Text & Photos: Francisco Collazo
Translation: Julie Schwietert Collazo
**
Coffee and its products are a kind of precious gold: perfumes, desserts, ice creams, drinks. Medicine so you won’t sleep while you’re working or a drink to kick-start the senses.
A morning without coffee in my family is like a day without sun or a night without stars… or at least a guarantee that the day will get off on the wrong foot.
Coffee has become a highly valued product.
An entire industry has grown up around it: the “Italian” Juan Valdes, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks.
Now, though, these coffee industry leaders have a new competitor trying to edge in on their turf: McDonalds with its McCafe.
I visited recently, intrigued by its business strategy, its marketing concepts, and the psychology behind it. Then I checked out the other coffee competitors to evaluate the similarities and differences among them.
The war has begun!
At Starbucks, I read the list of coffees offered and after meditating a bit, I choose the same as always: a mocha, please! “What size do you want?” And here’s where things get complicated for me. The options are “grande,” “tall,” and “venti.” How “grande” is the “grande,” exactly, especially when compared to the “tall”? For me, the words mean the same. “Grande” is Spanish for “tall”; “tall” is English for “grande”… do you follow?
To me, grande=tall. Well, I’m going to be sophisticated and ask for a “venti,” which is Italian. But why “venti”? The “barista” tells me that a venti is a 20 ounce cup… “Right, now I understand,” I say. “We don’t have small, medium, and large anymore.”
“No, well, yes,” the barista says. “It’s just that grande, tall, and venti sound prettier.” He laughs and prepares a venti.
McCafe intrigues me and I’m curious to see how they name their products. “Their look is similar to Starbucks,” I tell my wife in a loud voice so the employee hears me. “No, no,” he says, “we’re very different. And furthermore, our prices are better!” “Yes, that I see,” I tell him, with an attitude like I know what I’m talking about. The walls of McCafe are dark, a caramel color to be exact. Glass cases display pastries in an artistic arrangement that’s quite similar to… well, you know.
After so much time and so much coffee, I’m still consumed with thoughts about all the psychology that goes into attracting a buying public and all the crazy wording. “American coffee?” I didn’t know North America grew coffee. And the “tall,” “grande,” and “venti”? Juan Valdes, the Italian, dressed as a Colombian? Am I the only one confused here, or has anyone else lost his mind with all these inventions?
Well, I’ll take a grande coffee, please. And thanks!
*
Oro preciado es el cafe y sus productos: perfumes, postres, helados, refrescos. Medicina para no dormirse mientras trabajas o bebida para despertarse. Para ser honesto una manana sin cafe para mi y mi familia es como un dia sin sol, una noche sin estrella o un dia con los pelos de punta y mal humor.
El cafe se ha convertido en un producto muy deseado preciado. Por ejemplo cuando pienso en cafe me vienen a la mente el “Italiano” Juan Valdes, Dunkin Donuts, y Starbucks. Sin embargo estos tres ya tiene a otra compania tratando de abrirse paso con su cafe en la competencia: McDonalds con su McCafe.
Lo sigo de cerca porque estoy intrigado con las estrategia de negocios, concepto comercial, mercadeo y la psicologia de este. Me acerco a ellos para ver y evaluar sus diferencias y similitudes.
La guerra ha comenzado!
Me detengo ante la cartelera de menu de Starbucks y leo la lista de cafe que ofrecen y despues de meditar un poco pido lo mismo-”Cafe Mocha, por favor!” “Que tamano deseas?” Umm, bueno… aqui esta la confusion: grande, tall, y venti. Cuan grande es el grande, comparado al tall? Grande y tall para mi son lo mismo. Uno es espanol para tall y el otro es en ingles para grande…me sigues? Pienso que Grande=Tall.
Bueno, voy a ser mas sofisticado y pido un venti en italiano. No me conformo y demando una explicacion: “Por que venti?” Y se me responde que venti es 20 que son las onzas que tiene esa copa. “Aah, ya entiendo,” le digo. “Ya no tenemos chicos, medianos y grandes.” “No, pero si,” me dicen desde el otro lado del mostrador. “Lo que pasa es que suena bonito.” El se rie y se va a preparar la orden de venti.
McCafe me intriga y quiero ver con mis propios ojos en que idioma va a tirar su producto. “Su parecido es muy similar a Starbucks,” le digo a mi esposa en voz alta para que el dependiente me escuche. “No, no,” me dice el administrador. “Nosotros somos muy diferente, ademas los preios son mejores!” “Si, ya lo veo,” le digo en forma de respuesta y con una actitud de conocedor de lo que estoy hablando. Veo colores oscuros en sus paredes, carmelita para ser exacto. Vidrieras que tienen postres muy esparcidos y de disenos muy moderno y muy, pero muy similar a…bueno, para que decirlo.
Despues de tanto tiempo y tanto cafe tomado me sigue dando vuelta en la cabeza todas estas cosas para atraer al publico. Empezando con cafe americano, pues no sabia que habia cafe en la america del norte y luego todo esto de tall, grande y venti y de Juan Valdes del italiano vestido de colombiano. Soy yo solo el del problema o hay mas de uno que perdio la mente con todos estos esfuerzos de la invencion?
Un cafe grande, por favor! Y Gracias!
Just as a point of interest (well, maybe only to me), Starbucks also has a “Short”. This is technically their smallest size, but they don’t put it on the menu. You have to ask for it. And yeah, it’s cheaper/priced accordingly. I read about the short in a magazine about ten years ago and they always seem to be a bit surprised when I ask for it, like, “Oooh…how did she know about our secret almost-normal-priced size?”
I only ever go there when I’m on a road trip (it’s hard for me to admit I go to a chain of any kind, so that’s my justification…road trip).
Coincidentally my husband and I opened a cute little coffee house. I became the barista, bottle washer, soup and sandwich maker, etc., etc. It was fun while it lasted and we meet a lot of nice people. Hard work, little money! Starbucks we weren’t. I am proud to say that we sold it and we and the community are still enjoying it. (www.hiramcoffeehouse.com)
LOL, McDonald’s is selling mochas now? That’s ridiculous!
I love Starbucks, so this is great. I picked up a taste for Starbucks coffees when I had a part time job at a Starbucks franchise when I was in college. The best thing is the coffee of the day. I really like trying out the different roasts each day.