Just say no
I`ve heard that Starbucks is coming to Buenos Aires. I don`t like them. I don`t like those big chains where you have to order the coffee at the counter. I hate that they use those plastic glasses and that you can take the coffee and drink it while you are walking. I don`t like that they all look identical and that they make their staff wear those stupid uniforms. Besides, with all the nice, interesting places we have here do we really need places like Havanna or Aroma? This is against our porteño laid back nature. This places take away the pleasure of being sited for 15 minutes (or 3 hours) just drinking your coffee, looking through the window or reading the newspaper (and in some cases cruising with the rest of the coffee drinkers).
One of the worst things is that the interesting crazy people don`t drink their coffee in this kind of place. For example in the bar in front of my place( that is not a cool place at all, but it is a really porteño bar) there is this guy who is probably 95 years old (maybe he is 65, bu he drinks a lot of wine) and he goes there almost every night. The first time I saw him It was kind of scary so I sat in the table in front of his but facing the opposite direction. Suddenly I heard him talking to another person. I stopped what I was doing (nothing) and I started to pay attention.He was saying something like; Oh! what a nice girl, don`t you think? And he changed his voice to a mickey mouse voice and he responded to himself, yes she is really pretty, lets say Hi. I panicked, of course, I didn`t want this wacko to come and say hi. But he didn`t. He just kept talking with his invisible puppet describing every single thing I did. For example. Oh, now she needs to go to the bathroom, or She is going to ask for the check, don`t leave us!!!. I must say it was a little strange and scary, but picturesque. Imagine a guy like that in a place like Aroma, the guards would kick him out in a second.
Just say no. Find a real bar, and even if it`s smelly, the waiters are rude, and the coffee tastes like piss, go there. You never know what you could fin in a place like this, but you already know that people who goes to chains are plain and boring and nothing exciting happens in there.
In A chain
Someone can steal your purse/wallet/laptop
In a real bar
You are drinking coffee with the ones that steal wallets in the coffee chains
In a chain
Every once in a while someone really busy who has no time to relax for 5 minutes while he/she drinks coffee dies from a heart attack
In a real bar
someone can stab you in the back to drink your coffee
In a chain
They have a lot of tv´s and music at the same time so you cannot enjoy none of them
In a real bar
they have a shitty tv that they turn on only to watch football games
That`s all I have to say. I have to go now. I`m going to drink some coffee at my favourite dump.
39 comments:
Jeez, everybody is going to write about this. I knew they were coming but I wanted to sit on it. I didn´t want any of my competitors getting any info on them before I did. But you are the second blogger to write about that I have run into so the cat´s out of the bag.
I am going to give Starbucks the benefit of the doubt this time around. I mean, the company that is bringing them down here already failed with a previous chain and they said they learned alot from their failure about Argentina and their consumers.
The way Starbuck´s expands into other countries is that they in effect franchise the country out. They themselves don´t come down here, the person who bought the "Argentina" franchise opens up the business here. In this case though this company bought the whole Latin America franchise. They own all of it from the Tex-Mex Border down to Ushuaia.
They currently have several in Mexico and Brazil and obviously they are going to pop up in other countries as well. Not only are they going to open up Starbucks but other food related franchises as well.
The local companies are a little tense but they also see it as a shot in the arm for the industry. Coffee Stores in general are all going to be basking in the new attention light from Starbucks. They also know that there are several people that think like you do Diva and will not step into those stores. However, there are always the curious, and the ones who actually do like those places. Obviously in my line of work I run into many of those people.
I currently obtained samples of cookies from Starbuck´s Chile and I am thinking about writing my views on those on my site. Just in case any of those decision makers are doing any homework on-line and happen to run into my blog...you never know.
Some local chains that were dragging their feet trying to decide wether to carry my cookies or not are finally closing and deciding to go ahead with us. I wonder if this news had any affect on their decision...;-)
Oh, by the way, no I was not very impressed with the Starbuck´s Chile cookies. They might need my help as well over there.
See that is another positive side for Argentina. More outside investment that actually gives local businesses more work. I might even have to hire more people. Wouldn´t that be great?
I know that in a way is goinig to be a good thing, but I`m still worried. Good for you if you can sell them your cookies. At least something is going to be good there.
I hope so as well. I do know that they are going to try and push their Dulce de Leche Frappuchino. This is a cold coffee drink that they are selling a lot of in the USA.
So then I would guess that they would try and time their opening for the summer season.
Anyway, your concern is a valid one. I hope they decide to offer quality to go with their high prices. I mean where would Havana Cafe be without their signature alfajor (for example)? People can´t posibly be going there for the coffee. Have you tasted their coffee to go? I had to throw it out. I couldn´t finish it.
I sure hope they don´t go the same route.
Ja ja. you hit a nerve with this one.
I gotta say, though there's a bunch to criticize about them, they offer a pretty fair product for a giant monolithic corporation. They're nice to their employees too.
Also, I don't think they offer a completely different product from most everyone here. No one offers to add hazelnut flavouring to your frappuccino here and don’t even ask for a simple soy milk latte. This is one of my beefs (no pun intended) with porteño food taste. Folks here just want “Argentine food” but then when there’s more options people actually feel threatened. I think the real fear here is that it’ll be popular and force other places to offer the same options, thus opening up the culture a bit. That isn’t new. Starbucks completely changed the way people thought about coffee in the States. At the same time it'll have a lot less effect: it's gonna be so expensive, like the McDonalds here, that the only folks who will drink it are the businessmen who work by it in the microcenter or expats, both of whome probably have it in their freezer.
I’m not saying that I’m saving up my pesos to buy a 40 ounce (I don’t know what it is in metric) “super grande mocha Dlite.” I’m just saying some reactionary porteños might be drinking their words when they figure out that Starbucks puts dulce de leche on top of their whipped cream.
Have you had starbucks coffee, Diva? I bet you could even get them to put peanut butter in your iced latte.
In an aboriginal native american tongue, Starbucks actually means "Over Roasted Coffee Cheaply Plucked From Formerly Colonized African Nations Below Market Price and Sold to the Wealthy at Exorbitant and Foolish Prices."
Starbucks flourishes in the U.S. because before them there were no coffee houses in the States. I use the term loosely, of course. The cups aren't even plastic, they're paper. The coffee tastes like shit, but Americans like it because they don't know the difference. I don't see Starbucks making any bigger of an impact than McDonald's does down there, because there are so many places where you can actually get a real coffee. I don't think they'll be any more than a minor nuisance. Probably, in Puerto Madero, they'll be popular. Lewis Black says the definition of hell is when two Starbucks are across the street from each other.
Firstof all: Welcome new readers!!!!
Poor dispositionist (I wonder what that means) that was really funny.
Vardaman (are you a superhero?) Thank you for your comment. You are probably right and I shouldn´t be worried about this...
Well, actually the McCafé idea here is flourishing. Just along side the Cafe Martinez and The Coffee Store and Aroma Cafe chains. The traditional coffee store idea had that individuality about it. Yeah you could have a favorite one but just because they were all small and independent did not mean that they were all going to offer quality.
These places are flourishing because they are clean, well lit modern places that offer the same experience no matter which one you go to. There is this familiarity about them. And they are trying to improve their offerings. Does anyone remember how Aroma was when they first started? They had awfull food, awfull sandwiches, etc. It was like a generic sandwich store with a pretty corporate logo. They turned themselves around completely. I am not just saying this becuase they have my cookies or it was because of my cookies. They made the same effort in all of their products.
I myself am now working on the rest of them but the key point here is to not just complain to each other. The point here is to let them know how you feel about what they offer. If they offer crappy coffee, tell them. If they offer crappy alfajores, tell them. I can assure you that when someone serves me crap I tell them that I have identified their offering as such. You would be surprised at how much they actually listen.
Do you guys know that the employees at Aroma cafe have told me that there are customers who identify my cookies on taste and sight alone? These are comments from consumers that have gone all the way back to the manufacturer. That´s something to think about.
You made my point when you said:
"These places are flourishing because they are clean, well lit modern places that offer the same experience no matter which one you go to. There is this familiarity about them"
God saves me from having the same experience 2 times. I`m more open to adventure, but that´s my style. I mean, I´ve been to those kind of places too, just to try them, and probably I´ll go to try the coffee at sturbucks, but just because I´m an explorer
Vardaman (are you a superhero?)
see W. Faulkner, who by the way was first translated into Spanish by Borges...
Diva,
I know. By the way, I am not the biggest fan of their coffee in the States. I do like some of their iced coffee drinks.
It will be interesting to see what happens here in Argentina. At least, the local chains are already thinking about it and planning for the time when they have to compete against them. That is a good sign already.
over here in chile starbucks has had a good effect...it´s made chilean cafe owners realise that people actually like coffee and so now most cafes and restaurants have a proper coffee machine. that wasn´t the case just 2-3 years ago when it was a nightmare finding real coffee outside of the poshest neighbourhoods and outside of santiarsehole...no chance...i don´t really like going to starbucks and avoid it if i can as i prefer giving my money to a person and not a corporation but sometimes there´s no choice..the mccafe´s are quite popular over here as well although i try to avoid them also. i gave up mcdo´s (and churger bing and the other junk food places 4 years ago)
i´m sure i read or heard that starbucks already tried to break argentina but it was almost exactly during the 2001/02 crisis and they collapsed after just a few months. perhaps i heard wrong?
i know if i had a choice i´d rather go to starbucks than aroma...i just got back from a few days in BA and aroma´s everywhere now- cheap, tatty convent garden tossers. crap product, crap design, crap service.
Check out Episode 5 of The Burg which is all about a Starbucks like chain invading the Hipster neighborhood of Williamsburgh in Brooklyn: http://theburg.tv/blog/category/episodes/episode-5-fair-trade/
Un cortado, solo, lágrima, pocillo, vaso, en jarrito. We also have few names to start our own coffee chain, a la manera nuestra. And we will offer FSS cookies (it has to be mediiaslunas de grasa anyway).
Good woork.
You are so right. And apparently the formula is to mix whatever they have in the counter and put it on a cup.
We can invent the Yerbamate-coffee, mantecol-late , and of course asado-expresso ...
mantecol-late doesn't sound so bad. If there is a taste test I will go for that one and pass on the asado-expresso.
Race to the patent office!!! Let's not have have the mantecol-late go the way of the ballpoint pen...
you guys try to prepare I´ll be the tester.
Starbucks is very welcome. I wouldn't touch their "coffee", but you need to accentuate the positive here, Diva. We're talking two or three more walk-in public toilets with guaranteed paper, probably quite soft. I enjoy drinking silty coffee in hellholes, too, but if nature calls I nip into the McDonald's across the road.
Hi Vardaman, You are right. They always have good bathroom. But there´s nothing like peeing in 5 stars hotels
http://bitchtours.blogspot.com/2006/10/five-stars-hotels-bathrooms-review.html
ok, "Diva", if that's what you wanna be called... You tell me where I can get a Frapuccino (at least a cold cafe con leche dearmotherofgod!) in this city and I will join you and say "no" too!
Don't you come back telling me to just order it anywhere cause you know damn well it's not happening that easily.
Thanks for your time and comprehension.
well in the summer I drink cold cafe con leche all the time. Usually what I do is to order ice cubes and I put them in the coffee, it tastes good. I don´t know what a frapuccino is though...
by the way....who are you? hjow do you want to be called?
I am not positive on this, but I think that you could get them at either McCafe and/or at Cafe Martinez. I think the Coffee Store was going to start offering iced coffee drinks but I have not tried them or looked for them so can´t offer anything there yet.
dammit Poor Dispositionist that episode is no longer available. The link leads nowhere. Boy would I have loved to see that hipster-starbucks interaction.
Frank, I will check on those places. If they don't do it then I guess I will cellebrate when SBCKS finally proudly serves in Arg. Until then, the closest one would be in Lima, Peru, as far as I am concerned.
"Diva": Ice cubes? Yeah...Duh... We're talking about the outside world here.
Haven't tried a frapuccino? Big matzo ball there... You ought to know your enemy before playing a mozart concert on your keyboard against him.
All the best to you bloggers.
PS> I think I'll stick to "anonimo" as a nickname for now.
I didn´t play mozart, I played Punk rock!!!!
Anonimus, since you don´t have a name I´ll call you "cat hair in the carpet"
all the best to you too
ps: I don´t know what matzo is...
Wooow... hold it! Never had matzoball soup or a Frapu? Do you at least know what "hipster" means?
Looks like you could use some time in NY asap or else you'll keep missing half of what goes on in your own blog!
Diva,
Google matzo or just go straight to Wikipedia. There is also a place that sells chocolate covered matzo and it is really addictive. Once I start eating it I can't stop.
As for a Frapu. Well, you might just wait and try that from Starbuck's. Those are the drinks that I like best about them. I would never go have just a plain cup-a-joe there.
Anonimo, are you cat heai or another anonimo? Please identify yourself, at least put something like anonimo888 or something like that!!!
Yes, I know I need to spend some time in NY that´s why I´m looking for sponsors. Know that you know, please put money on my account to make my dream come true!!!
Frank, I´ll wait to try that frapu thing in starbucks
Diva,
I'll happily contribute to your New York kitty. You deserve it.
Simply post the name of your bank and your CBU number here and I'll make the transaction immediately.
The amazing thing about NY: even though it's full of supercilious pricks like our friend anónimo here, it's still a blast.
Thank you matty!!!!
Clever comment Matty.
I SAY NOOOOO TO STARBUCKS IN BUENOS AIRES ,ONCE ONE MAKE IT, THERE WILL BE POPPIN OUT EVERYWHERE IN ABOUT COUPLE OF YEARS ,LIKE A PLAGUE..PLUS THEY PRODUCE A LOT OF WASTE THE SAME AS MCDONALDS...BOYCOTT AMERICAN CHAINS PEOPLE!!!
IS NOTHING SACRED ANYMORE???
I don’t want anymore us franchise stores in Buenos Aires!
Look at the US today… what was once a nation of great variety has turned into a monotonous landscape of look-a-like of suburbs, downtowns and “familiar” chain department stores. A nation whose cities have been Wal-Marted, American Outfitted and Starbucked, everything getting tagged to the same brand of homogeneity.
Yes, some people might feel “safe” travelling and finding the same array of stores… in every city, but for me that’s not traveling. It’s basically against the spirit of curiosity and exploration that traveling is all about. It’s all getting just so BORING!! One city looking just like the other, there’s no individuality anymore! Pleeeeease don’t do that to other cities, I want to “experience” coffee in a place where coffee has been a part of the culture since the 19th century. I want uniqueness, individuality, character. Let’s not trade that…
If I’m in America, I’d like to taste cheese burgers in a place that’s been cooking them since the 1950’s. If I’m in Buenos Aires, I’d like my coffee served in a porcelain cup, on a good ol’ run down wooden table.
Starbucks, yes it rings a bell... What’s up with the lingo???: - “Venti double-latte soy mochaccino with whipped cream and caramel hazelnut…” …PUAJJJJ!! ..and what does it MEAN???? and oh, yes… where is the coffee in there? And will it still be hot after you finish pronouncing all those silly names?
I mean, seriously, can anyone explain what VENTI means? And why GRANDE stands for MEDIUM or TALL for SMALL???
Hey, well is good to know that I´m not the only one against coffee chains (and chains in general)
best
Just a language note: They don't use "glasses", but "cups". And when you refer to "bars", you probably mean "cafés". However, nice post, very interesting. Saludos! Carlos
yes, you are right. I think that I learned the word Cup when I was 4. But it never comes to my mind when I need it.
Thank you
hope you continue reading
best
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