Café Purists froth as Starbucks hits Paris

[Flagg]

CAFE PURISTS FROTH AS STARBUCKS HITS PARIS


PARIS, Jan 11 (AFP) - Paris's cafe culture comes under assault with the opening of France's first Starbucks this week -- but besides the purists does anyone really care?
The city that invented the art of whiling away a morning over a tiny cup of the strong and black -- home of Les Deux Magots, Flore, Lipp, Le Procope, Le Select and a thousand other cafes -- is bracing itself for a taste of the global brew.
After long hesitation the Seattle-based multi-national is taking the plunge into a market that is not quite like anywhere else. "It is with the utmost respect and admiration for the cafe society in France that we announce our entry," said chairman Howard Schultz at the announcement of the planned opening in September.

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http://www.ttc.org/sa40113b.htm

[SOteric]

1. If they could be successful, (and they have)

in Vienna and Salzbourg, I don't see why Paris should be an obstacle.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. And they're right to be worried

I've found that Starbucks and its imitators have been killing off the individually owned coffeehouses in Japan. They're a lot harder to find than they used to be, which is a shame, because they had a homey atmosphere and brewed individual cups of your choice of blend.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

3. Sacre bleu!

Actually, there is a cafe in the Marais that offers "American-style" bagels, muffins and TAKEOUT COFFEE. There ia not takeout coffee in Europe. You go to the cafe and either stand at the counter or sit down.

I hope Starbucks doesn't drive this little business into the ground; it was started by an American transplant and his French boyfriend back in '98. They are both really cool.

[Deja Q]

4. It's the way of the world

Corporate behemoths are the new standard, wiping out small businesses.

Small businessmen in turn work for the behemoths at far reduced incomes.

If you can't pass their profile tests, you're SOL, see you in heaven because we tell you it exists. Or rather hell, because you can't pass the test.

[GOPisEvil]

5. My guess on this...

French cafes will still be well-patronized. There's too much subculture tied up there.

Starbucks will also succeed, feeding the tourists, and interested locals that want a quick cup of coffee.

McDonald's went to France and didn't totally ruin the country. :-)

[mobuto]

8. The bizarre thing

is that while the French never cease to rail against globalization and so-called Anglo-Saxon perfidy, the McDonalization of the world, practically every McDonalds in France has a line going out the door. They know they shouldn't be eating trash, but they do it anyway. Tant pis.

[HuckleB]

9. It's its own subculture, in a way.

For many, it's sort of a rebellious thing.

[supernova]

11. Franangalais

is a real problem (for the Academie Francaise, anyway) They rail about the creep of English words into French, but they are hard pressed to put a stop to it.

[mobuto]

12. But the more they try, the more they fail

you don't see in other European countries the total domination of American crap culture that you see in France. Franglais is ever-pervasive, the worst and trashiest Hollywood movies make millions, and McDonalds does better in France than it does anywhere else in the world including the United States.

And nowhere in Europe do the intelligentsia, and not just the members of L'Academie Francaise, rail louder against the influence of American pop culture. So I guess the youth see it as a form of rebellion.

[mobuto]

6. French coffee

While you can get excellent coffee in some French cafes, most French coffee is completely undrinkable. You get the absolute cheapest grade of instant robusto. So maybe for once Starbucks will actually be an improvement? Who knows.

[HuckleB]

7. I guess I just get lucky when I go to France.

I've yet to have a coffee in France that didn't put Starbucks to shame. And I have to say that Starbucks does put out one of the better straight shots of espresso in the states.

[bif]

16. I agree--French coffee is pretty horrible

I switched to hot cocoa when I was there. Now Italy, they know how to make coffee!

[HuckleB]

17. Where do you get this terrible coffee in France?

I've yet to find it. Granted, it is better in Italy, but French coffee is hardly "horrible," in my experience.

[bif]

24. At the various small hotels where we stayed

We gave up on it after a couple days.

[HuckleB]

25. Yeah, I don't drink that either.

Nor do most of the French. But then, I don't drink the coffee in cheap hotels in the states or anywhere else, either.

[supernova]

10. Starbucks fills a niche

for those folks who enjoy paying what, 3 euros? for a cup of coffee but don't have time (anymore) to sit for a couple of hours while drinking it. Shame really.

[Flightful]

14. That would be a bargain

Last time I was in Paris coffee cost 3 to 4 times what we pay here, and the price you pay depends on where you sit.

[HuckleB]

15. Really?

Not in my experience. Although, yes, depending on where you go, seating does change prices.

[supernova]

18. I was talking about Starbucks pricing

not cafe pricing where you sit down, get waited on, and usually have a big honkin' masterpiece of pastry to go with it.

[Kellanved]

20. you wish

Starbuck's is more like 5 Euros; and the coffee isn't even particularly good.

And that's in Berlin, a city with an extremely low price-level, I don't even want to know the Paris prices

[supernova]

22. I was guessing

Still the same point tho': way overpriced for what it is.

[corporatewhore]

13. Stop the Coca-Colonization

[Kellanved]

19. We have them in Berlin as well

I don't know why, the coffee is not nearly as good as the coffe sold at Einstein, Chicago (the local chains), or Balzac (from Hamburg, but still good) yet it costs almost double the price :shrug: .

So, if you're looking for good coffee in Berlin, then stick to those:


www.einstein-berlin.de/index_flash.html


and avoid those:


Starbuck's has free WLAN and the better cakes, so there is a point in going there after all.

[supernova]

21. Starbucks has better cakes?

Than Enstein or just in general?

[Kellanved]

23. than the other coffee-stores

They usually "only" have French style fruit cakes, sandwiches and a small cookie selection.

Starbuck's has those mile-high triple-choc... schlag-mich-tot cakes.

Quality-wise there is probably no big difference, but the calories-aside point of view favours Starbuck's.