Restaurant and Food Service Blog

I am sitting here in a Starbucks and have my laptop cranking out a couple of blog entries. Although I have WiFi on my computer, I refuse to purchase the internet connection that they offer here. It seems to me that the company gets it right with everything except their WiFi.

The baristas behind the counter know most of the regular customers by their first name. They all seem very friendly although there are a lot of grumpy faces walking in for their cup of joe. The cases are full of pastries and the espresso machine is cranking away. But what gives about having to pay for the internet?

I don’t mind paying a premium for a good cup of coffee and I have bought into the whole culture. But it seems absolutely insane that the company charges for WiFi when some customers probably already spend a mortgage payment in coffee on a monthly basis.

Just earlier this year, the company announced that in a partnership with AT&T that they were going to start to offer 2 hours of free WiFi to customers who have a Starbucks card. In a couple of blogs and even on the new Starbucks customer forum, many have thought it to be a good step to help the ailing coffee giant. But I think that the company can take it a step further. Or maybe this all points back to the company taking a new approach with Howard Schultz back at the helm.

Just the other day reminded me of this example as my wife and I both work out of the house. As most home base professionals, we need a change of scenery. So we decided to work at Panera Bread for the morning. It gives us a change and we seem to be more productive when we get out every once in a while. When we left the house, our thoughts never crossed about going to Starbucks simply because why pay for the internet connection when I can get it free somewhere else? We ended up getting some breakfast and taking home lunch.

As it turns out, we have started to make it our “date” work day and we are planning to go every Monday AM to get work done. In the long run, Panera will end up with all of our coffee business.  All for giving away something free.

P.S. I posted this when I got home using my own internet!