Starbucks to open first French outlet
Lovers of all things Gallic may well be horrified to hear that the global coffee chain Starbucks has announced it is to open its first French outlet in Paris.
The group’s chairman reportedly announced: “It is with the utmost respect and admiration for the café society in France that we announce our entry into the market. Historically, French cafes have served as the third place for authors, philosophers, and artists. But we feel Starbucks will fit well into the French café tradition.”
The new outlet will be situated in the Opera district of Paris, according to The Guardian, which quotes a French property magazine. But one customer in an existing café told the newspaper: “It is an absurd idea. The whole point about cafes in France is that you can set over a coffee as long as you like, read the papers … taking away coffee in a Styrofoam cup is unthinkable. It is the kind of thing you’d only think of doing at a railway station.”
However, The Guardian suggests that Starbucks’ move may well be a success, pointing out that despite the traditional French antipathy to many things American, Disneyland Paris attracts as many French nationals as it does foreign tourists.
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