I do not see how this could possibly end badly: “Beginning on Monday, Starbucks baristas will have the option as they serve customers to hand cups on which they’ve handwritten the words “Race Together” and start a discussion about race.” …And hopefully by Friday Starbucks will discover that roughly one-fourth of its customer base would very much like to respond to a discussion of race with the factual statement of “Gee, Senator Moynihan pretty much called it when he said that breaking up the nuclear family unit was going to blight African-Americans for generations, huh?” But they won’t, because in this particular case ‘discussion about race’ freely translates to ‘lecture the white person on race.’ That’s fine for the Left; they kind of have a taste for that sort of thing.
For everybody else… well, there are other coffee joints. Personally, I wouldn’t be quite as eager to even risk driving away a respectable percentage of my existing customer base. Particularly in this economy; contrary to what many people apparently believe, ‘fancy coffee drinks’ are a luxury item. Sure, people do stick to their brands: but they can also drop them, given sufficient provocation. Having to face an uncomfortably one-sided discussion before one has had his first cup of coffee in the morning just might do the trick, there.
But never mind me. Starbucks is gonna Starbucks, and they didn’t ask for my opinion. Yeah, I know: they said that they did, but they really didn’t. That’s kind of the point.
Via @BrianFaughnan.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
PS: It would almost be worth it to go to a Starbucks where somebody was doing this, be given the cup with ‘Race Together’ written on it, and then loudly respond “Actually, I didn’t request this. Give me another cup, please – and don’t write on it this time.” Almost. After all, you’d be holding up the line.
There is absolutely no business upside to this initiative. The Progs are already customers and regular people will be put off. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Eric Holder can only drink so much coffee by himself.
If I get a coffee that isn’t made in my house, it comes from Starbucks. I’ve been a gold member for a few years now which I believe means I buy at least 30 drinks a year. The first coffee I get with this written on there will be the last one I ever buy from Starbucks.
> baristas will have the option
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Key words right there. I gotta think the vast majority of actual people working the counter are gonna give this whole mess a pass, perhaps after a few perfunctory attempts Monday morning.
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Perhaps excepting places like Bezerkley and their ilk, where the SJW types can be found in their highest concentrations
Unless, of course it’s “optional,” not optional. If, for example, the manager gives out the better shifts to the people who are most enthusiastic about this…
On the other hand, I can’t imagine that this will continue for any length of time.
I really didn’t need a reason Not to go to Starbucks. But it’s nice of them to give me one.
Read this comment on Daily Caller, which amused me tremendously:
‘I’m just sitting here, imagining the collective freak out twitter and “Unite Blue” would have if Chick-fil-a were to start asking: “Can we take your order and do you have a minute to talk about Jesus?”‘
I think the people behind Chick-fil-a take Jesus too seriously for that.
It’s not often anymore that I see a comment that makes me want to say, “You just won the thread.” But this one — concise, insightful, and with a hint of bone-dry snark seeping up through the implications —
.
Congratulations, my friend. You just won the thread.
If I wanted to hear a sermon I’d go to church.
I dunno. Anytime someone wants to discuss with me how racist and white supremacist the Democratic Party is, I may be up for it.
Starbucks only when I don’t know the area and my GPS app is refusing to pull up a local alternative .. and yeah, this is remarkably stupid for a major corporation. Time to short SBUX ?
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Mew
While you’re in this corner of the country, I recommend Dutch Brothers. Better coffee, better value, and not a sniff of snobbery.
Too frugal to pay their prices and long ago realized I didn’t care for their elitist liberalism.
I’m a Dunkin Donuts gal, good coffee, great donuts.
I haven’t purchased from Starbucks since their little tiff a few years ago about how they didn’t want money from people who would vote against Gay Marriage.
Note, I’m against *any* government involvement in marriage. And I certainly don’t begrudge anyone their position on the issue. But when they tell me they don’t want my money if I believe the Bible…well, ok. Local coffee joints are better anyway.