I mentioned some differences (between Starbucks in Shanghai and the States) a while ago during my last Shanghai trip: more crowded, less sweet in taste. I found another difference today: the cup size is smaller here. So a “Venti” (large) here is really a “Grande” (medium) in the States! Maybe Starbucks thinks that Chinese are not as addicted to caffeine as American? Or they think Chinese should not drink as much coffee as American do. Don’t they save material cost (and make more money) by doing this? Despite all these, my friend told me Starbucks is the most popular coffee shop in town. One has to be both wealthy and well connected to open a store here.
Tip: if you bring your own cup, you could save RMB 2 for the drink. Don’t know if this works in the States. I am going to try it next time…
Update: I wrote yet another Starbucks post after quite a few years.