What is with these lids at Starbucks. *Premium* coffee in inferior cups. They charge a good deal more than any other coffee provider and yet they can't even shelve the dough to create lids that fit. I do a lot of my work at Starbucks because of the internet connection and they have locations everywhere. Everyday seems like i'm designing a new shirt with coffee stains. Why can't they correct this problem? I thought it was something temporary and only a certain small batch was broken and yet it's been a year and still no fix.

I was at a Mc Donalds the other day and they were having conference of regional managers receiving updates and training in the coffee business. Eavesdropping on the conversations they were using specific terms like "venti, skinny lattes," etc...specifically targeting Starbucks as their major competitor. It seems Mc Donalds are planning to get their own expresso machines to combat Starbucks. Yet Starbucks seems to be sitting on the sidelines with their inferior coffee lids. Again their coffees aren't the best tasting. Taste testings seem confirm this. Personally I prefer Peets, however not many of those around my area.

How did Starbucks become so popular in using inferior products? I think there are many reasons. One being that there are so many around that it's familar. The other is wireless connections available.
However, I in my opinion the most important factor that put Starbucks on top of the hill is not really the coffee itself, but the syrups.

I think a majority of the sales are in cold drinks. While hot drinks can be mixed with sugar because it dissovles. In cold drinks sugar, honey, or any other form of sweetner settles on the bottom of the cup never fully integrating with the drinks. Syrups are nothing new. Think of Coca Cola, Pepsi, or any other softdrinks.

So syrups aren't new technology, why is it only recently we started putting them in coffee for a perfect marriage? Well I think it happened in the late 80's or early 90's when syrups came in consumer bottles. About this time I've noticed that coffees in college campus's were pretty good compared to some of the other coffees I've had. The reasons were they were using these syups that comes in a bottle. Before I believe syrups were packaged for bigger factories for integration in sodas. With coffee it's an individual process. Customer have each drink custom made so these syrups that come in small packages were instrumental in developing the "new cold drinks"

Will Starbucks survive? Probably because it's an institution. Will it's profit margins be cut by the stiff competion. Most definitly. Mc Donalds is going after Starbucks with an intent to destroy. When it comes to consumer consumption McDonalds is the big daddy with an unbelievable track record of one quarterly loss. Coffee at McDonalds is cheaper and the lids fit perfectly onto their cups.

My coffee stain shirt design.

Anyone else have similiar experience place your images or links...