Starbucks Coffee Company - Expanding into India

Starbuck Coffee Company
Expanding into India
VAIBHAV KHANNA
INSIDE:
The paper analyses the entry prospects of Starbucks Coffee into India. The analysis is
based on the learning and insight of framework provided during the International
Marketing course.

Table of Contents
Contents
Executive Summary ___________________________________________________________ 1
Introduction_________________________________________________________________ 2
Company Overview__________________________________________________________2
Project Scope ______________________________________________________________3
Research ___________________________________________________________________ 4
Customer Perception ________________________________________________________4
Methodology & Analysis ________________________________________________________ 5
PESTLE Analysis____________________________________________________________5
VRIO Analysis ______________________________________________________________9
Customer Survey Analysis____________________________________________________11
SWOT Analysis ___________________________________________________________15
Competitor Analysis________________________________________________________16
Recommendations ___________________________________________________________ 17
Bibliography________________________________________________________________ 18
Appendix __________________________________________________________________ 19
City: Delhi |Location: Connaught Place (CP) ______________________________________19
City: Gurgaon |Location: Ambience Mall _________________________________________20
City: Delhi |Location: Greater Kailash (GK) _______________________________________20
City: Delhi |Location: IGI Airport_______________________________________________20
City: Delhi |Location: Saket ___________________________________________________20
City: Delhi |Location: Vasant Kunj ______________________________________________20
City: Mumbai |Location: Colaba________________________________________________20
City: Mumbai |Location: Goregaon East__________________________________________20
City: Mumbai |Location: Mumbai Fort ___________________________________________20
City: Mumbai |Location: Powai ________________________________________________20

Pg. 01 Executive Summary
Executive Summary
PESTLE
While all factors seem favorable but India seems to be in a situation on doldrums in terms of its
political scenario. Economic scenario is highly favorable and consumption rate of coffee is
increasing at a rate of 8%, which is a higher CAGR as compared to other global market.
VRIO
The strategic core competencies of Starbucks lie within its globally recognized brand, its corporate
leadership & vision, its relationship with its coffee growers (Tata, 2009) and its propensity for
innovation. The customer experience is still unmatched in comparison to its customers in India and
global which adds to the company’s core strategic competencies.
Customer Feedback
The overall feedback is positive but there seems to be inconsistencies in some outlets of Starbucks
causing dissatisfaction among customers. Also, customers by large don’t seem to enjoy the hot
beverages and eateries in Starbucks
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stand out.”

Pg. 02 Introduction
Introduction
Company Overview
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle,
Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 20,891 stores in 62
countries, including over 13,279 in the United States, over 1,300 in Canada, 989 in Japan, 851 in
China, and 806 in the United Kingdom.
Starbucks has always been a place to find the world’s best coffees. But, to reach this size the
company has gone a long way from its birth in 1971, where the customer would have had to
travel all the way to the only store in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market to now where it caters to
31% of the total 192 countries in the world. This enormous size of Starbucks is achieved through
its continuous pace of global expansion in different regions and cultures of the world.
Expansion into New Markets
The first Starbucks location outside North America opened in Tokyo, Japan, in 1996. Starbucks
entered the U.K. market in 1998 with the $83 million acquisition of the then 65-outlet, UK-based
Seattle Coffee Company, re-branding all the stores as Starbucks. In September 2002, Starbucks
opened its first store in Latin America, at Mexico City.
In October 2002, Starbucks established a coffee trading company in Lausanne, Switzerland to
handle purchases of green coffee. All other coffee-related business continued to be managed from
Seattle.
In April 2003, Starbucks completed the purchase of Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia
from AFC Enterprises for $72m. In September 2006, rival Diedrich Coffee sold most of its company-
owned retail stores to Starbucks. This sale included the company-owned locations of the Oregon-
based Coffee People chain which were further converted to Starbucks
In August 2003, Starbucks opened its first store in South America in Lima, Peru and in 2007, the
company opened its first store in Russia, ten years after first registering a trademark there.
Within a span of 40 years (1971 to 2011), the company stores expanded substantially, picking up
pace after 1992. The graph shows the growth trajectory of the company.
Starbucks global reach.
(As of July 2013)

Pg. 03 Introduction
On October 2012, Starbucks opened its first store in Mumbai, India and on February 2013, Starbucks
opened its first store in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Products
Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, coffee
beans, salads, hot and cold sandwiches, panini, pastries, snacks, and items such as mugs and
tumblers. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also
markets books, music, and film. Many of the company's products are seasonal or specific to the
locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores.
Project Scope
The report covers various tools and frameworks from International Marketing course and
evaluates the Starbucks current position within the Indian market and suggests recommendations
based on 360 degree analysis from Macro business factors, company core competencies, SWOT
and customer feedback.

Pg. 04 Research
Research
Customer Perception
Having already opened its stores in India, Starbucks has entered the Indian market with an aim to
create an impression of differentiation amongst the existing competitors such as Café Coffee Day
and Barista. The research is done by combining customer feedback as recorded by Zomato.
Zomato is an Indian website providing information related to restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs, and
events at such establishments in cities of India, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The site has an Alexa rank of 2,553 in the world and
204 in India as of January 2013.
The research was conducted to obtain an accurate understanding of Starbucks’s position in the
market. This research provided a basis for analysing customer observation and sensitivity towards
their visit to Starbucks. The customer feedback (Appendix) was collected from different Starbucks
stores in Mumbai and New Delhi. The rating of Starbuck is given by 2147 customers based on their
experience in 4 Mumbai and 6 New Delhi stores. The feedback collected is from the limited
customers who were willing to provide reviews for in-depth feedback about their experience and
choice food and beverage at the store.
The analysis would entail combining customer opinions and reviews from individual stores and
developing into a macro study of Starbuck experience. This would bring forth the company’s
successful and shortcomings towards the implementation of its International Marketing strategy in
India.

Pg. 05 Methodology & Analysis
Methodology & Analysis
Due to the limited word length of the document, the methodology and analysis are blended to form
a robust case to determine Starbucks positioning in the market. The analysis shall combine
different marketing principles, frameworks and tools to thorough the analysis and bring out key
learning for the coffee company.
PESTLE Analysis
The company has already entered the Indian market, but it is important to understand the road
ahead. Having opened 15 stores in the country, it is still at its nascent stage of becoming a market
leader. Starbucks competitors enjoy the ‘know how’ of the Indian market and most of them have
now been in the country for a decade. While the journey ahead for Starbucks might be erratic, it is
important to find out means to make it as predictable as possible from an opportunistic view.
Political
Below is the current political scenario of the Indian governance that needs consideration.
PESTLE
Factors Severity Type: Impact:
High - H
Medium - M
Low - L
Undetermined - U
Positive + ve
Negative -ve
Unknown ~
Increasing 
Decreasing 
Unchanged 
Political
Trading policies H ~ 
Home market
lobbying/pressure
groups
H ~ 
International
pressure groups
M - ve 
Government
policies
H ~ 
Elections H ~ 
Inter-country
relationships/
attitudes
L + ve 
Terrorism H - ve 
Governmental
leadership
H ~ 
Internal political
issues
H - ve 
Potential Impact:

The political scenario is in the doldrums, while the recent government has opened doors for 100%
FDI in food and beverage, which might seem a huge opportunity for the company with the
opportunity of moving away from 50-50 stake holding with Tata group to a sole ownership option,
the business analyst perceive a tough scenario ahead. Analyst have criticized current government
policies and political scenario resulting in slowed growth and indecisive bureaucracy. With Central
government elections nearing 2014 and opposition government not much in favor of FDI the
investors are deciding to pull out of India. Analyst such as Warren Buffet have already pulled out
investments and company such as Wall-Mart is evaluating every move before entering the country
at a large scale.
Economic
The economic highlights for the country is important to understand why investors still wish to enter
the Indian market.
Economic
Home economy
situation
L + ve 
Overseas
economies and
trends
L ~ 
Taxation changes
specific to
product/services
L + ve 
Specific industry
factors
H + ve 
Disposable income M + ve 
Job growth/
unemployment
M - ve 
Exchange rates H + ve 
Inflation M ~ 
Production level M + ve 
Although, the Indian economy is booming with a slower rate than anticipated, but it is still far from
raising immediate or even a near future concern. With no immediate changes done/anticipated for
taxation of coffee/food and beverage industry, the coffee and tea industry is growing at a steady
CAGR of 8 and 3 percentage points respectively. While the exchange rates raise a concern for the
country and rupee is continuously falling, it is in turn beneficial for companies like Starbucks and
Wall-mart to invest and get a better return. Starbucks alliance with Tata will prove beneficial
because of Tata’s growing exports of coffee and its increasing acceptance in developed markets like

US and UK. This alliance can be further utilized by Starbucks to strengthen its returns in developed
economies due to relatively low production cost in India.
Social
The social factors shall point out consumption pattern, demographic factor, ethnic issues, diversity
and other similar elements that imbibe within sociological aspects.
Social
Consumer
attitudes &
opinions
H + ve 
Consumer buying
patterns
H + ve 
Brand, company,
technology image
H + ve 
Ethnic/religious
factors
L + ve 
Advertising and
publicity
M - ve 
Ethical issues L - ve 
Demographics (age,
gender, race, family
size,)
H + ve 
Population shifts M + ve 
Diversity H - ve 
Health L - ve 
Leisure activities H + ve 
Staff attitudes H + ve 
The consumer attitude and consumption buying pattern has generally been favorable for the
country. With respect to Starbucks, the consumption of coffee in India is increasing with a CAGR of
8%. Although, predominately belonging to a tea consuming nation, Indian’s consumption of tea is
growing at a slower rate of 3% Similar to other developed and developing nations, India has strong
affinity towards global reputed brand, which shall be beneficial to global brands such a Wall-mart,
Ikea, Starbucks and other brands that play to enter the country. Also, in relation to demographics,
India is amongst the youngest population in the world with its citizens ranging from 20-30
contribute towards 60% of the population.

Technology
The technological factors are an important element in today’s era, but with respect to the food and
beverage industry, they play a meagre role relative to other product/service industries. Below are
the highlights of some of relevant aspects to touch upon.
Technological
Information and
communications
M + ve 
Consumer buying
mechanisms/tech
nology
M + ve 
Internet M + ve 
Transportation H - ve 
India is amongst the world’s fastest growing internet and mobile usage nations in the world. In
today’s era, this definitely proves beneficial for marketers who are moving within the digital space
to increase customer centricity. While these provide a boot in the technological era, but in terms of
transportation and infrastructure development, the country lies way behind its counterpart BRIC
countries.
Legal
While the country is the largest democratic nation in the world, its legal environment is powerful
but ineffective at the same time. The highlights below are as follows:
Legal
Current legislation
home market
M + ve 
Future legislation M ~ 
Regulatory bodies
and processes
M + ve 
Employment law M + ve 
Consumer
protection
M + ve 
Industry-specific
regulations
L + ve 
Pace of decision
making
H - ve 
While the structure and legislation framework is robust, the country is highly criticized for its pace
of decision making in legal matters. With second largest population, the number of cases to handle
outnumber the manageable ratio of number of courts, judges and lawyers that are required. Also,

with having the biggest constitution in the world provides ample of opportunities to lawyers to
delay the judgments and stretch it for decades to get justice. It is for the same reason that the country
is called ‘Lawyers Paradise’.
Environmental
The environmental factors shall touch upon aspects such as Environmental issues, Customer values,
Market values, Stakeholder/ investor values and organizational culture.
Environmental
Environmental
issues
L + ve 
Environmental
regulations
L + ve 
Customer values L + ve 
Market values L + ve 
Stakeholder/
investor values
L + ve 
organizational
culture
L + ve 
Staff morale M - ve 
Global factors M - ve 
India is ahead of nations such as USA and UK in terms of Carbon emission norms.
But, in terms of Customer values, market sentiment, investor value, the country has a long way to
go. The positive side of environmental factors is that the country is progressing in terms of business
values especially with the new generation of who ask for change. So, although the country might
rank very high on corruption and dark currency (unethical accumulation of wealth), the nation’s
youth is strongly pushing the political and legislative system for change and making individuals
accountable for their actions and opinions. The growing staff concern is attributed to the slow rising
of unemployment which is threading concerns for the country. Since the country is also prone to
high trade deficit the global factors do play a very important role to scuffle up the economy.
VRIO Analysis
The VRIO framework is part of a much larger strategic scheme of a firm. VRIO falls into the
internal analysis step of company procedures, but is used as a framework in evaluating resources
and capabilities of a firm, regardless of what phase of the strategic model it falls under. Thus, this
model shall bolster towards analyzing Starbucks-India’s core competencies since the company has
already entered the country but is at its nascent stage of marketing penetration.

VRIO is an acronym for the four question framework you ask about a resource or capability to
determine its competitive potential: the question of Value, Rarity, Imitability (Ease/Difficulty to
Imitate), and Organization (ability to exploit the resource or capability).
The VRIO analysis of Starbucks shall provide a glimpse of assessment of its India strategy to be
modulated in compliance with country’s trend.
The company takes great care in evaluating store locations and implementing the right product mix,
but these factors are easily imitable and might not prove valuable in India, where the competition
already have an established market. What Starbucks does is unique, valuable and inimitable in terms
of its CSR image and buying power, it is still behind its competitors in terms of number of stores in
India, in turn adding to unexploited competitive advantage.
The strategic core competencies of Starbucks lie within its globally recognized brand, its corporate
leadership & vision, its relationship with its coffee growers (Tata, 2009) and its propensity for
innovation. The customer experience is still unmatched in comparison to its customers in India and
global which adds to the company’s core strategic competencies.
Unexploited
Competitive
Advantage
Temporary
Competitive
Advantage

Customer Survey Analysis
The feedback collected is from the limited customers who were willing to provide reviews for in-
depth feedback about their experience and choice food and beverage at the store. The customer
feedback analysis comprises of detailed responses from Starbucks customers. The spread of
responses is from 6 outlets in Delhi-NCR region and 4 outlets in Mumbai, encompassing and analysis
of 43 respondents. Also, the overall rating given to Starbucks is from 2147 customers in total and
further broken down from individual outlets.
The analysis first tries to bring out the common grounds of importance for Starbucks by
encompassing both Delhi-NCR region and Mumbai and then further dig into individual regions and
find common patterns of Strength and Weakness from customer perception.
The word frequency map was formed from all customer feedbacks to understand the macro patterns
for Starbucks India. The below displayed picture and chart brings out the prominent words as used
by 43 respondents when claiming their feedback.
Word Word Frequency
Coffee 336
Time 277
Cold 241
Good 212
Seating 177
Ice / iced 172
Waiting 136
Java 109
Frappuccino 78

Re-adjusting and mapping similar word patterns
Type of Product Analysis: The general trend seems to
highlight that Indian Starbucks customers were more inclined
towards colder beverages than the typical hot coffee, which is
also evident from mapping word pattern of ice and cold with
coffee, leaving out the possibility of customers
replacing/perceiving “hot coffee” as “coffee”. Though the
season of survey have an element to play because majority of
respondents have tried it during summer, nevertheless
negligible mention of “hot” seems to indicate a consumption
pattern.
Adjective/Verb Analysis: While the only adjective that
comes out from the word pattern is “Good” connoting a
general belief of satisfaction as part of customer. The other
words highlight expression of “Waiting, Seating and Time” as a concern. A deeper analysis will bring
out if this claim holds validity.
Product Analysis: The Java Frappuccino and other variants Frappuccino of are the beverage that
most customers seemed to have tried.
Analyzing Delhi-NCR Region
Ratings Assessment: The customers were asked to rate their experience on a scale of 1-5. The
category of segregation is shown alongside. Mathematical assessment of the overall rating of
Starbucks India Delhi-NCR region comes out to be 3.79/5, lying between good and very good
category.
Number of
Votes Rating Multiply
Ambience Mall 15 3.6 54
Connaught Place 751 3.8 2853.8
Greater Kailash 25 3.7 92.5
IGI Airport 31 4 124
Saket 92 3.8 349.6
Vasant Kunj 45 3.5 157.5
Total 959 3631.4
Delhi-NCR
3.79
Word Word Frequency
Coffee 336
Cold 241
Ice / iced 172
Good 212
Time 277
Seating 177
Waiting 136
Java 109
Frappuccino 78
Bad 1
Average
Good
Very Good
Excellent 5

Due to recent opening of some of the outlets, the majority of ratings come from Connaught Place,
which receives very high foot fall and is relatively older. While the overall experience seems to be
positive but the recent stores such as Vasant Kunj and Ambience Mall show a relative dampening
of rating. It is imperative to look into more detail.
Detailed Analysis of Delhi-NCR customer feedback
With reference to (Appendix), individual analysis of outlets is as follows:
Connaught Place: The feedback from Connaught Place customers is very positive and were
enthusiastic for a return. Overall they enjoyed the coffee and were amazed with the interiors.
Customers specially criticized the long queues and wanted better management in this regard.
What comes out from the survey is that people preferred cold beverages over hot and some did
not enjoy the hot coffee at Starbucks. Customers rated the eateries to be average.
Ambience Mall: The testimonial size is small to make an acute conclusion, but what did come out
is that customers liked cold beverages better and rated hot beverages as average, although special
appreciation is given to the interiors.
Greater Kailash: Overall a very positive response. Customers are happy to come back. The key
take away from feedback is customers loved the ambience and cold beverages. When feedback
from Connaught place is combined with Greater Kailash, it comes out that some eateries are not
being heated properly and customers are complaining about the chicken being hard. Not a good
sign for a pioneer in world class service company.
IGI Airport: Overall a good response. Customers didn’t mention about coming back. The cold
beverages as in other outlets are liked by customers and they enjoyed the overall experience.
Saket: The feedback from Saket customers is very positive, they seemed to have enjoyed the
overall experience and assured a return. What did come out here was long queues, a replica of
Connaught place. Customers rated the food as average while some suggested not to buy at all, but
they were amazed with the cold beverages they quite enjoyed.
Vasant Kunj: Customers were just not happy with the experience, some assured a no return while
others suggested a return in case of unavailable option. A huge blow for Starbucks. Feedback in
line with other outlets about snacks being average.
Analyzing Mumbai Region
Ratings Assessment: Mathematical assessment of the overall rating of Starbucks India Mumbai
region comes out to be 3.88/5, lying between good and very good category.

Due to recent opening of some of the outlets, the majority of ratings come from Mumbai Fort.
While the overall experience seems to be positive but Goregaon East show a relative low rating. It
is imperative to look into more detail.
Detailed Analysis of Mumbai customer feedback
With reference to (Appendix ), individual analysis of outlets is as follows:
Colaba: Customers enjoyed visiting the Colaba outlet. As always the service and interiors are highly
appreciated. Majority of customers assured/showed signs of return. Here too, the customers
seemed to relish the cold beverages with no mention of like/dislike on hot coffee.
Goreagon East: While mixed responses from customers indicate inconsistent quality for this outlet,
unlike any other store. The feedback highlights extreme experience. Some customers enjoyed the
Starbucks beverages and promised a return while other pointed it as overrated. A critical point
mentioned in some feedback is the hot coffee being extremely bad, a tinge of something which was
also seen from Delhi reviews. Customers didn’t point out the place being placed in too noisy area.
Mumbai Fort: Overall a good response from customers. They seemed to have enjoyed visiting the
place and their coffee too. Some mention of queues, but overall a positive take away for Starbucks.
Powai: Customers enjoyed their coffee and the interiors. Quite contrary to other outlets customers
relished their ordered food and snack and exclaimed their please with both beverages and eateries.
A positive sign for Starbucks.
Number of
Votes Rating Multiply
Colaba 101 4 404
Goregaon East 115 3.4 391 3.88
Mumbai Fort 865 3.9 3373.5
Powai 107 4.1 438.7
Total 1188 15.4 4607.2
Mumbai

SWOT Analysis
The proposed SWOT analysis is done by evaluating feedback / survey results and industry analysis:
SWOT Analysis for Starbucks

Competitor Analysis
The evaluated positioning of Starbucks in relation to its competitors is as follows:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
While Starbucks is perfectly able to position itself through differentiation at a higher quadrant
among its competitors but what it lacks is the number of store location. As also evident from VRIO
model and customer feedback. The positioning of Starbucks is apt in the market with no major
changes required.
Low
High

Pg. 17 Recommendations
Recommendations
From PESTLE analysis it is evident that Starbucks needs to carefully look at the political scenario
and should start lobbying internally across different party line. The economic situation seems
robust as evaluated on 6th of August. The consumption of coffee is rising at a CAGR of 8% which is
favorable to the company.
What comes out from the customer feedback is that Starbucks need to strongly concentrate on its
hot coffee, which seems to disappoint customers in India. The food and eatery is also taken very
well with Indian consumers. As Starbucks goes ahead it needs to careful of maintaining its service
and product standard which seems to withering away at certain location.
Moving ahead it is imperative to maintain its standard and brand with its product consistency
because the competition is already intense and competitors such as CCD and Costa already have a
substantial market.

Pg. 18 Bibliography
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6. http://seekingalpha.com/article/17784-starbucks-india-strategy-looks-promising
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asia/india/backgroundinformation/
print?no_cache=1&print=1
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000B5DABF613
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t

Pg. 19 Appendix
Appendix
Customer Feedback
City: Delhi |Location: Connaught Place (CP)
Name: Ishika
Review:
Visited a couple of times. Definitely love it. The croissants, the quiche are excellent, imo. Didnt
much like the muffins though , a bit too dry for my taste. being a espresso drinker, starbucks is
of course a great option for a cup of espresso & a croissant. So if u love some italian coffee and
some high quality breads, this is the place to head to :)
Name: Ruchi Sehgal
Review:
Well yes I simply loved it!
When we listen from our friends living in some other country about the various hangouts, foods
and other stuff they do, we marvel what they say and simply hope to try the same some day, or
may be, we don't even think about trying it because we know its a landmark of that country and
is supposed to be there only...for example, the Eiffel Tower and the French vineyards! But when
some outlet is in almost (not all, but almost) every country....there is a deep yearning to sample
the glory of that place practically and not just in the virtual world of what is being told by
others!
Starbucks is one such place...which was bestowed to the Indians after a very long wait! One
question was always in the mind of most of the Indians who knew about global eat-outs that if
Pizza Hut, Mc Donald's, Domino's, KFC, etc took no time in coming to India then what is taking
so long for Starbucks to hit the Indian markets! And when the wait was over, Indians accepted it
with fervor...the response was so good, that with the initial plan of just one Mumbai outlet,
within less than an year...there are more than one outlets in the capital city itself!

Pg. 20 Appendix
Coming down to my Starbucks experience, well since it was my first visit, I was in a complete
awe by the fact that Starbucks is in Delhi too! The next big astounding thing was the decor of the
cafe...I am sure if you will enter the cafe, you will ask yourself, am I in the 21st century? Or
stepped down the time machine! But then there is Indian staff to make things familiar for you :
I wasn't surprised by the mob and queues because its a new experience for most of us. And also,
isn't it part and parcel of Starbucks anyway?
Something which is quite remarkable about the cafe is that despite the exalted global standards,
the pricing of the menu is just in accordance with the Indian pocket. No wonder, Starbucks is
the next favorite hangout these days!
Since you can get coffee anywhere and almost everywhere from your local general store to the
uptown cafes....I preferred to have something I haven't tried ever! White chocolate coffee was
one such thing! Also, because I crave and drool for white chocolate...my mocha experience was
heavenly! My cold coffee partners preferred the caramel frappe and highly recommended Java
chip....well quite ironically both are extreme opposites! One is sweet and the other bitter....so for
those who like to get absorbed in the bitterness....try Java Chip. Its not too bitter though, but
give the perfect strong coffee taste! Caramel frappe is for those who live in the sweet valley!
As a side order with your coffee, there is so much on the salver to resist!!! It was hard for me to
decide between the finely cut slices of cake and the enormous cookies and well of course the
sugary doughnuts...and then finally I zeroed in on the crumble cookie! Never in my life I have
ever had such a large cookie...and baked as if just out of the oven! One thing is for sure, the
moment you will have your snack, the coffee loses its sheen! So its advisable, to enjoy your
coffee to its full potential, avoid having your coffee and snacks together!
More than anything, the best part of this cafe is the ambiance, which makes up for a tiring day! I
rate this place a whooping 4.5....well you deserve it Starbucks!
Name: Sandy
Review:
Seeing the long queues stretching almost half a block, I resisted the temptation to visit this place
almost for an entire month hoping that the initial hoopla would've died out by then. But to my
amazement, even after a month, the scenario hadn't changed much.
Guess I underestimated the star power of Starbucks.
Finally the temptation overcame my resistance one day and I found myself standing in THE
LINE. The line was crawling at a speed at which even snails would've laughed at :P
Getting frustrated and thinking of leaving, starbucks then scored their first brownie points. Out
came a server offering free shots to those waiting in line. That li'l gesture showed that they
valued their customers. Color me impressed :)

Pg. 21 Appendix
Entering it, I quite liked the seating arrangement at the ground floor. As it was full we moved on
to the first floor. Now came the letdown. Not only were all the seats taken, there were more
than 10 people hovering over tables to swoop upon them as soon as persons sitting on them
finished. Almost an hour waiting outside & now this. Not good. Not good at all.
What infuriated me even more was that most of those seating were only there to put a "check-in
on FB". I mean 4 people sitting with ONE cup of coffee on the table. What the ....!!
Finally getting a seat, we decided upon what to order. Caramel Macchiato and a White Chocolate
Mocha alongwith some burger (whose name I don't remember now) were selected. Burger was
okay-ish. Way to costly for its taste. But one sip of the coffee and you'll forget all this and more.
It makes you remember the true purpose of coming here and makes you realize why starbucks
is a worldwide phenomenon. White chocolate mocha esp. was out of this world. Caramel
macchiato was pretty impressive too. The taste. The aroma. Just loved it.
No wonder I was there for a second time within a weeks time. White Chocolate Mocha ordered
AGAIN. ObviouslY :D
So forget about the long queue, forget about the waiting for seats, forget about the interiors
which are more suited for a bar than a coffeehouse, ignore those FB-wannabes loitering around
and just remember what you are really there for.
Smile and enjoy.
Name: Swati Bhamboria
Review:
Have been to Starbucks for 3-4 times now and my experience has been amazing everytime. As
people say about the waiting procedure, well I have never been to this phase. Probably it may
be because of weekday afternoon visits. So the conclusion comes, better to visit in weekday
afternoon hours.
The aroma of coffee can be sensed as you enter the lane which does intrigue a person to taste
some coffee. The moment I entered the cafe I was impressed by the interiors, with the indian
touch. Amazing work has been done with the ambience. The staff...OMG...they are so courteous
and friendly. The greeting with that big wide smile on their face and the service too was fast. We
got our order in mere 2-3 minutes. When it comes to coffee I would personally recommend cold
coffees, hot coffees aint that good. And DO NOT go for sides, the food is not at all upto the mark.
Other con about this place is the seating. The place is always overcrowded, one has to hunt to
settle down. Overall a good place to sit around with friends over a cup of coffee.

Pg. 22 Appendix
Personal Recommendation: White Chocolate Mocha and Java Chip Frappuccino. One can also try
Caramel Macchiato incase they like it hot!
Name: Shambavi Ganju Katoch
Review:
I am writing my second review on starbucks in CP.
I was so ecstatic when finally Starbucks came to our very own delhi. I was in CP over the
weekend, catching up with with a friend and I went to starbucks, yet again. There was almost a
stampede, and people getting on top of one another. All i can say again is "For those who like to
drink coffee while hangingout, this one of the best places in CP"`.
I am floored by its world class ambience and the Good athmosphere to hang out. the coffee is
good and so are the snacks. I got confused choosing from wide variety of hot and blended
coffees to serve along with come chai's as well. A wide snack menu which looks exciting as well,
but personally I think the prices of snacks are a little over the top.
Staff is polite and friendly as well, I ordered a chicken kathi. I ordered My favorite is java
chocochip frappuccino, which I love coz ita simply super simply amazing with cream on top and
a swirl of chocolate sauce in awesum ice blended coffee. The chicken kathi roll was better than
the one we had last time. I loved my hot favorite frappuccino as ever. I have been a big fan of
starbucks while I have been to singapore and Europe and I am happy that the outlets in India do
match up to the international standards and live up to the brand promise.
Me and my friend had a great time chatting over the frappuccino while enjoying the grand
ambience. My friend also couldnt resist the urge of picking herself starbucks goodies. SHe
purchased a starbucks mug for herself. I will definitely go back again and again to starbucks for
the ambience and definitely for the coffee.
City: Gurgaon |Location: Ambience Mall
Name: Vivek Katarva
Review:
The 'glorified' coffee shop comes to Gurgaon with its first outlet opening in Ambience Mall. They
have erected an awe-inspiring setup in the mall, one that goes beyond its air-cooled boundaries
to an area in the open. It's lavish, and it reciprocates well with the both the associated brand in
the venture.
I had an experience not living up to the name at Starbucks in CP. What is life without giving
some mediocre hyped places another shot at another location? So there I was on a Sunday
evening to see if it's any better this time.

Pg. 23 Appendix
Starbucks enjoys a clear 'coffee-shop monopoly' in Ambience mall. Having no better option that
the Cafe Coffee Day on the third floor (that too with seating in the Food Court) or a humble
Costa on 4th, it's either Starbucks way or no-caffeine way.
It was surprisingly not fully occupied, and there was no waiting queue at the ordering counter.
The immaculate standards of the place were clearly visible from the moment I set foot in the
cafe. Everything went smoothly from ordering my Grand Chai Latte, Tall Mocha Frappuccino
and a Chicken and Vegetable Lattic(e?) to collecting it from the final counter (and in a pretty
decent time too). I didn't have the heart to go Venti this time around, and I am glad I didn't.
We were able to easily occupy seats inside which were huddled close, given the limited room. It
was a discarded extension inside, so I had to specifically attract the attention of the cleaning
crew to clean the table up for us. So far, so good.
The Mocha Frappuccino, their most regular cold coffee, tasted too sweet. Something that I did
see coming after having a saccharine Java Chip at CP. No worries, it still tasted good with a
distinct flavor of the beans. The Chai Latte was spiced with Cinnamon, thick and rich, and tasted
wonderful. The Chicken and Vegetable Lattic tasted quite good. It had generous chunks of
chicken with fine grated vegetables, all seasoned beautifully.
What I had at Starbucks (a coffee and a few bites) filled me up quite decently. It was priced very
reasonably too (though there is always a margin to have a little more at a little less). There is a
specific "Service Tax on 'For Here'" included in my bill. Given it's a self-service there, that
amount is technically for occupying their table for a certain time and for cleaning up afterwords.
Didn't really like that bit.
Overall, Starbucks is a decent coffee shop if one does not sway his/her expectations based on
the brand name. It has limited collection, good preparation for hot beverages, average (but
certainly not average for the sugar) for the cold ones with relishing bites.
The next time I am going there, I am specifically asking them to tone down the sugar in my cup.
It's worth a try to stop me from not-liking Starbucks eventually.
City: Delhi |Location: Greater Kailash (GK)
Name: Manitasha
Review:
Starbucks GK is very different from Starbucks CP in terms of ambiance and seating. Unlike the
CP outlet this one has a very clean and its easier to find the sitting space. It was not as crowded
as the CP outlet so there was lesser waiting for the food. So it was the same Starbucks food in a
better ambiance and a more relaxed feeling.

Pg. 24 Appendix
I started with the Chatpata Parantha. It was a spinach wrap with paneer, tomato and onion
rolled inside it. It was very tasty and filling. With that I had Java Chocochip Frappuccino. It was a
cold coffee with loads of cream and chocolate sauce on the top. It was so rich and thick. I was
feeling so full after that. But the Mango Oreo Cheesecake looked tempting enough for me to stuff
myself more. It looked beautiful and tasted heavenly. I walked out of there with a smile of
satisfaction.
Though Starbucks is more expensive than your regular coffee joint, but it is worth it once in a
while.
Name: Preet Mendiratta
Review:
Finally, after all that build up and hype, I take my first visit to Starbucks. I have to admit, the
place is quite nice. The staff was very kind and quite inviting. What I really liked was the taste in
music these guys have. There was straight up Jazz that was playing! I can't tell you how happy I
was, that's what I call a greeting, unlike other cafes where you have to bear the boisterous and
appalling music that this generation is cursed with!
Anyway, I requested the person who attended to me at the counter to suggest me on what my
first taste of Starbucks should be and he recommended the Caramel Macchiato. Honestly, I just
wasn't impressed. It was quite lifeless if you ask me.
I certainly plan to come back though, will go for a classic Espresso or a Cappucino perhaps.
Hopefully that should tend to my satisfaction!
Name: Shambavi Ganju Katoch
Review:
Imagine, I am writing a review on starbucks. Finally Starbucks came to my very own GK, M
block, yippie, near my offive and Finally my long wait was over. Finally yesterday I had my first
coffee at Starbucks in GK in my very own Delhi, near my office.
All i can say is "For those who like to drink coffee while hangingout, this one of the best places
in M block"`. Well, what can i say. Its Starbucks coffee, almost all people know it and at least will
try it once, so even I did. Well! all starbucks outlets worldwide are the same besides the pricy
coffee, what are they really sell is the ambience and the Good athmosphere to hang out. the
coffee is good and so are the snacks. But the place can really get crowded, especially on
weekends. They have a wide variety of hot and blended coffees to serve along with come chai's
as well. A wide snack menu which looks exciting as well, but personally I think the prices of
snacks are a little over the top. This outlet is smaller than the one in CP.

Pg. 25 Appendix
Staff is polite and friendly as well, but little confused than the CP outlet, they gave me a reshmi
kabab roll instead of a murgh kathi. I ordered My favorite is java chocochip frappuccino, which I
had even when I was in CP simply super simply amazing with cream on top and a swirl of
chocolate sauce in awesum ice blended coffee. But the disappointing part was the chicken kathi
roll. It was cold, not properly heated, chicken inside was still hard coz it was frozen and the
wrap was not roomali or paratha, but it was a tortilla wrap which had hardened like a crisp
biscuit in their attempt of heating it in the microwave. but I will definitely go back to starbucks
for the ambience and definitely for the coffee.
Name: Shanty
Review:
A welcome addition to the numerous eateries already there, Starbucks is understandably one of
the hottest destinations in GK 1's M-Block market at the moment. If you've been to the other
outlets in Delhi, you're likely to see some familiar smiling faces behind the counter, not to
mention people from the area who earlier had to make the hike to Saket or Vasant Kunj to get
their Starbucks fix.
While I'm not the biggest fan of their coffee (with the possible exception of the Caramel
Frappuccino), they do a great job of my favourite order - the Iced Green Tea Latte. Last night, I
sampled their Iced Lemon Green Tea, along with a Salmon & Cheese Croissant. The drink was
refreshing, and the croissant was nothing short of a revelation. Flaky on the outside, with
delicious smoked salmon, cream cheese, and melted cheddar on the inside. Perfect for a light,
but satisfying dinner.
Combining the great food, snappy service, free WiFi, and the fact that they play jazz pretty much
all the time, I imagine it'll be appearing a lot on my credit card statement in the future.
City: Delhi |Location: IGI Airport
Name: Prateek Agarwal
Review:
Had about extra 30 minutes in hand before boarding & was wondering what to do - when a
starbucks guy with a tray in hand greeted me right at the entrance for gates. He offered me a
caramel coffee to taste, which was fantastic & I decided to have something more... the outlet was
just around the corner & almost empty!

Pg. 26 Appendix
The attendant was very warm & smiling & helped me make my choice by giving me small
samples of "cold tea" (not ice tea - but cold tea with milk)! It was great, as you expect from
starbucks.
The service was quick. Overall worth the money. This outlet will now become my stopover for
each visit to Airport.
Name: Maneck Khanna
Review:
Ever since Starbucks opened I have wanting to visit one of the outlets but never did get a
chance. Now while travelling, I made it a point to check in early and spend sometime at the
Starbucks which was worth the while.
As soon as you walk towards the gates this one is standing right at the entry to greet you and
you cannot miss it, even if you want to. The same international feel has been retained to the
Starbucks counter and though I have walked across some of the outlets in Delhi, this was one of
those which could be anywhere in the world.
The staff was happy and courteous and I had a nice chat with the guy at the counter. They
enjoyed talking about the food and their coffee. Service is not much you can talk about at a self-
service joint but these guys are quick and efficient and I loved how they put your names on the
take-away coffee cups when you order.
On suggestion of trying something cold I had the Tall Java Choco-chip Frappucino which was an
excellent choice and a great accompaniment to the Reshmi Kebab roll which however was a
little dry. I will try their cappuccino soon on the next visit.
As for the terminal 3 outlet I suggest if you have a long walk to your boarding gate, buy a coffee
and enjoy your walk.
Name: Devdarsh Jain
Review:
Quite impressed ! The outlet is tucked in the corner as you head to the gates so it is one of the
last pit stops one can make before getting on the flight. It was meant to be our first tryst with
the famed coffee chain in India.

Pg. 27 Appendix
The outlet is not large but very reminiscent to a Starbucks elsewhere we would have seen.
There is seating for around 10-15 people. The outlet is designed and run much similar to
Starbucks elsewhere. The main question in our mind was - Would the Starbucks in India be able
to replicate the same passion, consistency and effortlessness with which they deliver their
coffee one after the other everywhere else. Well, we must admit that although the staff still
needed to be oiled and gain in confidence, they were pretty close to perfect. We ordered a Hot
Cafe Mocha and it was delivered pretty as much as it would be done in any Starbucks outlet
around the world.
We did not have the time to grab one of the snacks but the menu has been certainly
"Indianized". And on a positive note too. We were also expecting the prices to be steeper than
what they are ! So all in all a delightful experience in welcoming one of the most iconic brands of
coffee to India.
City: Delhi |Location: Saket
Name: Tanmeet
Review:
My second vist to starbucks was here while waiting for a movie show at pvr saket ,the first one
was at the CP outlet . the saket 1 is definately better that the CP . good interiors and spacious .
Found a que while ordering but it was managed well by the staff , order were being taken and
after waiting name os the person was being called to pick up the order . we ordered caramel
macchaiato and java chip( both iced) . pretty nice portion size , i found java chip a little bitter ,
but the other 1 was very refreshing and good .
The only problem i felt with this place was the sitting was arranged so that more tables could be
shared with other guest , the comfort goes down a little . other wise a nice experience .
WORTH A TRY
Name: Ankush Mohanty
Review:
The first time I had gone to starbucks in Delhi, I was really disappointed with the coffee and the
desserts however this time I made a conscious effort to enjoy what the entire world seems to
enjoy.I ventured into the newly opened outlet at Select City Walk mall. The purple interiors are
quite striking and with the comfortable seating arrangement, this outlet definitely scores above
the CP one.
We decided to have their Red Velvet cake on offer with a wild mushroom pocket and white
chocolate frappe.

Pg. 28 Appendix
The red velvet cake was smooth however not as smooth as the one you get at Elma's (HKV). The
icing here lacked that creaminess which you get at every bite at Elma's.
The mushroom pocket was good till the time I reached the bottom half of sandwich. The bread
was so thick that you felt that you have reached the end of a pizza crust. The filling was good
though. The coffee was as sweet as it was earlier. But you can ask for that extra strong bit in
your latte. Overall, a better experience than my first visit. Hope to keep improving it time to
time.
Name: Varun Kochar
Review:
So my second tryst with starbucks last week. Before I write my review I need to show my
dissatisfaction on never able to get a seat in saket. I have crossed this outlet so many times
weekdays or weekends it just never seems to be empty. Always a queue. I cannot blame
starbucks for this because the current fad is to have coffee at starbucks and even I would grab a
seat at this place if I ever saw it empty but I wait for the day to get a seat coz the day I would I
will not leave it for at least an hour - by god ki kasam !
So here I am in the queue with no intention of waiting and sitting. This time I just wanted a cold
coffee - grab it and leave for the dlf mall next door because that is where my car is parked and
this cold coffee would be my companion for the next 10 minutes.
My chance came and the server asked me what would I like and I replied a simple plain cold
cofee and I usually am always asked further questions at any outlet - silly things like hazelnut or
cream or ice cream or nuts or onions etc etc. And I am a bit of a cheapskate because the last
thing I want is to double the price of an already expensive coffee.
So this time I was surprised when upon completing my sentence of a simple plain cold coffee he
said ice and milk blended something for which I Paid 160 something for a mighty glass which I
think was a medium. It was delicious just the way my cold coffee should be.So my second try
was good. Now only if I get a seat sometime soon !
Name: Bharat Sharma
Review:
A wonderful place to be at! From the amazing coffees to the cool interiors, if you're here with
friends, or on your own to work, Starbucks is the place to be. Almost always full, the staff is
courteous and serve you with a smile. The interiors are also different then any other cafe.
Anybody who said, 'may you live in intersting times' was talking about Starbucks, but only
problem is once to get in one has to wait as it has long que all the time.

Pg. 29 Appendix
we visited the store and was really impressed with the service and quality of coffee. The aroma
of the freshly made coffee and Mocha Java Chip is out of the world..very live environment.
People of all ages enjoy a good time here.The variety of hot and cold beverages is a lot.. and the
taste is unbeatable. just love it everytime i visit there.
Name: Sonali Gupta
Review:
Well, I don;t intend to be biased, but I have been a fan of Starbucks for quite some time now. I
don't know whether it is the yummy-licious frappuccinos or the ever-so soothing Caramel
Machiato (must must must have) or simply the enthusiasm of the staff, but there is somethign
about the place that lifts my mood. And hey-ho, it hold true for Starbucks India too!
The preperations have met my expectations everytime I have visited this place (about 5-7 times
now). The crowd is a little bothersome, but hey, it is not uncommon for Starbucks to have huge
lines elsewhere too! So grab your coffee, and window shop your way through the mall! (Infact,
the CP is a little disheartening in this aspect)
I don't think it is the right place for a meal, which is why I have not tried and do not expect
much from the food bit. But some of the usual coffee accompaniments - muffins, croissants meet
the standards, though not exceptional.
City: Delhi |Location: Vasant Kunj
Name: Dr. Amarpreet Singh
Review:
Well, first things first , do starbucks gives u the best coffee
Answer:: NO
DO starbucks give the strongest coffee
Answer : yes
Thats about it guys. Plus those side orders like danish breads were all crap. I had high hoped
from starbucks. I have had better coffee at italian cafes than here. Just like italian pizzas are
more authentic than the likes of pizza hut n dominos, similarily coffee at italian cafes is way
superior. Still going with 3.5 , because better than many other common cafes like CCD.
Name: Mehek
Review:
I wont say this place is SPECIAL. But if i were too describe it in 3 words i would say : IT IS
STARBUCKS. Be it in the high streets of manhattan or the busy lanes of London, Starbucks is the
same everywhere and this one is no different. If you like emptying out your pockets for an
average cup of coffee, then THIS is the place.

Pg. 30 Appendix
If you want a cozy date then this isn't the place to go but yes, if you want to impress a client,
then this is your spot. Honestly its like any other cafe but with a big name.
Conclusively, you should go in here expecting a BRANDED cup of coffee with nothing
extraordinary but its title.
Name: Megha
Review:
My first Starbucks experience in India was at CP which was funny and disastrous at the same
time! huge queues, no seating, bad coffee etc.
This outlet is again just another coffee shop at the mall.
1. Over rated coffee & other beverages
2. Very average stuff to eat - nothing authentic
3. Not well stocked (specially the sweet bites :>)
4. decent service though
5. little value for money
6. ambiance & decor - nothing less, nothing more as compared to other coffee giants in the city.
Its time you realize that Starbucks is neither the best coffee in town nor is it a 'must try out'
place at all. Can easily skip it.
Name: Kranti Mishra
Review:
Hip young crowd. Nothing more. With an average setting, available-anywhere coffee and just-ok
snacking options, its not all its' cracked up to be.
Strangely enough, the people behind the counter found my name to be much too amusing to
keep a straight face and made we wonder about the rationale behind the whole "Starbucks"
tradition of writing the customers name on the coffee glass. Buggin'.
Would any day rather go a Costa Coffee outlet, enjoy good snacking options and get value for
money.
Name: Varun Kochar
Review:
So here is my review on this much awaited place. I was walking by this in Ambience and since
there was a mental rush at Selct City Walk all the times I passed them, seeing this half empty
thought it'd be a good idea to try this out. I have never tried Starbucks ever in my life. Even
when I have traveled through europe. Its always been small cafes and costas for me.

Pg. 31 Appendix
I am a bit old fashioned and just like a simple cappucino or a cold coffe. Its a bit of a job for me
to read all the varieties of coffees listed there. So I politely asked the guy there to give me a
normal cappucino and a plain cold coffee with no add ons. He did not ask me if I wanted any
hazelnut or other crap or cream unlike CCD and barista. this was refreshing for a change.
Coming back to the coffee it was average at the most and I could not see any reason why
everyone is flocking here. Its your average cofee shop with a name. Depauls has better cold
coffee in my opinion for a fraction of the price. They did write my name on the glass with a
marker which was a bit weird. Never seen that or maybe its a starbuck thing.
I will go here again only if there is nothing else around the corner. But then they probably have
too many youngsters to keep themselves full.
City: Mumbai |Location: Colaba
Name: Neha Wasnik
Review
This place is always full to the brim primarily cause of its location even though its tucked in the
backyard corner of The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai. The salad here is overpriced and not so well
done... the famous Starbucks coffee is just about right doesn't feel original though. The
Mushroom Cheese Pocket is yummy very light and delicately seasoned...do try it.
Name: Sabina Rangwala
Review
Mind blowing Coffee served at even mind blowing price....But the taste and the flavours are
really exceptionally good. Try the cafe Mocha which is espresso served with bitter sweet
chocolate sauce. I liked the caramel frappucino too.
I might visit this place despite the high prices. Its a unique experience in itself. The classic
international coffees which one doesnt find at most coffee shops, the service, the atmosphere,
the satisfaction are what counts to make a perfect flawless & starbucks coffee matches all these
parameters fully.
Food-4.5
Ambiance-4
Service -4
Name: Aboli K
Review
And it finally arrived. The last time I had a Starbucks' sandwich and Frappe was in Japan, so one
would know the satisfied feeling of it coming in India.

Pg. 32 Appendix
Anyways, unlike the stalls in Japan, this Starbucks is quite big, very spacious, well lit and good
servicing (though its self-service, the orders arrive on time).
It has taken over the same boring CCD so now the hip place to hangout now is Starbucks and
you can sit here for hours together, takes pictures, enjoy sipping your coffee minding your own
business or have fun with friends. This place gives freedom to do whatever you want.
I specially love LOVE the Java Chip and you would enjoy the espresso as much.The sandwiches
are just great but god the dessert section is so tempting.
You'll enjoy there alot.
Happy Eating.
Name: Raj Arora
Review
Starbucks, finally arrived here. Just admit I am still hoping that they would open one at parel or
bandra side but maybe sometime soon. The service and experience is just how it is abroad,
service with a smile. All staff helpful, polite and friendly. Calling out your name fir your order.
Everything was great. We tried out the mawa elachi croissant which was just toooo sweet and
my all time favorite the hazelnut hit chocolate. There us also free wifi service.
Name: Rahul Sheth
Review
Was eager to visit Starbucks, and finally landed there last night...
Ambience- Nicely done interiors...Spacious seating...the place has a homely feel which is very
comforting. Food- Coffee was good...Try the Java Chip Frappucino....Its really nice....The Caramel
Macchiato wasn't good...Give it a miss..
Service- Its really professional....With a smile...:)
Prices- Both the coffees cost Rs. 309...The Machiatto was definitely not worth it..
Verdict- It was good...The crowd is good....The vibe about the place is very pleasant. Do try
Starbucks!

Pg. 33 Appendix
City: Mumbai |Location: Goregaon East
Name: Jay
Review
Coffee is served best in a cozy and relaxing environment. And coffee is not supposed to be a part
of the mall attractions. It is not a commodity but something more like a relaxing massage that
cannot be weighed. Sadly, this Starbucks is one of those places that gets clients because of the
brand name and not an intrinsic effort from the management. The place is cramped and the
coffee is not the greatest. We had ordered two drinks and both came luke warm. Luke warm
coffee??? And the sandwiches were also sub par. Starbucks in this mall, Oberoi, will thrive
simply because it has a name and sadly if there any good coffee shops, they will be ignored.
Name: Parin
Review
Located on the ground floor at Oberoi mall, I have seen this place to be crowded whenever I had
a chance to visit Oberoi. The place looks alluring from the outside, the seating inside is planned
well, for large groups and small and lone rangers, however, it does look cluttered. If you are
looking for a quiet coffee place to read or be by yourself, this is not the place to be. The place is
clean and I really like the decor, bare minimum, but the stuff that is there is endearing.
The staff is attentive. The coffees are priced way higher than say CCD or Barista, however, the
quantity is generous. We had some pastry for which I don't remember the name, it tasted well.
Worth a visit once, and then you switch back to your local coffee place!
Name: Manali Godbole
Review
This was the second time I was visiting Starbucks. The first time I visited the outlet was the one
near Colaba, which is behind The Taj Mahal Palace, and due to all the hustle and bustle of
Starbucks opening up in Mumbai, the waiting in line for almost 30 mins just to place your order
had been a major setback of my experience.
So now, as the hype has been cooled down to normalcy, I can say when I visited the outlet at the
Oberoi Mall, Goregaon this time, I was pretty happy about the service being comparatively
quicker and prompt. Nothing can be as annoying as being made to wait to get your coffee.The
ambiance of Starbucks is been done to match some uptown chic cafes and it feels quite nice and
warm,what will all the bouquet of the freshly ground coffee. Ah, its heavenly.

Pg. 34 Appendix
So I ordered the Caramel Frappuccino and a Double Chocolate Chip Muffin.
I think the Frappuccino has been one of the best things I've had at Starbucks. It was really nice.
The Chocolate Chip Muffin was quite decent sized and tasted good too.
All in all, a good experience. Wouldn't mind visiting this place frequently as its not that pricey
compared to the other coffee shops in the city.
Name: Neha Singh
Review
After all the Hype and Hoopla for Starbucks cooled off a bit and people stopped making a
beeline for an entry, I chanced upon Starbucks one night post a good dinner at Oberoi mall.
To tell you the truth- I was kind of Anti-starbucks in my head and used to wonder WHY-0-WHY
such insane levels of madness for a Coffee?
Well, I realised- not just about coffee it is. It is an Experience.
My US return indian friend seemed a perfect company to take cues of Starbucks out there in the
phoren land and India-(considering mixed reviews from people saying this one is no-good).
Hmm..so we entered to be greeted very nicely by the staff.I could not help but gaze around at
the good decor-it is brownish-wooden-interior with a rustic feel to it.I was really keen to know-
What is it about Starbucks? My friend handed me the answer as he handed me a dark coffee
with zero milk and sugar. He said-this is how coffee is meant to be-around the world'. I couldn't
help but agree when I sampled it. It was bitter, but Pure Coffee in its Richest Form. I also spotted
a Small Board with ' We want to serve you the perfect drink. If it is not, tell us-we will make it
RIGHT'.I could not help but smile with delight at the customer satisfaction motto.
The coffee costing starts from rs.100 to 300 and varies with the drink and the size you order-the
large one is like a treat for yourself (Bada hai toh behtar hai applies here for the glutton like
me :P)Also, they write your name on your coffee- methinks it shows personalisation and it is
Cute!. It is a self-serve outlet and no matter what time you visit you will find almost all the
tables full! And when we were leaving the place- the Staff shouted Bye, Neha..Bye XX. loudly.
Awww, I felt as if I am leaving after meeting an old friend-only to come back again! :)

Pg. 35 Appendix
Name: Vivek Khandelwal
Review
I was excited to go to Starbucks Coffee when it started at Oberoi mall. When I spent around an
hour, I felt was that Starbucks is overrated!! or u can say over hyped!!
The cold Coffee that I ordered was filled with watered local milk with loads of ice or u can say
filled with WATER & minimal MILK. It was like m drinking iced COLD WATER with coffee flavor
in it. It got hard to gulp it down after a few sips. Interiors with good ambiance but beverages are
a real WASTE...
a NO NO for sure --- only brand n ambiance rest all is a waste
City: Mumbai |Location: Mumbai Fort
Name: Purvi Shah
Review
If you walk in here expecting the American Starbucks taste, you will leave disappointed. They
use Indian coffee beans & ingredients to make their food & coffee. When we went after college,
the wifi wasn't working. The Caffe Mocha & Mocha Frappuccino are good options. The hot
chocolate at Theobrama is better than the one offered here. Personally, I feel both the food &
coffee are not worth the price. The ambiance is pretty good & different from the coffee shops
here (like Mocha, Barista or Costa). I just wanted to pay it a visit to see how good it is here but, I
won't be going back any time soon. I prefer the coffee at Gloria Jean's.
Name: Srivaitaran Mothukuri
Review
Star bucks coffee is good . Even though we can't get the taste of American coffee, Indian coffee
has its own taste and flavour . Star buck.
Name: Maitreyee Lawande
Review
While my experience with Starbucks in India till now had been restricted to ' Java chip' to-go,
this time I bonded with the cafe at Fort for a longer duration. Just loved the ambiance at the
branch, it is different from the usual coffee-shop. A huge huge place, it was really crowded when
we got here on a Sunday afternoon but luckily we managed to get a seat.
What I didn't like was that you have to go place the order at the counter and then get the coffees
too, food they get to your table later. I personally prefer the old-school way of someone coming
up to you to take the order esp when it is crowded and the ordering part ends up taking a lot of
time.

Pg. 36 Appendix
As far as coffee is concerned, I quite like the Java chip frappucino which has a distinct taste. The
cafe mocha was also decent. The variety of munchies here is far better than other shops. The
veggie quiche and tomato basil sub were good but the potato sub was average.
Next time, I would probably try out a few more coffee or tea varieties but till then for me, it is
just the name that overshadows the quality.
Name: Kuka
Review
Star bucks is Completely Unbeatable in terms of innovation is their Espressos or Lattes or
mochas. Even the herbal tea that they have are different.
Just the typical coffee aroma hits your senses and makes you indulge in their varied coffees. The
ambiance at this particular place i fond very warm, though it has the coffee shop kinda look. Its
always thronging with customers and a minimum wait of 5- 10 mins is always inevitable just to
place the order...and then this is followed by another impatient wait till it arrives.
The fellow customers sipping along makes the wait really difficult. My favourites here are java
chip, caramel machiato, and also the Signature hot chocolate which tastes so amazingly different
than the regular ones.
Name: Dineet Singh
Review
Star Bucks is Star Bucks, and it any day beats our Indian variants in terms of coffee and varieties
they offer. However at a premium, I am not aware of Star Bucks yet in Bangalore, but I heard
that they were opening one in Bangalore too will definitely Google this up once back home.
Rustic Ambience and good coffee is just what was required to get you going for the rest of the
day. Had their Cafe Mocha Grande and it was quite nicely done.
Name: Khusnuma B
Review
I have been to this place 2 times and both the times I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee and the
cookies I had. The ambiance also is good and makes you have your coffee leisurely. I love their
Frappes, and Capucchino the best. The mocha also is a good option with choco chip cookie.
I have heard about other varieties from my friends and will come back to savour those too very
soon.

Pg. 37 Appendix
City: Mumbai |Location: Powai
Name: Mithun Pj
Review
Though a little late on arrival , the billion dollar company has finally established its in India
opening many outlets across Mumbai and Delhi. The weekend visit to Mumbai ended my
lifelong craving to visit the god of all coffee chains. The short drive at night lead to an unplanned
visit to Starbucks Powai. As mentioned , expectations were on the higher side. The outlet was
damn crowded and noisy with people covering all age groups. The ambiance was quite similar
to its Indian counterparts. The ordering system though a bit different were the counter boy
writes the name of the individual on the cups depending up on the order placed. Once the order
is fulfilled they call out the name in the noisy background and we had to receive the order from
the counter. We were a bit confused initially as I wanted to taste the best coffee out there. After
the brain storming , we decided to order a hot & cold combination. I went for Cafe Mocha where
as my friend ordered Caramel Frapuccino. The coffees were good but I couldn't find that X
factor surrounding the hype. The prices are a bit steep as it cost us around 370 for two coffees. I
want to visit other outlets to investigate on why Starbucks is the most preferred coffee brand in
the world.
Name: Roshat Adnani
Review
After crossing Starbucks at Powai a couple of times and not getting a place to sit I finally got an
opportunity to sit inside and enjoy the coffee one tuesday evening. And it was as usual a great
experience. The ambience is really amazing just as you expect the Starbucks to be. It is big not
as huge as the fort one but can accommodate many people. The ambience is really something
which many restaurant would die to have. The good part about this starbucks is they have one
big round table where many people can just come and sit together. So even if you come alone
you can share a table with other people and not feel lonely.
The coffee is as usual just amazing. Its the same standard as I have found in other Starbucks. I
had my usual white choc mocha which tasted just perfect. Although the ambience however is
very noisy it has a very Indian feel to it!
Ambiance: 5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Quantity: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Repeat Value: 4/5

Pg. 38 Appendix
Name: Shubhangi Dixit
Review
I went here on my visit to Mumbai with friends. This is the place to go if you want some really
good coffee. They offer a big variety of coffees, and you will love each of it. I loved the food, the
beverages, the ambiance and the service. I had an amazing time with my friends over a coffee in
the evening. I absolutely loved the quantity and the quality. The food was just mind blowing
equally.
The place was full of people, and we had to wait for our turn. But, it was totally worth it. The
waiters were well trained and were dealing with a big crowd really quickly and patiently. The
place is beautiful and located in one of the poshest areas of Mumbai, hence not at all quiet.
Obviously people love their coffee in quiet environment. But Starbucks is not to blamed for this.
They have a really well established name world wide and their marketing techniques are very
good. They were also giving out free tasters outside the place to the pedestrians, and everyone
loved them.
My overall experience was amazing, and I would definitely like to visit this place whenever I
come to Mumbai.
Food- 4.5/5
Service- 4.5/5
Ambiance- 3.5/5
Name: Arpit Sharma
Review
While i love indian food and had coffee in CCD , costa coffee and all but all i want to say is that i
took a sandwich named foccacia , it was good but the coffee wasn't really great.
And the environment there wasn't really good too.
I love cold coffee and my brother is a chef but he prepares a really nice cold coffee better than
all these coffee brands.

Starbucks Coffee Company - Expanding into India

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