If you ever go down to the corner back home, you likely feel a touch of Shanghai when you see the neighborhood Starbucks… or is it the other way around? Forget about McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Pizza Hut, when I want the feeling of home in Shanghai, I stop in for my tall mocha and a taste of home, but unlike other types of shopping, don’t expect the regional discount to stretch your tall, skinny, extra hot dollar.
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In 2000 there were almost 40 Starbucks branches in and around Shanghai, a number that proved too many for the local business people and travelers to support. By 2003 half of them were gone, and though I can’t find a solid figure published, I think we’re back up over the 40 mark. Even after the modest step back they took, it still seems they’re everywhere, and just like home, it feels like a new one is opening up every week.
Actually, in the United States, Starbucks anticipates the opening of five new stores every day through 2006 according to a statement issued at their annual shareholder meeting in Seattle, Washington, so a new one every week in Shanghai sounds a bit relaxed.
And it really is a taste of home. The stores look just like they do in any country, the variety of coffee, flavored syrups and mind boggling configurations are the same, even the WiFi hotspot feature is the same. There’s more choice in teas and the pastries are as different as they would be from one store to another back home, but the similarity, sadly, does not end there.
The price is the same as it is back home. In fact, it’s even higher than in is in some US markets. It’s based on a world price, one can only assume.
But you’re not going to Starbucks for a cheap cup of coffee, not even in Italy. You’re going there for something familiar, something soothing or refreshing, maybe even to meet with business colleagues or friends new and old. You’ll still get all that, and if you want to, you can even buy a stainless steel cup.
