July 22nd, 2008 12:06 PM Eastern
Starbucks in Italy? No, Grazie
by Greg Burke
Just about everywhere I’ve traveled over the last couple of years I’ve found Starbucks.
Well, not everywhere. I don’t remember seeing one in Afghanistan. And interestingly enough, there’s no Starbucks here in Italy. I thought about that recently when Starbucks announced they were closing a number of stores. They never even opened any here.
Why not? Well, a lot of reasons, but the main one is that the coffee here is just too good.
I used to think you could find everything in New York, but after living in Italy I no longer believe that. I just don’t think you can get a great espresso — something you find in almost any Italian neighborhood — in the Big Apple.
For more details on why Starbucks can’t make it in Italy, check out the video.
done
Greg Burke has been with the FNC Rome Bureau since 2001. He has covered
a number of major stories including the death of Pope John Paul II, the
Madrid train bombings, the Paris riots, and the war in Lebanon. 
Its sad that one of my favorite spots get coffee and condiments is cutting back the number of their stores. A lot of workers will probably get laid off and lose their jobs. At least the chain isnt going out of buisiness all together. That is a good thing.
I was abig fan of starbucks then there coffee started tasting bitter and there sales people were just the same. I have a limo business in the northeast and travel all states and no longer do I stop at starbucks except in Barnes & Nobles when I reading. Dunkin Donuts is my preferred or McDonalds coffee. I feel starbucks started oout great and now, well in decline, sorry.
Greg- You forgot to mention that starbucks espresso coffee is overroasted and burned. it would taste horrible if you attempted to drink it the way it’s done in Italy, i.e. a couple of ounces with sugar only. That is assuming you could get it made that way in a starbucks. If you go there and order a “solo espresso” (one shot), you will get liquid equivalent to about 3 Italian espressos, but totally diluted and without the “crema” or froth created by the high pressure. Ask them for it in a heated espresso cup or demitasse. No way at starbucks. It is served only in a recycled paper cup which adds it’s own disgusting flavor. Then there’s the service, but I won’t even go there….
We found a coffee outlet that we think is superior to Starbucks or any other coffee outlet, in Pensacola,Fl. It is called the Drowsey Poet. The product is delicious and allways the same. We live 35 miles West but allways look forward to going to Pensacola for a Moca Poetchino.
Hi,
we’re Roberto&Carla and we’re Italian.
When we travel across USA for our holiday, we stop in many starbucks coffe because, for us, there is the best coffe in USA. But coffe in USA, everywhere, is only bigger. Coffe in Italy is an art and it is the best of the world. If starbucks will want to come in Italy, it will have make coffe in Italian mode. Success assured. First of all, do not serve coffe in paper cup… Sorry for my English.
I lived in Italy for four years (03-07) and I can testify that Starbucks will never make it in Italy. I know my fair share of friends that I have in Italy who own their coffee bars and they have something that Starbucks doesn’t have, and that is trusted family workers. When you go into a coffee bar in Italy, you are welcomed as family. They make sure that you’re happy and taken care of. I’ve seen McDonnalds & a few Burger Kings have success in Italy, and more so in Rome, but I’ve also seen other American restaurants close down faster than how they opened, fore example, Subway – “Eat Fresh.” Subway has a good thing going in America because Americans desire healthy food, but in Italy, when you are invited to someone’s home, you get what Subway only wishes to produce and that is better than their “Fresh” packaged meats and cheeses. Italians everyday have fresh meals made. It goes from the stores, to the kitchen, to the table, no middle guys. Well, you get my point, so I agree, Starbucks needs a lot to add to their menu to establish itself in Italy.
I just returned from a visit to Rome and toured througout Italy. Greg Burke is “right on” in regards to the smart decision NOT to open Starbucks in Italy. The coffee in Italy is ubiquitously delicious. Starbucks would not and could not compete with the local coffee bars present on every corner throughout Italy. The espresso served is infinately superior in Italy. Italians have embraced many American concepts and trademarks but Italians will not drink suboptimal coffee and Starbucks has really declined since its novel inception a decade ago. Starbucks also does not bake their own goods while the local bars mostly do offer fresh baked pastries.