Coffee lovers

of the US, don’t panic! Yes, it’s true - all Starbucks will be closed tonight from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. I think one of the best articles about this hails from Australia:

NEW YORK: Americans had to cope without blended frappuccino and blueberry coffee cake for a few hours yesterday as Starbucks shut its 7100 company-owned stores for a nationwide barista training session.

The chairman, Howard Schultz, ordered the unprecedented three-hour afternoon closure in an effort to improve the service and revive the chain’s flagging fortunes.

It prompted frenzied action by competitors hoping to snatch Starbucks customers. Dunkin’ Donuts made the day a cut-price coffee day with prices slashed to 99c a cup so that “no coffee lover [was] denied a delicious espresso-based beverage”.

During the session, Starbucks baristas were given a “hands-on espresso training experience”. Mr Schultz promised his staff an “opportunity to connect and deepen their passion for coffee with the ultimate goal of transforming the customer experience”……MORE….

Excellent marketing move by Dunkin Donuts! To wit:

…Coincidentally, Dunkin’ Donuts has planned a special promotion offering 99-cent small lattes, cappuccinos and espresso drinks that overlaps with the event….

“We never want any customers to ever be denied access to their specialty drinks,” said Frances Allen, Dunkin’ Donuts’ brand marketing officer. “It’s definitely a fortuitous time for us.”

Dunkin’ Donuts representatives insist that the promotion — which is between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. — is really a celebration of last week’s announcement that the company had taken first place in the coffee category of Brand Keys’ Annual Customer Loyalty Engagement Index. This was the second year in a row that Dunkin’ Donuts took the top spot in the New York consulting firm’s survey.

“It’s a way of saying, ‘thank you,’ and giving back and recognizing the value of our customers and giving them something back,” Allen said. “We think we will have a lot of participation. We may even introduce some new people to Dunkin’ Donuts’.”…MORE….

Need to find a local Dunkin Donuts? Click here!

Want instead to discover new independent coffee shops? Click here!

And don’t forget about Delocator, the search engine to locate independent cafes, bookstores and theaters.

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - looking for a nifty coffee machine?

BRASILIA PLAZA SUPER AUTOMATIC ESPRESSO MACHINE COFFEE

Breville Die Cast Espresso Machine +2lb Sbux Coffee

Krups Espresso Coffee Cappuccino Machine & 2 Cups Excel

*DeLonghi* Espresso Cappuccino & Coffee Bar Machine NIB

Folgers Progema AS6S Coffee Dispensing vending Machine