For the past couple of months, McDonalds has been offering free samples of their McCafe espresso drinks. At first they were pretty poor. My remark to Graham was "Starbucks has nothing to worry about." The espresso drinks were inferior in every way, and the employees had no earthly idea what they were doing when they took the orders for them or prepared them.
Over the weeks, they continued to offer free Lattes and Cappuccinos at McDonalds. Because they were free, and because I was curious about how McDonalds was feeling its way around the edges of Starbucks' territory, I kept trying them. It seemed like they were getting better, but still, no competition for Starbucks. The employees also seemed to be getting a little more experienced. They stopped looking at me like I had two heads when I said I didn't want flavoring in my latte.
Then the McCafe at the corner of Nolana and Expressway 281 stopped offering free espresso drinks and started charging. Apparently they were giving espresso away while the employees were getting the hang of the system, but once they got to a certain level of competence, they felt they could start charging. Not all McDonalds are at the same point in the process. The La Joya McDonalds, for example, was still giving everything away last Saturday. The one at Nolana and 281 has resumed giving away drinks, but only in a limited fashion: certain drinks on certain days.
Most of the employees are still pretty bad at taking espresso orders. Again, Starbucks has nothing to worry about, at least not right away. But Starbucks is laying off thousands of people and closing stores because everyone's cutting back on luxury coffee. McDonalds isn't laying off anyone...yet.
What will McCafe do to America? Why is it important? Because there are lots more people who eat at McDonalds every day than who visit Starbucks. These people are folks who might not have ever tried an espresso drink. Now they have a chance, and it won't even cost anything to try. Thousands of people are getting their first taste of espresso, and enough of them are going to like it that it will start to build a whole new population of espresso drinkers in America--and they won't be Starbucks customers. They'll identify with McDonalds when they think of where to get that caffiene jolt.
McDonalds is credited for introducing America to the English Muffin. Before the Egg McMuffin, English Muffins were hardly known in this country. Now, however, they are commonplace, and everyone can recognize an English Muffin no matter what social strata they hail from. Starbucks has always been an upper middle class place, and although they've penetrated the American psyche with their famous logo and the store-on-every-corner philosophy, they still don't reach all sectors of the society. McCafe is going to change all that. McDonalds is going to do what Starbucks never could: demystify espresso, make it accessible and nonthreatening, and give it a place in every meal. McCafe will change McDonalds, and McDonalds will change America, again.
11 February 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Well, I hate to sound elitist (actually I just feel obligated to say that), but the English muffins that McDonald's made a household item weren't the same English muffins that had been kind of scarce. The real things, Thomas and Bay's, are still about as scarce as they ever were. I fear we're about to see a whole new concept in espresso take hold.
I work at McCafe in Vienna, Austria. At first we really did have no idea what we were doing. I had 2 hours training and then was left alone to fend for myself. We gave out so many coupons. I hated them to be honest..so much work and so little money. You say Starbucks need not worry. I know for a fact that is wrong. McCafe started in Australia in 1993. They wiped all the Starbucks out. McCafe provides quality for a lower price. Mcdonald's is serious as well. Where I work we were all eventally sent to a coffee Barista course. We had to know the origions, types, growth process, how many ml in the perfect espresson, how long should run, how much bar, history, etc. We also had to produce drinks infront of professionals watching our every hand movement. If we pass we get a higher pay. You also have a lot of older customers as well. Many come just about every day. They enjoy relaxing and talking to us as we prepare their drink in which we already know exactly how they like it.
McDonald's is really smart to add so many new coffee products to their menu
Post a Comment