Starbucks ends paid lunch breaks & sick leave.

[I1L2T3]

As said before, I have only been once, and wont be going again. I also dont work for starbucks.

 

Er, ok.

 

The point I am making is that big businesses like costa etc can easily provide what customers want whereas an individual would have to fund everything, and thats why the independent coffee shops are almost always less comfortable, have worse coffee, worse service, are usually sweltering in summer, and its because they cant compete with the economies of scale that a big chain has.

 

So you work for costa?

 

Yes of course a business has to meet its operating costs.

 

Less comfortable? Get that image of Roy's cafe in Coronation Street out your head.

 

Worse coffee? Are you saying that the big chains serve the best coffee possible? You must know in your heart that is complete and utter poop.

 

If a large chain is achieving economies of scale why isn't that reflected in lower prices for customers? If the economies of scale are being achieved how did Starbucks make a loss despite charging very high prices?

 

I would gladly use an independent if its better than the chains but I am yet to find one.

 

Your loss.

 

The other advantage of chains is that you always get the same whether you walk into the one in meadowhall or chesterfield or sheffield.

 

They do have that advantage I guess, if you like that kind of thing.

 

And, further to all of this, lots of the independents use illy coffee, again, because of the cost of operating the machine they have to join a service agreement much like a brewery in a pub, thus they arent really independent.

 

What you're describing is actually a good thing. Illy coffee is pretty good and operating machines and using that coffee would give independents a quality advantage, as long as the machines are operated properly of course.

 

The above applies to many other businesses, not just coffee shops

 

Hurrah, you're getting it. Back to my original point about Starbucks re-using many elements from other businesses in their own business formula.

[dvp82]

I think a lot of people use Starbucks and Costa because you know exactly what you're getting.

 

Firstly just like Garbo posted coffee in a branch in Sheffield will almost certainly taste the same as a coffee in a branch 300 miles away.

 

Spacious comfy surroundings, free wifi.

 

Independents can be a bit hit or miss, I've had a great coffee in several independents but at the same time I've had shockingly bad coffee.

 

The big chain store coffee shops, you're getting a consistent product, regardless of if it's a branch in Sheffield, London, Manchester ect.

[Garbo]

and just for the record, i do not work at costa or any other beverage serving company, I work in a steel factory thankyou.

 

I havent said there is anything wrong with illy coffee.

 

I also think I understand the difference between a cafe and a coffee shop.

 

and for the rest, I am speaking from experience.

 

Nothing is getting away from the fact that the explosion in coffee shops is because of the massive expansion by the big chains and they employ huge amounts of people. The small independent coffee shops, put together wont even come close.

 

I dont really understand what you are trying to say really, other than your obvious dislike of chain shops

 

---------- Post added 10-12-2012 at 21:55 ----------

 

I think a lot of people use Starbucks and Costa because you know exactly what you're getting.

 

Firstly just like Garbo posted coffee in a branch in Sheffield will almost certainly taste the same as a coffee in a branch 300 miles away.

 

Spacious comfy surroundings, free wifi.

 

Independents can be a bit hit or miss, I've had a great coffee in several independents but at the same time I've had shockingly bad coffee.

 

The big chain store coffee shops, you're getting a consistent product, regardless of if it's a branch in Sheffield, London, Manchester ect.

 

that is basically what I am saying, and those are reasons to go to a chain that you are familiar with