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Wednesday, August 16, 2006
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Reader Comments (11)
Ironic that Starbucks and its clones are spreading in the Middle East as sheesha bars become trendy in other parts of the world...
I'd like to move to Starbucks out of petty revenge for Cilantro's policy of rounding up their prices to the nearest half pound (not to mention their staff's practise of trying to short change me on every third visit). But on balance, rapacious Starbuck's represents the greater evil here. Anybody know anything about Costa? Big chain / little chain? Rapacious evil empire / good little mom 'n pop?
In response to Matthew's question about Costa. I don't know how big the chain, is but I noticed many Costa shops when I was in London this summer, so I guess it is an international chain as well.
Call me Christopher Hitchens, but I'm going to be the contrarian here. Cilantro sucks ass. While the coffee is OK, the cakes and sandwiches are inedible and the decor is blah. The music isn't great either. While I'm no fan of Starbucks' agressive marketing strategy, their coffee is varied, tasty and the food is pretty good. And most importantly their outlets are quite comfortable.
I do have doubts about how successful they'll be in Egypt. Considering their margins and the average price of the coffee they sell (i.e. way overpriced) I don't see how they think this country can support 50 outlets. They can do the chi-chi malls, the holiday spots, parts of Cairo and Alex but does that really account for more than, say, 20-30 outlets? Plus they're competing against the similarly priced Costa (generally decent place), Cilantro, and quite good non-chain outlets across Zamalek and Mohandiseen, for a start.
hmhmhmh... Cilantro sucks ass? Don't know, but then again, I only order coffee there, and don't go for the food.
Costa, I gotta say, totally rocks! I like their coffee and food.
Finally, I think we are going on a free advertisement here for these chains.. I know I started it.. but anyways, I look fwd to see how the Starbux guys handle Cairo with their inflated prices.
Writing this in Cilantro, I would hae to agree with Issandr. It sucks ass!! The coffe tastes like its burnt (tea for me from now on) and the chocolate chip cookie was a couple of weeks dry. The only reason why I am not at Costa's - I think they have the best coffee in town - is that their wireless connection sucks. At Cilantro it is ok.
Costa is a chain. some Italian/UK thing. They have franchises all over Britain.
In the end all of these chains are just the same. It's all about consolidation or dive to the bottom for the capitalist, shit working conditions for workers and homogenisation of cosumer choice so ti all really boils down to the identity you want to buy with your coffee, or if you like local or transnaional capital best.
When I was in Cairo I frequented Beano's. I'm not sure where they fit into this, but i was happy with them.
Beano's have better food (esp desserts, yum!) but hard chairs. Can't work there.
Cilantro offers a nice atmosphere and that's it. Food and drink are lousy.
If the local 'ahwa had comfy chairs and were quieter (ooh, and maybe electrical outlets for the laptop?), I wouldn't need any of these corrupt Western establishments in Cairo. But then the 'ahwa wouldn't be an 'ahwa.
I guess Cilantro clones will continue to mushroom as long as there are moneyed youth and khawagas who want a place to hang out. I disagree with the prediction that these coffeeshops are too highly priced to survive in Cairo, they simply don't fill the same niche as they do in the West, and there are plenty of people with money to throw around who will order that overpriced Cilantro pap because it's a lifestyle marker (or in the case of you journos, free wireless).
Ya khawageyya, just find yourselves a good shaabi cafe downtown and have four coffees plus a shisha for the price of one tepid Cilantro cappucino.
Issandr... Hitchens?! Don't be so hard on yourself, man.
Well, there will always be this dilemma that an average Egyptian faces. On one hand, every cell in him would like to boycott whatever and whoever is supporting Zionism and Israel. On the other hand, any body who knows some economics knows that having such big multinational chains in the country would mean more employment opportunities. For me, I can sacrifice the better taste and even the better ambiance, but I can't stop thinking about the potential 500 families that can benefit from the opening of 50 stores - if it is real - that will open. I really find it a dilemma, and don't know which direction one should take. Till now, I'm boycotting, but don't really know if this is the right approach, especially when one does not find any other means of influencing the American administration pro Israeli policies. Help!!! :)