Do you enjoy your trip to Starbucks?

I treated myself to one "special" coffee per week and was always satisfied with the Starbucks when I worked in Taipei. However, some said that they felt disappointed with the big brand coffee shop that they used as they frequently messed up their order and lacked that personal touch. What customers fancy for is that not only do they get their drink right 100% of the time but actually smile and chat to them while they're there. What's more, their prices are also substantially cheaper than the big names.

A new report from the consumer magazine says independent cafes, where you get the best coffee at the best price, may be bubbling because of many such cafes are struggling to survive.
A new survery on the coffee shop chains that have sprung up over the UK, its inferior coffee at an inflated price. "The big guys just chuck hot milk on a coffee product. They're selling a lifestyle, not coffee."owner of independent coffee.
How can the little guys take on the coffee giants and all their financial muscle? By not trying to match them and offering something different, the experts said that it can be anything from creating unique ambiance, right down to the coffee you serve.


Memories are short. It's true though that people are at very stage of coffee appreciation in Taiwan. I still well remember in the 1990s frequenting ice coffee in McDonald. Nowadays I have to make my own to come close and to save money. 看了這篇BBCnews，感覺他們想推翻某些知名的連鎖咖啡店的低品質高消費的行為，回應的名眾褒貶各半。我去喝過幾次這兒的Starbucks, London, Cardiff or Swansea 幾乎都大排長龍，服務生忙碌的狀況可想而知，所以根本沒有所謂的服務品質，只想趕快推進下一個客人、做成咖啡、賣出。鮮少見他們在跟客人溝通
；台灣的咖啡文化沒有英國深遠，星咖啡可以說很用心經營台灣的咖啡文化，可以見到他們跟客人聊天或溝通。
文化差距的因素之下，不只我適應困難，連星咖啡這種大哥級的，也都充滿挑戰呢。就如文中的專家所說，不要跟他們較量，也不必故意做的跟他們不一樣，只要有自己獨特的味道跟享受就是行家的品味。嗯，那你是哪一味?