Call me... Captain Obvious. Haven't I read this same article 50 times this year? There's no new thinking here, Rob.

All his conclusions are unsubstantiated, as always. Uses 2006 data, no reference to current loyalty programs, and no proof from McDonalds that (a) its coffee sales are up and if they were (b) these were ex-Starbucks customers. Notice BrandWeek has comments closed on his article? Awful...

For a long time, the only place to get a good cup of coffee on the go was at Starbucks. The stores also exuded a luxe-fauxEuro vibe that appealed to people that take themselves very seriously. You can argue that Starbucks took their customers for granted when they tried menu and line extension. But the customers voted with their wallets by not purchaseing the new menu items. This should have sent a resounding message to management---it is about the coffee. Enter Dunkin' Doughnuts and McDonalds, who both provide a comparable cup of coffee, at a lower price and with less frills. Get in, get the coffee, get out. That's what customers want, that's what Starbucks fails to provide and that's why Starbucks is loosing market share.