How long will Starbucks survive in China?

In China, Starbucks had a rule that outside food is not allowed, even if one had ordered a cup of coffee. A controversy has erupted over a Chinese customer eating food bought from outside and being told to eat outside the outlet. The irony was it was another Chinese Starbuck employee admonishing the Chinese customer in front of everyone.

This has created an uproar among Chinese netizens on social media, with one netizen accusing Starbucks of double standards. He said that he had seen White customers munching on Macdonald burgers without being told to eat outside at other outlets. And there were others who also witnessed the same thing in other Starbuck outlets. What is worse was that Chinese Starbuck employees just turned a blind eye as far as White customers breaking the rules are concerned, but unforgiving toward their own kind. This is sick.

Starbuck now has a new rule that says - Order your food before sitting down. Ever wonder why Starbuck is losing customers in China to Luckin Coffee and other Chinese brands? There is a saying that you do not mess with customers in China and India if you want to do business in their country.


Anonymous