

I don’t drink Starbucks in the states. They burn the their beans. They’ve also put Mom and Pop shops out of business.

No I don’t drink Maxwell House or Folgers. My coffee is from a family run operation on the central coast of CA. Have it shipped to me through out the year. Great coffee.

On my last 4 week trip to London packed coffee, a small cone drip and filters.

Put the kettle on.

I rarely go to Starbucks, usually when I’m at an airport. I went to the Starbucks in Dublin a few years ago, just because I wanted a cheap sandwich for supper. I’m going to Milan in a few weeks and plan to stop in just for the experience. The place looks beautiful. Folks, try not to be judgmental. Trust the Italians.

I only drink coffee made from beans from zero carbon foot print, employee owned certified non-exploitive plantations that comply with UN organic food production guidelines. The shop its self must be locally owned (2 mile radius) and must pay every employee a living wage of at least $20 per hour and 6 months paid maternity leave for mothers and fathers. The owner must return all profits above his living wage to the employees and the building must be energy net zero.

If I can't find that, I go to Starbucks.

James,

So that means you go to Starbucks often? ;-)

Well, this is interesting...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/i-really-wanted-to-hate-italys-first-starbucks-but-it-was-fantastic

I mean - it's not just coffee "Upstairs on the mezzanine, customers can discover the Arriviamo Bar, where mixologists create specialty cocktails behind a 30-foot-long marble bar, then finally, to the left, customers will be greeted with acclaimed Italian bakery, Princi, offering artisan breads, Italian pastries and many more delicacies." ( https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/starbucks-milan-store/ )

Also, I know Scotland isn't known for coffee (is it?) but they opened a Tim Horton's in Glasgow and on opening day, the line up was halfway down the block...I know because I have a FB friend in Glasgow, and his wife is Canadian and he was there with his iphone rolling...lol. A lot of Canadians hate Tim's coffee...but it was something novel and new - he even liked the donuts! (Which have sucked here since they changed the way they cooked them some years back). It's something new and different...

very often.

Oh, when i go to Budapest i take a package of Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend Ground Coffee. I keep a "Mr. Coffee" machine in the apartment. My Hungarian friends are disgusted by filtered coffee.

James E - you like what you like. My mother doesn't really even like filter coffee (tho she does drink Tim Horton's from time to time)...she actually takes INSTANT coffee (the horror to coffee purists) when she goes overseas - she just finds other stuff too strong.

I don’t drink coffee, tea is my thing and i alwys carry my own when traveling. But hubby loves his duplo expresso or machiato. 2 sips and you are done, not much there. anyway, this past summer in Croatia he was so jacked up from having coffee with friends and family, that one morning i caught him ironing his own shirts at 6 am, If Starbuck’s can do that, i don’t care where they open.

I love these little tubes of instant coffee you can get in Europe. Cant remember the brand. Excellent stuff when the Dunkin' runs out.

My only motivation to enter a Starbucks in Europe is because of their open bathroom policy. Even if you don't buy anything they have to let you use it now! Quite a perk.

Starbucks=overrated and overpriced

Anita, nope... they can -and, in fact, many bars and coffee shops other than Starbucks do, at least in the centre of Barcelona- restrict access to toilets to customers only. And I can recall of at least a couple of chains in which you need to enter a code in a door keypad to get to the toilet area. The code is printed in your ticket, so no customer, no ticket and no ticket, no access to the bathroom.

The rationale fenced by some of the businesses though does have a valid point: in heavily congested areas of the city, the number of non-customers using the facilities -before the restrictions were in place- amounted to such that the toilets had to constantly be cleaned by the service staff. This dramatically increased the cost of maintenance.

This is not to say that you won't still find many places, in not so congested areas, where you'll be allowed to use the restroom facilities even if you are not a customer.

Having said that, the "tradition" in these shores is that if you need to use a toilet, you enter into a coffee shop or a bar and, either before or after you've done your business, you order something, even if it's just an expresso.

Regardless, businesses do not "have to let you use their toilet facilities"

I hear that an Italian firm owns Chrysler. And Eatily has restaurants in a number of US cities. Gucci is worn in all the best places. What next --spaghetti on every plate?
Relax. Open your minds to the big wide world of international commerce.

Enric...hmmm...in the US that is their stated policy. Assumed it was corporation-wide...guess not!

... well Anita, it's well known that "service" is understood differently in both sides of the Atlantic and that, in general, US businesses tend to have a more 'curated' service towards customers. That might be the reason, no?

However, I've always disagreed with that "corporate-wide" view.. because each place (=culture) has its own "rules" and companies need/have to adapt, sometimes because of the local laws but far more too often because the market forces them to. And, sometimes the end result can be 'better' than at home, but sometimes can also be worst... like in the case at hand, LOL!

Anita, even in NYC sometimes you have to enter a code to use the bathroom, I'm guessing it's not a country wide policy.
Anyway, I agree that there are international brands everywhere in the world, not just from the US, but also Italian, Spanish, french ... Starbucks is just one more, and whoever wants to go can go, and who doesn't, doesn't, there are other options.

Starbucks coffee is swill...if you are in China and need a desperation cup...that's about the only time to drink it. Anyone that appreciates good coffee won't touch it.
The tourists will swarm this new location because of the name recognition and because they don't know any better. The experience of an Italian coffee at a small bar with the locals, don't miss out on it. This SB location is a way over the top shop..the beans are roasted onsite. The marble counter tops are heated so that you won't get cold touching them. Really? They will not sell the gigantic cups and none of the ridiculous flavored coffees will be offered...sorry, no Pumpkin Spice Latte for you. It's a novelty...go there if you must, the rest of us...walk by and be amused.

Regarding the bathroom policy (which is universal now for Starbucks shops although possibly only those in the U.S.) here is some background for those unaware:

https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-bathroom-policy-reveals-middle-class-transformation-2018-6

Just providing verification for Anita's claim, not starting a discussion around the event which prompted the policy.

I ran across a picture the other day that The Husband took outside Victoria Station in London back in 2002. We'd just gotten off the plane, were miserably jet-lagged and had a long day ahead of us. I'm standing in front of a Starbucks kiosk with a big to-go cup in my hand, kickstarting a 2nd wind we both badly needed at that point!

I never get the hate for coffee from certain chains. My husband really enjoys Tim Hortons, but so many people say it's gross and prefer McD's - which my husband has had and doesn't like. We rarely frequent SB at home, because the closest one is an hour drive away. Hubby does buy bags of Starbucks Blonde blend and buys the pods for the Keurig...I guess it's a good thing everyone has different tastes, or it would be a pretty bland world!

I agree that the drip brew coffee you get at Starbucks is not that great. But then I don't really like McDonald's, Tim Horton's, Denney's, Duncan, the corner diner, or most other drip coffees either. All lack flavor or have an over cooked taste. So if that is what you are using to decide if you like Starbucks try an espresso instead. Not a frapaccino or anything with half a cup of sugar in it. Just an espresso. It really isn't terrible.

But is this going to make Starbucks a hit in Italy? Who knows. People will probably try it, decide if they like paying extra over what they normally do, and come back or not. Having Starbucks in Italy is not the worst thing to ever happen to Europe.

Starbucks' new open-door policy reveals a shift in American
middle-class values

The US is on a new path, today toilets, tomorrow .... ? Huh?!! LOL!

... in the marketing world there are very fascinating studies on what sort of customers go to each one of those "American global chains" here in Europe. Very interesting reading indeed. However, when it comes to food -which is something important in many cultures here- most locals tend to stick to local coffee shops and restaurants. The reasons are many and varied, of course, from quality to cost to politics, everybody's got his/her own reasons why to use/not to use these chains.