I have a very limited sense of taste. I think it's from years of allergies making me unable to smell things very well, and smell is a component of taste. So coffee is coffee to me. I can tell if somehting is stronger but I can't taste any subtelty in the flavors. My boss can go on and on about the hints of this and that but it's just coffee to me. Which is why I hardly ever frequent any coffee establishments. I have whatever we make at work and occassionally I make it at home. Otherwise I don't go out of my way. I can get my cafiene from my Tab if I need it.

I went to a presentation on one-to-one marketing. One discussion was about the evolution of a cup of coffee and what it meant. It has been a while, so I know some of the details will be screwed up, but you will get the gist of it.

During the time that we were a primarily an industrial economy, coffee meant that you got it for a nickel in a paper cup.

Later, when we became a "Convenience" economy, you could get pre-ground coffee at the local supermarket (think about those large tins of Folgers) and use your percolator at home. Coffee was about a quarter per cup.

As we shifted to a "Service" economy, and offices had a coffee machine with two or three pots and a person would come in from the vending company to restock the premeasured packets, filters, etc.


Now (the speaker argued) we are shifting into an "Experience" economy where we are paying for the experience. In the case of Starbucks (which was the natural evolution of the train of thought), one is paying for the "experience". Jerry Baldwin had been to France and fell in love with the Bistros there. He loved the "neighborhood meeting place" feel of the Bistros. He basically wanted to recreate that experience here for his customers and built the Starbucks experience around that idea. They have always tried to make the stores (at least most of them - there are a lot of exceptions now) a place where one could go and relax, meet with friends and enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee.

Not making argument one way or the other about Starbucks; I just wanted to share the story.

(BTW: the speaker was Tim Sanders, director of Yahoo's in-house think tank. He is also the author of an interesting book, Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends.)

My 2 cents:

Starbucks made it big by marketing to youth. They even say so on their website.
They do not have the best coffee, but the most convenient. Speaking of comparing McDonalds to Starbucks, their coffee beat Starbucks for flavor in a recent test.Link

My favorites are Keane' and Home Brewed.

I really need a trip to Keane right about now. Never been to Home Brewed.

I meant what I brew at home :)

Oh man, I'm laughing so hard right now - Thank you Fej

Hey, I was with Erica on this one.

Someone should open a shop called "Home Brewed." Maybe I'll do it!

My home brew is Peets.

I have no idea what my *home brew* is since it's brewed via a peculator in my second home and not by me. But it's the only coffee I'll drink black.