Thursday, December 11, 2008

Starbucks Bucking the Economy?

An update from the Starbucks-Dunkin' Donuts-McDonald's wars:

As the economy sputters, McDonald's is expanding its brand of espresso and posting billboards in Starbucks home-turf of Seattle. One announces, "four bucks is dumb." At the same time, Dunkin' Donuts continues its efforts to move into higher-end coffee. Here's a snip on the Starbucks response:
"I think the way we deal with that is not to respond to something that's that frivolous," [Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz] said. "Are you going to say to your friend, 'Let's go meet at Dunkin' Donuts?' Are you going to say that?"
Read the entire story: Starbucks won't slug it out in ad wars

1 comment:

detroit dog said...

Nope; my 88 year old Uncle says that.

Here across the border, if I want a cheap coffee at a decent price (without a "Mickey D" vibe or a Dunkin' Donut feel), I stop at Tim Horton's. Very Canadian. Their slushy coffees are way better, and cheaper, than Starbucks.

But if I'm looking to hang/meet/talk, then I take it to Caribou -- still better than Starbucks and very comfy. And not so crowded.