Actually, this is a textbook example of why the American-style free market economy is ludicrous bullshit that is harmful to people. Even something as fiscally successful as McDonalds can't succeed without still more continued growth? What happens after cold drinks? Are they going to eventually encroach on pizza deliveries? Furniture deliveries? Private police forces? Military service?
Don't blame the smoothie people. It all started when Starbucks decided to charge over a dollar for coffee. The beverage world then realized people would be fine with spending much more for their $0.05 raw material product than they've been charging, and profits started pouring in.
I'm just waiting for them to catch on the the $2 cupcake trend. Or maybe pass everyone up and start charging $1.50 for gormet ketchup.
It'll be interesting to see how this works. If they can sell that crap cheap, it'll work.
@ 2, today's bend-over-for-the-customer chain business will never do anything to risk pissing off a paying customer, no matter how rude that person is being. Hell, bring in your seven layer burritos, so long as you at least buy some mcnuggets here too.
Once upon a time, I worked at a McDonald's for about 6 months. They make almost no actual profit from their burgers. Almost all their real profit is derived from sales of fries and soda. Slumping drink sales probably really hurt. Efforts to increase drink sales was sure to follow.
I have this terrible image of sad, fat Americans drinking smoothies and frapuccinos with their Big-Macs. Is there no limit to the amount of shit people will put into their mouths?
Why are people complaining about the health value of coffee or smoothies or the price mark-up on them when this is in comparison to soda, which is massively unhealthy and has a huge price mark-up? A shift from one high-priced beverage with health concerns to another hardly seems like something to make a fuss over. And smoothies can even potentially be healthful, depending on what is in them.
Don't drink much coffee, but a McDonald's is the only reasonably priced thing near where I work: so hot coffee in the winter, and iced coffee (with non-fat vanilla flavoring) if the weather is extreme either way, and I need to be warmer or cooler.
Unfortunately, McDonald's coffee tastes burnt to me (is that an attempt to make it chicory like, or only crappy coffee?), unless buried under milk and too-salty vanilla.
But mostly I drink water, "flavored" with powered vitamin C: inexpensive and better for my health.
Mickey D's seems to already be doing this in foreign countries. I'm surprised to see that they're just now thinking about incorporating it into domestic stores.
Next step is a full bar at Mickey D's. Think of the possibilities! McTinis. Big Mac on the Beach. The Grimace (vodka and grape soda).
Fuck you, Wall Street.
I'm just waiting for them to catch on the the $2 cupcake trend. Or maybe pass everyone up and start charging $1.50 for gormet ketchup.
$13 bil of that is specialty coffee?
you're right, the culprit is Redbull, not Stumptown.
@ 2, today's bend-over-for-the-customer chain business will never do anything to risk pissing off a paying customer, no matter how rude that person is being. Hell, bring in your seven layer burritos, so long as you at least buy some mcnuggets here too.
Once upon a time, I worked at a McDonald's for about 6 months. They make almost no actual profit from their burgers. Almost all their real profit is derived from sales of fries and soda. Slumping drink sales probably really hurt. Efforts to increase drink sales was sure to follow.
That said, I still miss those Cajun Chicken Sandwiches.
Unfortunately, McDonald's coffee tastes burnt to me (is that an attempt to make it chicory like, or only crappy coffee?), unless buried under milk and too-salty vanilla.
But mostly I drink water, "flavored" with powered vitamin C: inexpensive and better for my health.