NYT Articles on Food, Drink, Cooking, and Culinary Culture (2011– )

[rotuts]

tasty-est steak I ever grilled was while it was snowing.  horizontal showing if you know what I mean.

[ElsieD]

Rotuts, thanks for the link.

[rotuts]

I enjoy following markets.  various, mostly food related.  Economics, etc

 

'fast foods'  ie ShackShake, McD etc as business markets

 

Coffee I also follow.  Today in the NYTimes :

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/your-money/why-starbucks-prices-went-up-as-coffee-beans-got-cheaper.html?ref=business&_r=0

 

I like following Starbucks. I don't drink nor like their coffee, just their business.

 

consider this book :

 

http://www.amazon.com/Grande-Expectations-Year-Starbucks-Stock/dp/0307339726

 

if your library has it, get it.  be warned : you won't be able to put it down.

 

 

FD:  I do have a few, not many, SBUX shares. because i read the book, kept my eye out and there is it.

 

bad coffee, interesting business.

 

and Im no BizzSchool type either

Edited August 16, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Chelseabun]

I agree with you about Starbucks.  I do not venture there for coffee either.  That's not a comment on their coffee, its just that there are so many options for coffee. 

 

There is money in fast food because manufacturers generally buy the unprocessed (normally agricultural) product for cents per pound, process them relatively cheaply (often removing their nutritional value LoL) and sell them to us at $ per pound LoL. They then make so much money they can afford to flood us with advertising. 

 

Its ok by me though to admire their business and even buy their shares.   I think that is ok and the rise of fast food businesses should be admired (from a business perspective).  I would advocate though to 'drive past the drive through'.  Perhaps visit eGullet instead and cook something interesting and more healthy instead LoL  

[Urag]

Many people will swwear off Starbucks because its a corperation but they started out small and got big because people liked their coffee and were smart.

[Deryn]

I never drink any of the Starbucks 'coffees' that are so sweet and expensive and caloric. But, I do admit to buying their micronized 'instant' Italian coffee by the gross. I travel a lot and those are really handy and good for long drives (I can use a in-car pot to heat up the water and since I drink coffee black, no sugar - and tend to like it strong and bitter so they are ideal for me). I wish someone else would start micronizing and packaging single cup coffee 'bags' so I could wean myself off Starbucks - but till then, they sort of have my 'business' (often indirectly if I can find them in a grocery store, mind you).

I have never found an instant coffee other than Starbucks that I can stand, much less enjoy. And I have found that, even a year after expiry, that micronized stuff holds up well.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Deryn (log)

[Chelseabun]

It would be interesting to try and figure out the next big trend in fast food business. Fast food came to the fore largely because of socioeconomic changes in society but there are other factors I am sure.  Why do some people become apparently 'addicted' to fast food and others turn to forums such as eGullet?  With beer, we are seeing consumers turn towards craft ale and the rise of micro breweries.  Could this be a model for coffee or other fast food?

[ElsieD]

I have never stepped into a Starbucks for coffee in it's liquid form but do buy the Columbia microground coffee. I keep it on hand for my husband as it is a reasonable alternative to brewed coffee if he is in a hurry in the mornings to get out the door. It doesn't happen often which explains why the current package in the cupboard expired this past June and it still has 11 of the initial 12 single serving packets. We think it the best of the instant coffees that we have tried, not that that's saying much.