In Praise of McCafe

[mRx 16]

In Praise of McCafe

By Jeffrey Tucker

It's a strange thing that all the leading progressives feel schadenfreude toward all the Starbucks closings around the country.

I mean, this institution samples all the fashionable attitudes in music, aesthetics, and politics, subtly embracing the ethos of the arch-lefty consumer class: happy to promote commercialism provided that the commercialism points to all the right environmental and social-justice causes.

Still, Starbucks expanded too quickly and too aggressively and eventually, for whatever reason, earned the wrath of the tribe. (The Wobblies seem particularly annoyed that they have avoided unionizing.)

For my part, I'm glad to see Starbucks go down the old-fashioned way: bested by a rival. In this case, it is the least likely rival that one might expect: McDonalds. Have you seen their amazing coffee machines that crank out lattes and cappuccinos with the best of them? Yes, I know that these treats have long been available in urban areas, but they only recently reached my home town.

The machines that make the stuff are sheer wonders. They have two canisters on top with beans that get ground fresh with each new cup ordered. The entire machine is self-contained with digital operation. And they do it all in minutes for $2 per cup. I'll never stand around Starbucks for 10 minutes listening to bad 1980s alternative rock again.

The blogs are furious about it all, of course, with people denouncing McDonald's for stirring in the foam and other heresies of coffee-drink making, but I could not care less. I find them delicious and I'm thrilled to be free of all that Starbucks pretense.

McDonalds feigns attempts at latching on to current political trends, offering low-fat this or that or claiming to be environmentally friendly, but it is never very convincing ("Our standard operating procedures include regular litter patrols of the areas around our restaurants"), and thank goodness. This is a company that is all about the thing they do well, which is bringing to life the Jetsons world of push-button food, a vision that has enticed me since childhood.

One has to appreciate this company's capacity for continually reinventing itself and bringing all of its products to all social classes. They perfected the kids' playground. They have a pitch for the hip urban class. They have a country side too. They do fish. They do breakfast. And sometimes it seems like a Quarter Pounder is the best thing in the world. What's more, they don't do what they know they can't do.

Now they have taken a luxury drink like a cappuccino and found a way to bring it to every living soul, in a package that is a beautiful and unashamed mimic of the competition. In this sense, it embodies the very soul of capitalism: efficiently universalizing society's most desirable things.

One of the reasons that the elites loathe places like McDonald's, or Wal-Mart, or Target, or any of these places that cater to Everyman – and you might suppose that the champions of the workers and peasants would love these places – is precisely their capacity to rob the rich of their distinctive social markers. One day it was a sign of class and distinction to drink a latte; the next day, every construction worker is doing it.

Places like this make it difficult for the rich to set themselves apart from everyone else. This is a message I pick up from both Mises's Anti-Capitalistic Mentality and Garet Garrett's wonderful novel Harangue. They both seek to explain the strange elitism of the Left and its opposition to capitalism for the masses. And they both discern that the answer lies in the way that the market is so slavishly devoted to serving the needs of the average person as opposed to society's philosopher kings.

And that's why McDonald's effort to latitudinize the latte is not garnering accolades from the blogosphere. No matter: this is a success, as you can see by the lines and all the excitement. It is especially pleasing to see how much the employees enjoy the action. Next time you are in, ask about the machine and talk to the management about it how works, how they were trained, and how it is drawing new crowds in the restaurant.

Yes, it is all about profits. Sorry socialists: this also means that it is all about people.

[Peikko 1,575]

You find this interesting why? It's full of the usual suspects, dodgy premise and supposition. This isn't clever or interseting although the machine itself obviously is no matter what ####### McDonalds stuff it with

I perhpas should point out that I am not interested in the fate of Starbucks either.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Tim Hortons is better than everything else

Cheap and delicious.

[mRx 16]

You find this interesting why? It's full of the usual suspects, dodgy premise and supposition. This isn't clever or interseting although the machine itself obviously is no matter what ####### McDonalds stuff it with

Products once reserved for the elite are quickly being made available to the poor guy with the loose change in his pocket.

I think it's very interesting. It's not dodgy, premiseless, or any other vacuous title you attribute to it.

I perhpas should point out that I am not interested in the fate of Starbucks either.

Of course. You're interested in an imaginative world of "equality"-- An "equality" of poverty.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Yes...it's an amazing coffee machine!

Yes...look at the lines!

Yes...see all the excitement!

Yes...watch the employees enjoy the action!

Yes...talk to the manager about a coffee machine!

Yes...ask how it works!

Yes...ask about how the employees were trained to use it!

Yes...look at the new crowds it's drawing!

Wow...it's all amazing!

Matt...how much does Mac's pay you for each placing of their PR articles? I wouldn't mind getting started in another side-business.

By the way...the Mac's in my neighborhood was closed, torn down, and replaced with a Starbucks. I'm not kidding!

[luckytxn 2,263]

Tim Hortons is better than everything else

Cheap and delicious.

I have been many many times to Canada and Tim Hortons is a second rate Dunkin Donuts.

[mRx 16]

Yes...it's an amazing coffee machine!

Yes...look at the lines!

Yes...see all the excitement!

Yes...watch the employees enjoy the action!

Yes...talk to the manager about a coffee machine!

Yes...ask how it works!

Yes...ask about how the employees were trained to use it!

Yes...look at the new crowds it's drawing!

Wow...it's all amazing!

Matt...how much does Mac's pay you for each placing of their PR articles? I wouldn't mind getting started in another side-business.

By the way...the Mac's in my neighborhood was closed, torn down, and replaced with a Starbucks. I'm not kidding!

I see you've missed the essense of the article-- Hint: It has nothing to do with McDonalds.

You are proof that the Dept. of Education has failed.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Yes...it's an amazing coffee machine!

Yes...look at the lines!

Yes...see all the excitement!

Yes...watch the employees enjoy the action!

Yes...talk to the manager about a coffee machine!

Yes...ask how it works!

Yes...ask about how the employees were trained to use it!

Yes...look at the new crowds it's drawing!

Wow...it's all amazing!

Matt...how much does Mac's pay you for each placing of their PR articles? I wouldn't mind getting started in another side-business.

By the way...the Mac's in my neighborhood was closed, torn down, and replaced with a Starbucks. I'm not kidding!

I see you've missed the essense of the article-- Hint: It has nothing to do with McDonalds.

You are proof that the Dept. of Education has failed.

Apparently, words have no meaning when everyone is to the left of you.

However, thanks for posting the PR...it gave me a chuckle.

PS...I went to a private school.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Tahoma

[luckytxn 2,263]

Yes...it's an amazing coffee machine!

Yes...look at the lines!

Yes...see all the excitement!

Yes...watch the employees enjoy the action!

Yes...talk to the manager about a coffee machine!

Yes...ask how it works!

Yes...ask about how the employees were trained to use it!

Yes...look at the new crowds it's drawing!

Wow...it's all amazing!

Matt...how much does Mac's pay you for each placing of their PR articles? I wouldn't mind getting started in another side-business.

By the way...the Mac's in my neighborhood was closed, torn down, and replaced with a Starbucks. I'm not kidding!

I see you've missed the essense of the article-- Hint: It has nothing to do with McDonalds.

You are proof that the Dept. of Education has failed.

The McDonalds I know that just showed Starbucks what Capitalism and competition was all about. Also the reason they employ so many workers. They deserve applause.

[mRx 16]

Yes...it's an amazing coffee machine!

Yes...look at the lines!

Yes...see all the excitement!

Yes...watch the employees enjoy the action!

Yes...talk to the manager about a coffee machine!

Yes...ask how it works!

Yes...ask about how the employees were trained to use it!

Yes...look at the new crowds it's drawing!

Wow...it's all amazing!

Matt...how much does Mac's pay you for each placing of their PR articles? I wouldn't mind getting started in another side-business.

By the way...the Mac's in my neighborhood was closed, torn down, and replaced with a Starbucks. I'm not kidding!

I see you've missed the essense of the article-- Hint: It has nothing to do with McDonalds.

You are proof that the Dept. of Education has failed.

Apparently, words have no meaning when everyone is to the left of you.

However, thanks for posting the PR...it gave me a chuckle.

PS...I went to a private school.

Words have no meaning when they assert I'm a spokesman for McDonald's. What response did you expect from such a ridiculous statement?

The article is a succint example of a product being made more affordable to those who desire it-- You're missing the forest, here.

Private school, eh? Then I must recant--I guess a diploma from a private university is not an accurate measure of intelligence.

[Mags 112]

Whenever I have had a McCafe from McDonald's I've had to wait ten minutes. And then it's wrong. I've never had anything wrong from Starbucks.

I do think it's great that Starbucks are getting their arses handed to them on a platter, but it isn't by a superior competition. Additionally, I KNOW that Starbucks pays it's workers WAY more than McDonald's does and has exceptional benefits to accompany that wage. So, ultimately, it isn't Starbucks itself that is suffering - it's the workers losing their jobs.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Tim Hortons is better than everything else

Cheap and delicious.

I have been many many times to Canada and Tim Hortons is a second rate Dunkin Donuts.

I've never had Dunkin Donuts, so I guess I'd never know.

I actually don't even drink coffee, I drink the other stuff.

[luckytxn 2,263]

Tim Hortons is better than everything else

Cheap and delicious.

I have been many many times to Canada and Tim Hortons is a second rate Dunkin Donuts.

I've never had Dunkin Donuts, so I guess I'd never know.

I actually don't even drink coffee, I drink the other stuff.

Then it is kinda hard to say truthfully that Tim Hortons is better than everything else.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Yes...it's an amazing coffee machine!

Yes...look at the lines!

Yes...see all the excitement!

Yes...watch the employees enjoy the action!

Yes...talk to the manager about a coffee machine!

Yes...ask how it works!

Yes...ask about how the employees were trained to use it!

Yes...look at the new crowds it's drawing!

Wow...it's all amazing!

Matt...how much does Mac's pay you for each placing of their PR articles? I wouldn't mind getting started in another side-business.

By the way...the Mac's in my neighborhood was closed, torn down, and replaced with a Starbucks. I'm not kidding!

I see you've missed the essense of the article-- Hint: It has nothing to do with McDonalds.

You are proof that the Dept. of Education has failed.

Apparently, words have no meaning when everyone is to the left of you.

However, thanks for posting the PR...it gave me a chuckle.

PS...I went to a private school.

Words have no meaning when they assert I'm a spokesman for McDonald's. What response did you expect from such a ridiculous statement?

The article is a succint example of a product being made more affordable to those who desire it-- You're missing the forest, here.

Private school, eh? Then I must recant--I guess a diploma from a private university is not an accurate measure of intelligence.

If you didn't get paid for that puff piece, it simply means that you don't know PR when it's served to you with your combo meal.

Keep on guessing...it fits you.

[Peikko 1,575]

You find this interesting why? It's full of the usual suspects, dodgy premise and supposition. This isn't clever or interseting although the machine itself obviously is no matter what ####### McDonalds stuff it with

Products once reserved for the elite are quickly being made available to the poor guy with the loose change in his pocket.

I think it's very interesting. It's not dodgy, premiseless, or any other vacuous title you attribute to it.

I perhpas should point out that I am not interested in the fate of Starbucks either.

Of course. You're interested in an imaginative world of "equality"-- An "equality" of poverty.

What kind of stupid statement is that? Latte isn't expensive enough in any establishment to be 'reserved' for the elite. Dodgy premise number one.

Oh, and I am not interested in some arbitary notion of 'equality' that implies 'bringing one section of society down to the level of another section of society - there is nothing I have ever posted that supports that supposition.