Why Is Starbucks So Popular?

How can people drink their coffee? How can people deal with the long lines? Why do people buy their souvenir cups?

Recently, a friend asked me these questions. He wanted to know whether Starbucks coffee is really better than other brands, and why this coffee is so addictive. 

After some thought, I realized that the quality of Starbucks’ coffee isn’t the reason why the company has gained so many devotees. There are other psychological and emotional reasons why Starbucks is so popular all over the world.

Why Is Starbucks So Popular?

1. Social media

In 2008, Starbucks joined social media and has since dominated the industry. Starbucks’ presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest portrays coffee as something to share with friends and family.

The writers at SocialMediaToday provide a great overview of how Starbucks “crushes it on social media“.

For example, Starbucks regularly advertises one-on-one promotions, which in turn leads to exceptional social media engagement through likes, mentions, and comments.

Also, the Starbucks social media team provides exceptional customer service. Despite the fact that this is a huge company, they still pay attention to each customer, thus bringing customers back again and again.

Whether you are a fan of the Starbucks product line or not, their success on social networks is undeniable. As with any other aspect of the company, their attention to detail and customer-oriented messaging is what makes their social work one of the best in the business.

2. Specialty beverages

Caramel Lattes, Frappuccinos, Pumpkin Spice Lattes…these sugary drinks have gained Starbucks a loyal customer base. Want to learn more about the many specialty drinks offered by Starbucks? Check out this article by the writers at Thrillist.

Many coffee connaisseurs complain that Starbucks coffee tastes burnt due to over-roasting. I must say that the sugary syrups, chocolate, and cream found in specialty drinks make the coffee taste much better. 

In fact, these drinks are so popular that other coffee chains had to introduce similar products to compete.

3. The most recognizable cups in the world

Starbucks cups come in five sizes: Short, Tall, Grande, Venti, and Trenta.

Three of the cup sizes have Italian names. This tradition began because Starbucks founder Howard Shulz was captivated by Italian coffee bars and wanted to instill a sense of belonging, of exclusivity. He wanted the Starbucks experience to be just as exclusive as the Disney experience.

 According to The Wall Street Journal:

This cup has a biodegradable liner and is being tested in stores in Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, and London.

4. The coffee itself

Starbucks opened its first store in 1971 and began to expand beyond Seattle in 1987. Coffee connoisseurs were rare in the United States at the time, and espresso was rarely found outside Italian restaurants.

Very few people even knew the difference between espresso and drip coffee. In eateries and donut shops across the country, people drank coffee weakly brewed in large batches.

But a new generation of Americans grew up with Starbucks as the best alternative to the coffee of their grandparents’ generation. Many critics are not big fans of Starbucks over-roasted beans, but the coffee is good enough for most people.

5. The brand

Starbucks has successfully positioned itself as a luxury brand that almost everyone can afford.

With its Italian names, attractive decor, and comparatively high prices, Starbucks ensures that its products are perceived as some kind of reward.

One 2017 study showed that our enjoyment of foods and drinks, and even our perception of their taste, is enhanced by branding and thoughtful packaging.

6. Mobile app

In 2011, Starbucks launched the Starbucks® app, giving its customers the ability to order, pay for, and pick up their drinks without waiting in line or being delayed by indecisive colleagues.

The app was an outstanding success; by 2016, more than one-fifth of Starbucks transactions were made through the app.

According to MarketWatch:

7. Starbucks and celebrities

In a Quora forum, people noticed an interesting fact: that celebrities often take pictures with coffee from Starbucks.

As you browse through any news site, you’ll find paparazzi shots of celebrities holding Starbucks drinks.

Hollywood’s love for Starbucks turned the coffee house into a special status symbol, which we, the plebeian masses, can still access. In other words, we can be like celebrities when we drink Starbucks.

For the company, this accidental advertising whirlwind is a godsend for Starbucks’ brand image and advertising budget.

Indeed, that is precisely why the company is probably not paying celebrities to join their advertising campaigns: because they already do it for free.

8. A “third place”

Starbucks’ rise has occurred in parallel with some major changes in how people live, work, and interact.

According to CNN Business:

City planners speak of a “third place,” which is neither a home nor a job, but a neutral public space where people can meet on equal terms. Starbucks coffee shops have become a “third space,” and this is part of why customers keep coming back.

9. Names on cups

The idea of writing the customers’ names on their cups and announcing them loudly throughout the room turned out to be simple and ingenious. Such personalization is very captivating and causes a special connection to the brand. Of course, Starbucks employees have these moments:

But even with occasional (and sometimes hilarious) flubs, the idea of writing names on cups sets Starbucks apart from other coffee houses.

10. Atmosphere

In addition to a variety of coffee drinks and food, Starbucks’ atmosphere is very comfortable.

By now, most customers know what to expect when they enter through Starbucks’ heavy glass doors.

The interior of a Starbucks in Los Angeles will not be much different from the interior of a Starbucks in Tokyo: rich warm colors, alternative music, organic-looking artwork, and baristas in green aprons abound. Everything in Starbucks’ interior, from the warm scent to the simple sofas, promotes comfort and familiarity. 

11. Over 87,000 beverage combinations

We knew Starbucks has a big menu, but 87,000 options?

In 2008, the company included this fact in full-page advertising campaigns in two national newspapers.

Starbucks spokeswoman Lisa Pass told the Wall Street Journal how they came up with this figure: “If you take all of our main drinks, multiply them by modifiers and settings, you will get more than 87,000 combinations.”

12. Customer service

Have you ever encountered a rude Starbucks barista? Probably not. They are fast, efficient, friendly, and energetic. True, some people get annoyed when a barista spells their name wrong, but let’s cut them some slack. After all, do you know how to spell every name in the world?

13. Innovations

Fast Company chose Starbucks as one of the most innovative companies in 2018.

In recent years, the company has focused on changing its business model so that it is more beneficial to society.

One change includes a partnership with Feeding America. At the end of each day, Starbucks donates 100% of its remaining food to donate to local food banks. These efforts are expected to reduce the company’s food waste and provide 50 million meals per year by 2021.

Starbucks also pledged to hire 10,000 refugees and continues to open cafes to provide jobs and accelerate development in economically depressed cities across the United States. Current locations include Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; and the Englewood area of Chicago, Illinois. 

It is not surprising that there are more than 30,000 Starbucks shops around the world: Starbucks’ variety of drinks, steady attention to detail, customer service, and willingness to innovate have created one of the most famous and valuable brands in the world with a market capitalization of more than 74 billion dollars.

14. Starbucks stores

In addition to providing a good coffee and a cozy atmosphere, Starbucks cafes offer a huge variety of products: coffee beans, coffee makers, mugs, thermoses, and more. No wonder they have a huge customer base!

15. Tricky marketing

Starbucks presents itself as a customer-oriented, community-boosting patron of good, but this doesn’t mean that the company isn’t competitive and doesn’t focus on advertising and the psychology of how to increase sales.

For example, Starbucks offers free cardboard sleeves so that your cup won’t be too hot to hold, but it also offers a polyurethane version with a beautiful Starbucks logo. The company knows that some customers will pay extra for a reusable, higher-quality sleeve. Additionally, the company knows that if a customer buys a reusable sleeve, they’ll have more incentive to return to the shop and purchase more coffee drinks.

Starbucks’ reusable cups have been sold in the company’s shops for a long time. By giving customers a 10-cent discount when they bring in these reusable cups for another drink, Starbucks knows that they will retain customers. Additionally, the Starbucks logo on these cups acts as free advertising when customers use the cup outside of the shops. 

16. Employee health insurance

As you may have heard, Starbucks offers its employees a generous package of benefits, including health care for employees who work 20 or more hours per week.

In fact, according to former CEO Howard Schulz, Starbucks spends $300 million annually on healthcare, which is even more than they spend on coffee beans.

17. Free Wi-Fi

With the advent of the Internet, more and more people are working from home, and what better way to deal with isolation than spending part of their day working at a cafe? Free Wi-Fi is another Starbucks success secret.

However, according to one Quora user, public wifi is not very safe:

18. Company social responsibility

In terms of social responsibility, Starbucks has certainly has left its mark both locally and globally. 

For example, Starbucks has a history of supporting LGBT rights, from exposing their homophobic investors to turning their stores into safe spaces for LGBT customers.

In addition to LGBT issues, Starbucks advocates for the rights of refugees. In 2015, the company held began a charity event for Syrian refugees and migrants.

In 2017, the company announced that by 2022 it would hire 10,000 refugees in all the countries with which it does business.

This policy would join another similar Starbucks initiative: recruiting 10,000 military veterans. 

Such Starbucks activity not only benefits the world but also increases customer loyalty. 

19. The best place to study and work.

Starbucks is one of the best places to study: you can choose from various types of cookies and muffins, make use of comfortable chairs and several outlets, and enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
Here is what one Quora user writes:

So encourage your fellow students to be more productive by studying at Starbucks!

20. Starbucks Donates Food

As the company itself writes:

In 2016, Starbucks also donated 100% of its remaining food to feed the hungry. Starbucks partnered with Feeding America to donate unsold dishes, such as sandwiches and salads, all because their baristas encouraged the company to do so.

21. Freshly brewed coffee

Starbucks never serves coffee that has stood for more than 30 minutes. Baristas manage four batches of coffee beans simultaneously, rotating each at least every 15 minutes and never letting them sit for more than 30 minutes. They do this even after hours, throwing out beans and not serving anything old.

They also follow an established regimen for iced coffee, iced tea, and pastries to ensure that everything is served fresh.

22. Starbucks Barista Training

Each employee goes through more than 30 hours of training on subjects ranging from Frappuccino technique to the origin of coffee beans, and everything in between.

Training sessions include first impressions and customer service, Starbucks experience, brewing and tasting, espresso bar basics, food and warming, drinks, cold drinks, growing and processing, preparing the drink, and roasting and packaging.

23. Round tables

Starbucks’ little round solo tables are not just a cute design decision.

According to Food World News:

24. Music

Starbucks’ music selection is carefully thought-out. Entering the coffee shop, you will hear pleasant, unobtrusive music. At that moment, this same song is playing in all of Starbucks’ shops. You can even buy a CD of the music and listen to it at home.

Even if customers are unaware that the music is the same across all Starbucks establishments, they still subconsciously notice the familiarity of the music and develop even greater loyalty for the company.

25. Mental health

Starbucks cares about the mental health of its employees. 

According to Fast Company:

Starbucks History

Starbucks is perhaps the most famous coffee chain in the world. The company was founded relatively recently, in 1971, and it began its journey as a chain of coffee shops. The first store opened on March 30, 1971.

Three founders, Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker (an English teacher, a history teacher, and a writer, respectively), decided to start selling coffee beans and opened their first store in Pike Place Market, in Seattle.

For a long time, this was the only Starbucks store. But after ten years, there were five Starbucks stores, and the company also had its own factory. In addition to selling coffee in its stores, the company also supplied coffee beans to many coffee houses, bars, and restaurants.

In 1987, a turning point came in the history of Starbucks. Howard Schulz took ownership of the company and began making it the Starbucks we know today.

Schulz worked at Starbucks for several years as director of retail operations and marketing, but was unable to fulfill his dream of creating a coffee shop network based on the company. He left Starbucks and founded the Il Giornale coffee shop chain. 

In 1987, he returned to Starbucks and, finding investors, bought the company. Having bought Starbucks, he combined the chain with Il Giornale. Such an alliance turned out to be unusually successful and under his leadership, the Starbucks coffee chain managed to conquer the whole world.

Starbucks got its name from one of the heroes of the novel Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville. Starbuck is the name of the chief mate on the whaling ship Pequod that chased Moby-Dick.

Originally, the company was going to be named Pequod after the ship, but this name was rejected.

Then the founders, according to one version of the company’s history, began to search for a suitable name, paying attention to the fact that it should reflect the local spirit of their native Seattle. According to legend, one name under consideration was “Starbo,” the name of a mining town nearby.

But the founders did not give up the idea of using the name from the novel, and because “Starbo” and “Starbuck” are similar, they chose to name the company “Starbucks.”

But perhaps the most memorable element of the Starbucks brand is its logo.

The two-tailed mermaid, or siren, found on an old engraving from the sixteenth century, migrated to the Starbucks emblem and, although slightly changed, has remained there through today, continuing the nautical theme of the company.

In 1987, when Schulz bought Starbucks, the logo changed, combining the logos of Starbucks and Il Giornale. It was at this point that the logo got its characteristic features: a mermaid, a green circle, and stars. The mermaid was also modernized.

In 1992 and 2011, the logo changed again, but customers can still recognize hints of the old logos in the new designs.

Today, Starbucks today is not just about coffee, desserts, and snacks. The company also deals with books, cinema, and music. There is even a special Starbucks division, Starbucks Entertainment, dedicated to these endeavors. 

Starbucks’ approximately 18,000 coffee houses can be found in more than 50 countries around the world. The company is still headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Here’s a fun Starbucks story:

At the MacWorld 2007 conference, Steve Jobs used a call to Starbucks to showcase the first iPhone and play a little joke with the audience. To show how iPhone owners could use Google Maps on the device, Jobs determined his current location, then found the nearest Starbucks and called it. The audience froze in anticipation. At last, Jobs’ call was answered and with a serious look, he said:

But then Jobs apologized and told the Starbucks shop that he’d made a mistake. Only the long-awaited iPhone was able to console the conference’s disappointed guests.

FAQ

What are Starbucks’ weaknesses?

Like any company, Starbucks has its drawbacks. The most important are:

1. High price

Although Starbucks’ high prices give a sense of luxury and thus build brand loyalty, the huge price tags on some of their products mean that some potential customers never even try the coffee in the first place.

Although Starbucks’ ethical values ​​may be attractive, some people simply cannot spend that much money on a cup of coffee.

2. Lack of unique products

Although Starbucks may be known for its frappuccinos, pumpkin spice lattes, and large chocolate chip cookies, they certainly don’t have the most unique range of goods. Many other coffee houses provide similar products and lose out on customers only because Starbucks is very famous.

Why is Starbucks so addictive?

Starbucks products alone are not addictive. Yes, the caffeine in their coffee may be addictive for some, but the true reason so many are addicted to Starbucks is because of its unique atmosphere and brand. 

Is Starbucks coffee high-quality?

Starbucks coffee is certainly not the highest quality you can get, particularly because it’s difficult to distribute and store the best coffee beans across such a large network of shops, I but nevertheless, Starbucks coffee is quite decent, and many people enjoy it.

Conclusion

After researching and writing this article, I certainly understand why so many people are addicted to Starbucks, and how big a role this company plays in our world. After all, I am sure that there are a large number of people who can not imagine a day without going to their favorite Starbucks coffee shop.

I hope this article was very informative for you. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can always leave a comment and one of the MyFriendsCoffee team members will reply.