Barista: Latte and a Quarter Pounder to go please?

I wrote a post about Starbucks vs McDonalds then sent the link to a Barista friend for their thoughts. They start by describing watching that 3-hour video tape. I think they offer some excellent insider views.

Latte and a Quarter Pounder to go please?
by Anonymous Barista

3 hours...to learn again. Focus: The perfect espresso shot, the perfectly steamed pitcher of milk, and "legendary" customer service. It sounds great. It was great. Personal, in-depth, uplifting. Everything Starbucks is and is striving to become
again.

While I think it was a good experience. I don't think it will drastically make changes company wide. There is just to much room for variance.

Ohhh but changes we shall have. In my heart I would like to think that the changes we
see in Bucksland were not in fear of direct competition from the McLatte. In my heart I would like to think that they don't stand a chance against Starbucks, what with our
great atmosphere, great (mostly) partners, and quality beverages we will not see any decline in customers. In my heart I would like to think that Starbucks is and always will be the McChampion.

But...my heart tells me that I think wrong. Subtle changes are being made, and it's not making the news. You will notice. Colors will change. Wages will be challenged. Rumor is MCLatte will be offering a dollar more per hour in my neck of the woods for "previously trained" Baristas.

I think it is a whole new world for Starbucks corporation and no one is really sure what to do about. They are all sitting around a table pondering, what's next? what can we do?

Cheaper, easier to acquire, novel. That is what McLatte has. Starbucks is old news to a lot of people. And when Mr. Triple Venti Vanilla Latte crams his gas guzzling Dodge Ram in for a quick biscuit and finds that the latte is just as good and a dollar and a half cheaper, he's sold. Now, when the kiddies want to play in the fungus slides while chompin' on some nugs, he can sip his latte and surf Men's Health...all without blinking an eye.

Starbucks..bah...it's just that place where the college kids do their homework now. It's gotten dirtier, what with the cut in labor due to less customers. It's not as tempting.

I love my job and hope in the future that I get to keep it. We have excellent customers and excellent partners.

We just need to find a new "excellent" to sell.

Photo Credit: Neurosciencemarketing.com