I was working with a student in China and the question came up, what is the significance of the rise of coffee consumption in the developed world? I talked primarily about Starbucks.
1. It's not that drinking coffee wasn't around before 1971, or even 1982 when Howard Schultz started working at Starbucks. You could refill your mug from the coffeepot in the break room or *gasp* bring your mug from home. You could even go through the McDonald's drive-thru (misspelled!). But it didn't have the mermaid logo. It didn't scream, "I'm trendy and urban" like an iPhone and a cup of Starbucks Venti, or latte, or doppio. Nothing says, "I'm overworked and doing important work so I need this cup of coffee" like a Starbucks (unless it's a baby diaper bag). The cup = fashion statement. It's part of the urban uniform.
2. All those Italian names aren't on accident. We like exotic European words (Bread du jour suddenly makes bread made today sound totally "fresh"). Schultz liked the atmosphere of the Italian coffee houses where people could hang out. In short, it was the social space. In the developing world, you don't need to "create" social space. On my first trip out of country to the Dominican, it was elbows to knees people. I stopped thinking about the fact that someone was constantly touching me whenever we traveled somewhere (10-12 in a 6 passenger vehicle . . . that's the way to go). It's only in the developed world where people are starved for community and social space (it's been Starbucks' and Facebook's "coin of trade," not the coffee or the Likes (or even Bejeweled)).
Significance of coffee consumption in the developed world? Not the caffeine, not just the status, but an idea of "here's where you hang out." (or at least where you can be seen with your headphones and laptop while you work on your latest e-book).
