Yesterday I went to Starbucks like I have every, single day for the last 6 years. You see, Starbucks is my Cheers where everybody knows my name and all that crazy ass stuff. I love my Starbucks. I love the barristas who do this for me:
I love my grande non-fat no water light foam tazo chai latte. I love the routine of starting my day there every single morning. I love Starbucks so much that I have spent a small fortune there (don’t even do the math…please…I really don’t want to know).
Oh Starbucks, I am one of your most loyal customers. I seriously love you. But Starbucks, you are KILLING ME and I am afraid I am going to have to let you go. You, Starbucks, have gone too far this time and even me, your most loyal customer who seeks you out around the world:
Me. At Starbucks. In Paris.
Must protest your recent price increase. I have rationalized the $4 lattes for years but now that it is approaching $5 PER cup I must say good-bye. I visit you daily without fail and without complaint hand over my money but you give me nothing in return, no loyalty program, no discount, nothing. And now this?! Crazy. And don’t try and tell me that registering my card offers tons of benefits because I know that it isn’t so.
So, Starbucks, my one and only vice, I must give you up. I will visit from time to time for meetings and coffee with friends but I will no longer faithfully hand over my money every day. Today is the last day.
Starbucks, do you realize what you have done? You have pushed even your biggest brand advocate right out the door.