The McDonaldsfication of Starbucks

I rely on Starbucks quite a bit when I travel. My blood runs golden brown with a hint of crema. But honestly over the last few years I have seen Starbucks go from the “it” place to the fast food version of coffee. The machines are completely automated. What used to be an art and a science, Starbucks has made into a push-button automated frenzy. There is no love put in that latte anymore. There is no gentle coercing of air into the milk to form that smooth microfoam.

Now 1 Starbuck's barista does not speak for all of them but just this morning I was barked at for asking something a little particular about my latte desires. I am sorry. I will gladly pay $3 for a latte because I know the work and training that goes into getting it just right. But I will not pay $3 to get barked at. Where did that love go?

And when its slow why not let the customer sit down and bring them their drink. This is an luxury item not a Big Mac at Mcdonalds. If I always have to wait at the counter for my drink then whats the difference then me waiting in line at McDonalds. If your not busy what's the rush? The ladies behind me asked if they could sit down and the barista told them no way. They needed to wait a few minutes. There was no one else in the store.

And would it kill Starbucks to try something a little different with the store design. I have been to a million different Starbucks in 5 countries and they are all exactly the same. I expect that from McDonald’s but why Starbucks? Can’t we have a little uniqueness? And the décor and paintings are becoming more and more like advertising. There are more signs and posters creeping in to promote the newest drink or food and they are crowding out the paintings and soothing atmosphere that was once more common.

But yet I like so many others are addicted to coffee and without a suitable alternative I still go in and order. But I will dream of a day when you can travel and have more access to local coffee shops that can put of a solid brew.

We Steal from the Chinese

They say that 1 human year is the equivalent to 7 dog years. Not sure how they came up with this or why the two have to be compared in this way. Isn’t it simpler to just say that dogs don’t live as long as humans? Then we can start using the dog year analogy for other things. For example, 1 year running a business in China is the equivalent to 7 human years. I am sure this might apply to more things then just running a business, but I can speak first hand that it has been 2 years since the Chicago Coffee Company was established and the toil it has taken feels nothing short of an equivalent 14 years of life.

There are ways to keep this kind of wear and tear off the proverbial business tires. Shortcuts. There are shortcuts to be had in any country in the world and even the US of A is certainly not without its share of corruption and injustice. But here shortcuts in this political and economic system are so widely used that they can no longer be considered shortcuts. They are the status quo. Because of this “playing by the rules” and “following the law” are such foreign concepts that in order to do so the government has actually set it up to discourage such behavior. i.e the Fapiao 发票 system (which I hope to touch on in a later post).

One of those shortcuts is the use of 关系 “Guan Xi” or the use of relationships or each person’s social capital to incur favors in order to get something done that otherwise would not be possible. The more guanxi one person or one company has the more favor one can enjoy from other companies, individuals, or government entities.

Another shortcut is less a cultural custom and more of a universal injustice practiced in almost every country in the world. That shortcut is simply the violation of an established minimum wage for workers and/or the violation of basic employee rights in order to save money or time or both. Fast food giants, McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut, are notorious minimum wage violators and have been found guilty in some Chinese cities of underpaying its workers.

It is no secret to most that these Fast Food giants have been paying sometimes half the minimum wage or as little as 3 or 4 yuan per hour (43 – 58 cents per hour) despite having lower operating costs and the same prices as their U.S. based counterparts. Instead of just settling for making a hefty profit they have chosen to steal from the Chinese so they can make a killing at every one of their 100’s of locations. And the worst part is its not just mega chains that have taken up this practice but even local foreign owned restaurants and cafes like Silver Spoon* have made this common practice and run on the reputation of abusing Chinese workers simply because its cheaper and easier. I understand that Chinese companies do this as well and they should be called to the same standards as well, but it is disgusting to see foreign businesses doing it without any concern or respect for the Chinese people.

I am not perfect in what I do by any means, and I can’t guarantee that those that work for my company will leave thinking it was the best job they have ever had. But I can guarantee they will be paid a fair wage of at least the minimum wage (nearly double the city average wage) and that they will be shown the respect and concern they deserve as fellow human beings. The Chinese are not just cheap labor and those that treat them as such will surely be held accountable at some point.

* Changes in management have been made recently at Silver Spoon so I am unaware if other changes to their practices have been made as well

Community Service?

"a community service by McDonald's"

That is the slogan on these trash cans I recently saw littered around a Chinese airport. I like a good trash receptacle as much as the next guy but lets not pretend slapping your advertisement and logo on a trash can is "community service." Lets call it like it is, advertising.

McD's getting fiesty

McD's has recently been taking a lot swings at Starbucks. This sign was put up directly across from Starbucks HQ. Another had the phrase "large is the new grande." Although witty and very clever, I am afraid the same people that aren't satistfied with the quality that goes along with a $1 burger will be the same people that might not fall in love with a latte from McDonalds.