Hello guys!
Today I would like to share with you my thoughts about a piece of news I read about this morning: Starbucks is opening in Italy.
Let me quickly summarize the article for you: it basically said that Starbucks will open just one store as a test, to see if the concept works here and if they can open other stores in other different cities. The first store will be in Milan and then, as I said before, if it works they will also open in Bologna, Rome, Turin, Florence and Pisa. So Starbuck’s future in Italy is in the hands of the capital city of fashion.
Here you can read the short article in Italian.
Now, I am a bit excited about this because let’s admit it, when I travel I always look forward to drinking a good frappè or anything from Starbucks. But there lies the problem: I like it when I travel and go abroad. In Italy we have a strong coffee culture that would really crash with the type of coffee and beverages Starbucks offers. When tourists come to Italy, I think they would like to experience the real espresso and not drink what they have at home too. That may sound weird but I have noticed a lot of tourists going to eat at Hard Rock Cafè in Rome (which I visit quite often when I am in Rome!) which offers typical American / Tex-Mex food that they probably eat everyday at home. Now, what is the point of visiting Italy and going to eat hamburgers? Anyway, that is a whole different type of discussion!
Going back to Starbucks, will it succeed in Italy? I really have mixed feelings about this. What do you think? I would love to hear what you think about this. Leave a comment below!
Italian: Oggi voglio condividere con voi la mia opinione riguardo ad una notizia di cui ho letto proprio stamattina, ovvero che Starbucks aprirà in Italia. In breve l’articolo dice che il primo punto vendita di prova sarà a Milano e se tutto va bene è ha successo in ambito milanese, verranno aperti anche altri punti vendita a Roma, Bologna, Pisa, Torino e Firenze. Che ne pensate? Io sono contenta da un lato, ma dall’altro lato no. La globalizzazione continua imperterrita… Purtroppo tutto è ovunque è quindi non c’è quasi più l’eccitazione di scoprire negozi diversi da quelli che conosci quando vai all’estero. Ora non sarò più entusiasta per un frappè.
Do you want me to make a video about this? A sort of first impression or reaction? Let me know 🙂
A domani,
Lucrezia
you might also like:
How to make Italian espresso with a caffettiera.
Learn Italian with Lucrezia 
I think it will fail miserably unless they cater their offering to Italians specifically. I ran a Starbucks for 4 years and would sometime encounter Italian tourists and tell me the same thing, something like “questa l’acqua sporca schifo!” Or something similar. I don’t work there anymore and I sure hope it fails!
Matt, thank you for your comment! We’ll se what happens!
Even if it does open and succeed, it will not come in the way our do any kind of harm to italian coffee shops, so how do w say….non preoccupare!
Ok, non preoccupiamoci!
I really hope it doesn’t succeed lol! I’m Italian and I really don’t like all these food businesses expanding globally.. I hope Italy stays unique as it is 😉 PS: great blog!
Ciao Laura! Ahah 🙂 Let’s hope so! PS: thank you!
Secondo me, i giovani lo troveranno piacevole o qualcosa di speciale saltuariamente….. chissà!
Si, è vero anche questo! Specialmente i giovani con il mito degli Stati Uniti…
I don’t think it will fly in Italy. When I come to Italy I want real authentic Italian food and cappuccino, not something I can find in America,
Spero che non succede. Abitavo a Seattle per otto anni e mi piace Starbucks, ma non in Italia. Quando le persone viaggiano all’Italia devono avere il caffè italiano e il cibo italiano, altrimenti che cos’è il punto viaggiare??
Grazie per aver condiviso il tuo pensiero, Kevin!
Prego, e grazie a te per il tuo blog! Lo mi piace molto.
Grazie, Kevin! Sono molto contenta 😀
I’ve just come back from China where it is the most expensive Starbucks in the world. There I can understand it as there isn’t much coffee around, but in Italy where coffee is such a part of the culture? Who knows if it will work.
Ciao Livonne, thank you for your comment! 🙂 We’ll see!
I think it will work because it offers a different kind of experience than the italian caffe’. While the Bars in Italy have lovely espressos and all- Starbucks offers a trendy place to take your new Mac air and sit for hours working, discussing philosophy, or art or just reading a book etc.
In Paris in November the Starbucks seemed thrive. Granted Paris could use the coffee reboot- but I went because it reminded me of the Starbucks at home they all feel/smell and look the same… they are selling a feeling an experience.
Ciao Lisa, thank you very much for sharing your opinion 🙂 Happy New Year!
I think the majority of people are attracted by what they know or what they feel is familiar perhaps because that is what is comfortable and predictable. I could imagine a Starbucks in Rome would get plenty of business from tourists. Perhaps the better question is back at you: how do you think Italians will respond to the presence of Starbucks?
I would not like to see a Starbucks in Italy. I feel that Starbucks is American culture and represents the Americanisation of the world. Imagine if every high street around the world had the same shops, had the same character and produced the same experience. I think it would be a sad thing to see a Starbucks in Florence for example. When I visit Italy I want to experience Italian culture. Part of the reason for wanting to learn Italian is to embrace that culture more fully.
You are right, James. It wouldn’t feel right to see a Starbucks in Rome or any other Italian city, just because it’s something that doesn’t belong to my (and of Italians in general) culture 🙂 Thank you for your comment!
Could you share the article?
Ciao Luka! The article is linked in my post. Where it says “Here you can read the short article”, click on “here” and you will be redirected to the article 🙂
“It wouldn’t feel right to see a ______________ in Rome or any other Italian city, just because it’s something that doesn’t belong to my (and of Italians in general) culture.”
As an american that has lived in Italy for the past 5 years, let me say that this pretty much sums up how closed minded most italians are. i love them anyway, but man they are missing out on some of the world’s great pleasures because of this.