… in which I feel at home regardless where in the world I am. That’s got to say something about brand image consistency.
No matter what the atmosphere of the particular store, there is always an overall atmosphere that speaks for Starbucks. A coziness that isn’t overburdened by corporate logos or strict protocol. Though the people may change and the food may be altered for country-specific tastes, Starbucks always feels like… Starbucks. In other words, my home away from home. It is here I can come for hours, studying, writing, reading, whatever, and know that as long as I have that cup of latte, or the remnants of it, I can remain undisturbed for as long as I like. This knowledge especially comes in handy here, where study space is difficult to find and over-attentiveness to the customer can be a bit much at times.
There is, of course, variety in customer service and general cleanliness. Here, in Japan, the service is wonderful. I would only be so happy to say the same about American Starbucks. I can remember only too many times our local Starbucks would close early, despite clearly marked ours, because the staff was young, the manager was out, and they felt like leaving early. That I could surely do without. In Turkey, Starbucks had an upper-end coffee shop feel, but only until I was comfortably seated, enjoying my drink and snack, and felt the typical Starbucks buzz: friendly chatter, the whirling sound of the coffee machines, the opening and closing of the door as customers came and went. The décor changes too but never so that it’s not recognizable, logos removed. In the end, though I may enjoy a sakura chiffon cake in a Starbucks in Japan and a tall skim vanilla latte in America, I still come to Starbucks for the same reason: because it feels like home, anytime, anywhere in the world.
Pretty In a Pink Car 