Driving Thru

Covering the phenomenon of Starbucks building new locations with drive-thru windows, the Wall Street Journal investigates whether this fixture of fast-food restaurants will undermine the cozy-gathering-place feeling that Starbucks tries to cultivate:

A drive-through window, she says, 'takes away from them being coffee-shoppy.'

'In a way,' Ms. Kanter continues, the company has 'cheapened the brand. There are so many, and half the time the line's out the door and there's no place to sit.' She recalls walking with a colleague on a recent morning to a Starbucks near their office, taking one look at the long line and continuing on to another Starbucks two blocks away.

Hmm, doesn't this example just seem to illustrate that fact that it doesn't matter whether Starbucks stores have a drive-thru or not. Instead of patronizing another coffee shop or deciding not to have a drink, the women continue on to another Starbucks. If only there were real competition for our coffee dollars.