Starbucks/mcdonalds War

[dotcom]

Mickey Dee's use only sustainable beef.

Lib losers.

[dumball]

I say to heck with both of them , give me a good old TIM HORTONS any day of the week , double , double to go .

[dave9988]

I have a feeling Starbucks may lose this one. The common "office worker" doesn't give two craps about where his coffee is from as long as it's fresh, tastes good, and is reasonably priced.

this is 100% wrong.

they gain face by drinking a more expensive coffee brand.

look, most thais are completely clueless about coffee and drink instant coffee at home and think its great, what does that tell you about them going to starbucks and spending 150 baht on coffee?

starbucks does not sell coffee, they sell the idea of a lifestyle.

[Plus]

There are plenty of Thai no name shops that sell you the same coffee brewed from the same beans with the same milk with same syrup on same machines bought from same suppliers, only atmosphere varies, so find which one suits you.

One big difference - you can sit down and wait for your coffee, you don't have to stand in line and wait and that's what I don't like about Starbucks - they've got rules for you to follow or you don't blend with their "hip" crowd.

Sbux got a great variety of beans, granted, but it doesn't matter a bit when mixed with all the stuff they put in your drink they call "coffee".

I used to buy their beans to take home but eventually settled on local "VP" Arabica for the taste and the price and now I couldn't care less about their beans either.

[maccaroni man]

they do coffee in 7/11's so that'll do me....why pay stoopid prices for what is basically hot water and a bit coffe, sugar and milk....its all <deleted>

the true test of a coffee beans flavor is when you drink it without the sugar and milk, otherwise instant 3 in 1 will do.

[polecat]

the true test of a coffee beans flavor is when you drink it without the sugar and milk, otherwise instant 3 in 1 will do.

I like milk in coffee, but don't like instant coffee - especially not 3 in 1. So, how does your hypothesis apply to me? Am I weird? Oh, God, I hope I'm not weird.

Oh, crikey, I also like Starbucks' coffee - although it is a bit expensive to buy all the time. I guess my tastebuds were damaged at an early age and my need to fit in with the hip crowd has led me down the road to ruin.

Oh, no, I've just thought of another nail in my no-taste, peer-pressurised coffin. My biggest problem with coffee shops is that you can't smoke in them anymore. Coffee and cigarettes: it's like a trip to Eden club.

[LomSak27]

Whiterussian posted

I have many Jewish friends in the UK, but they dont contribute to the US/Israeli mess in the middle east.

Time helps dim first causes does it not ...

One of the main proponents of a Jewish homeland in Palestine was Dr. Chaim Weizmann, the leading spokesman for organized Zionism in Britain. Weizmann was a chemist who had developed a process to synthesize acetone via fermentation. Acetone is required for the production of cordite, a powerful propellant explosive needed to fire ammunition without generating tell-tale smoke. Germany had cornered supplies of calcium acetate, a major source of acetone. Other pre-war processes in Britain were inadequate to meet the increased demand in World War I, and a shortage of cordite would have severely hampered Britain's war effort. Lloyd-George, then Minister for Munitions, was grateful to Weizmann and so supported his Zionist aspirations.

You go Lloyd-George!

[howmuch]

Very simple choice for me, too many kids at McDonald's !

But loads of young Uni babes..

[Ulysses G.]

Good gravy almighty, I could care less about how McDonald's and Starbucks compete with each other. About as foreign to Thailand as apple pie. Great to see this mindless topic about two huge corporations doing battle with each other. Isn't it great? Who the F cares?

Mindlessness is whinging about the topic instead of ignoring it as absolutely no one cares what you think.

Edited January 15, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[Ulysses G.]

the italian coffee industry supported the nazis in the second world war

Good point.

I have many Jewish friends in the UK, but they dont contribute to the US/Israeli mess in the middle east.

Just like i wont touch Dominoes pizzas, because the owner is Christian fundamentalist.

Its about informed choice.

no offense mate, but hate to be you.

That's for sure!

[bonobo]

I ahve never had a cup of coffee, so I am in no way an expert on what is good or what is bad. But I do know that McDonalds has done very well on some taste tests.  But the #1 coffee in the US is neither of the two: it is Dunkin Doughnuts.

[bonobo]

Mickey Dee's use only sustainable beef.

Lib losers.

I am not trying to be trite or argumentative here, but what is "sustainable beef?"

I did my Ph.D. on the environmental aspects of doing business, and the sustainable aspect of many industries was part and parcel to that. But isn't all beef "sustainable?" 

[bkkjames]

Mickey Dee's use only sustainable beef.

Lib losers.

I am not trying to be trite or argumentative here, but what is "sustainable beef?"

I did my Ph.D. on the environmental aspects of doing business, and the sustainable aspect of many industries was part and parcel to that. But isn't all beef "sustainable?" 

coffee is, sorry different topic.

[JoeThePoster]

But isn't all beef "sustainable?"

I have yet to meet a steak that can walk away from my dinner plate.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I will admit that I don't like Starbucks coffee. To me, it tastes burnt, which I attribute to its commercial roasting process. McD's is better and beats Starbucks in blind taste tests.

Of interest, in today's Bangkok Post business section, there was an article indicating that Starbucks will begin buying beans from China. I still won't go to a Starbucks store if I can help it, but if they don't mess up the Chinese beans by burning them, I hope they will retail the Chinese-grown beans in Thailand.

[bobbin]

Mickey Dee's use only sustainable beef.

Lib losers.

Last time I checked, the "libs" won.

With a lot of help from college educated former "neo-cons".

[Firefan]

I tried both coffees (americano) and find them equal. I would just have thought that Macdonalds cafe coffee would but a LOT cheaper than Starbucks (which I understand it is in USA).

Here the price difference is fairly small - the Sbux americano is 65 Baht (don't remember clearly - but think was 5-10 Baht in difference for a small americano). Maybe the MacD one was a bit bigger though?

Cheers!

[Samuian]

quality at even 75% of Starbuck's price they will win. Mcdonalds has enough franchises and enough capital to make it happen. Plus the fact that McD's is offering free wifi pretty much sinks it. Now if they expand on their McCafe concept a bit more and provide better seating and lighting then it's a homerun.

Sorry, "Quality" ?

Starbucks has blown it out of proportions while McDonald as most of the fast food outlets feature the ambiance of a train station!

only for "free" wi-fi... the customer pays for it while consuming their goods...

[Pierrot]

Last week with my wife we were walking down KSR. Very weird, within walking distance there are very good local restaurants with absolutely no foreign customers and people travel half the world to eat the "local" specialties such as banana pancakes and Heineken beer. Then we decided to have a coffee and we found the best "local" place : Starbuck ! Very nice building, no foreigners, suddenly we felt we were back in Thailand ! Weird isn't it ?

[livinthailandos]

you know honestly this comes down to more of a personal choice of either like or dislike starbucks or mcdonalds and personal taste

Why I go to starbucks. Its never for coffee or for wifi. I have wifi at home and drink khao shong coffee 3 in 1. I like to be able to sit and relax in a not so noisy atmoshere and read a paper while I'm there. ( note I visit starbucks 3 or 4 times a month. Usually go on my day's off. Fine its air conditioning ok. But can you honestly tell me you can go to mcdonalds, relax and read a paper when usually there is a bunch of people or kids there.

Why I like mcdonalds. Breakfast for being one. love the hash brown and mc egg sandwiches. Usually get everything to go. If you need something fast, quick go to mcdonalds. Don't know of the mcdonalds here but while I was in the U.S. they redid a lot of mcdonalds stores and they look nothing like here. try to bring a more trendy approach I guess

[wamberal]

they do coffee in 7/11's so that'll do me....why pay stoopid prices for what is basically hot water and a bit coffe, sugar and milk....its all <deleted>

You have obviously never had good coffee to drink. Stick with the hot water, powder, sugar and milk, if that makes you happy. But it is not coffee, mate.

[joe33]

Out seniors DOM club meets almost daily at our local McDonalds and have their regular, standard premium coffee(which was rated over Starbucks in a national taste test) at a cost of 50 cents, bottomless cup(all the refills you want), pretty hard to beat that price anywhere. After we solve all the worlds problems, and exchange all the BS with each other, we all go home happy. I would miss that in Chiang Mai but you have to give up something for all the other advantages there. Regards to all, have a good day.