Good morning world! This semester in general, I’ve been drinking a lot of coffee. Sometimes I drink it because I need it (morning classes are a bummer) and other times I’ve found that I’ve been drinking it simply because I like it (hazelnut flavored coffee has gotten me addicted). Anyway, I think my coffee craze actually started last summer when I kept going to Dunkin Donuts with Pam (haha, ok, I’m just kidding…I’m talking about this Pam). Ever since then I’ve just become obsessed with drinking it. Now, that doesn’t mean that I drink it as a substitute for more nutritious beverages (like water, milk, and Perrier), but it does mean that I might go out of my way to go get a cup (ie: I’ll walk the longer way home if it means passing by a Dunkin Donuts and even smelling the coffee).
With that said, I thought I’d pass along some interesting info I found about coffee and the two biggest coffee chain stores nearest me: Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. It really doesn’t help me that there are multiple locations of each near my house — I go crazy when I’m offered a choice. Still, I like finding comfort in the fact that if I ever were too lazy to make my own cup of joe, I could just be a loyal consumer and spend several dollars on a cup I could have made at home for several cents.
On Consumerist’s really big guide to secret menu items, they say:
Starbucks will make you absolutely anything you want no matter how insane it is, according to our tipster.
“Baristas might try and tell their customers that no, we can’t do that with the blenders. This is a lie. Starbucks corporate policy is that the customer is ALWAYS right (even when the request is stupid). If you really insist that you want your iced soy latte blended, the baristas HAVE to do it. If they continue to refuse, ask to speak to a manager and either they’ll realize they’re about to get in trouble and will fill your request, or the manager will come out and politely tell the barista to make the customer happy.
Absolutely any concoction that you can think of (involving any type of milk, syrup, coffee, etc.) will be made for you. The limits to Starbucks “secret menu” are merely the limits of your imagination. You can even bring supplements from home and ask the barista to please include that in your drink.”
Well, damn.
That is pretty neat. Unfortunately, it looks like Starbucks may be losing some heads to the large double D’s (not these).
“Starbucks had been seen to have a significantly stronger loyalty engagement bond with their customers than any of the others in the category, and they’ve taken a downturn,” said Robert Passikoff, Brand Keys’ founder and president. “Now Dunkin’, which is No. 1, is seen to have that significant advantage.”
Passikoff attributed Dunkin’s first-place finish to a successful branding campaign and moves by Starbucks that have shifted it from a coffee brand to more of a lifestyle brand.
“Dunkin’ has been introducing new products, but they’re all products within a well-considered sweet spot for them,” Passikoff said. “When you think of Dunkin’, you think of doughnuts and coffee. You don’t think of CDs, you don’t think of sandwiches, you don’t think of newspapers.”
One clear problem that Starbucks is having is that they are expanding too fast. In NYC, there’s literally a Starbucks every few blocks. In fact, there’s so many Starbucks stores that one individual has taken it upon himself to visit and document every single Starbucks store in the world.
If you’re worried, however, about the effects that coffee might have on your body, you can stop because studies have shown that coffee [in moderate amounts, of course] can actually be good for you AND may reduce the risk of diabetes! DOUBLE WHAMMY!
For those who drink coffee to stay alert, new research suggests that you’ll stay more alert, particularly if you are fighting sleep deprivation, if you spread your coffee consumption over the course of the day. For instance, if you usually drink 16 ounces in the morning, try consuming a 2-3 ounce serving every hour or so. Again, moderation is the key.
Yes, folks. Everything is good for you if taken in moderation. :)
If everything worked on looks alone, then Dunkin Donuts would clearly win this race against Starbucks. Hands down. Starbucks’ website looks fugly.
As with just about anything, Wikipedia has more detailed information on Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts (and their old commercial personality, Fred the baker), and coffee in general. I hope this post woke you up. :)
