Starbucks in Punta Cana

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Expats were never the msin target of Starbucks (or any international food/clothes/etc store) that enters the DR. Just look where are located most McDonald's, Burger King, Zara, Louis Vuitton, PriceSmart, etc. Even Dominican chains, simply look where are located most Victorina's, Santo Domingo Café, Rico Hot Dog, Sirena, Jumbo, Corripio, Laconda, Ego, Evergo, Nacional, Bravo, Metro, Caribe Tours, etc.

The focus are mainly Dominicans.

When you see that towns where there is a large presence of expats such as Sosúa or Las Terrenas are small towns at best, it should be a sign that expats aren't as numerous as believed. There isn't a single airline Dominican or from elsewhere that at least one of their routes from and to the DR survives because of the business of expats.
 
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RDKNIGHT

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Mar 13, 2017
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I don't know when you last bought water at Punta Cana airport, but it's more than $3. I recently paid $11 for 1L bottle of water in terminal B the other day and nearly died from the sticker shock. It was more than double what I paid later the same day at an airport in the US for the same brand/size bottle of water.
should have waited to you got on the ✈️
 

El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
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I don't know when you last bought water at Punta Cana airport, but it's more than $3. I recently paid $11 for 1L bottle of water in terminal B the other day and nearly died from the sticker shock. It was more than double what I paid later the same day at an airport in the US for the same brand/size bottle of water.
I literally have no idea why people drink so much water. Bottled "spring" water has been one of the biggest scams of our lifetime, right up there with #1 and #2 (can't name them on DR1, but any rational human that can think for themselves knows exactly what 1 and 2 are)
 
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windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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Expats were never the msin target of Starbucks (or any international food/clothes/etc store) that enters the DR. Just look where are located most McDonald's, Burger King, Zara, Louis Vuitton, PriceSmart, etc. Even Dominican chains, simply look where are located most Victorina's, Santo Domingo Café, Rico Hot Dog, Sirena, Jumbo, Corripio, Laconda, Ego, Evergo, Nacional, Bravo, Metro, Caribe Tours, etc.

The focus are mainly Dominicans.

When you see that towns where there is a large presence of expats such as Sosúa or Las Terrenas are small towns at best, it should be a sign that expats aren't as numerous as believed. There isn't a single airline Dominican or from elsewhere that at least one of their routes from and to the DR survives because of the business of expats.
I agree that Starbucks would not be targeting expats. But do Dominicans actually like their crap coffee?

I also agree that there are far fewer expats. here on the north coast where there are the most expats, with far less importance to revenue and the government than a select few imagine. We are not the tails that are wagging any dogs here and very few of us can actually vote let alone reside here legally at all.
 

El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
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Dominican Republic
But do Dominicans actually like their crap coffee?
I'm confused, it seems that you're calling Starbucks coffee crap compared to the lowest common denominator of coffee on the planet (Cafe Dingo)? Starbucks sources some of the best quality coffee berries from around the world and uses a patended roasting process. On the other hand you can buy unpalatable Cafe Santo Domingo for the insane price of 300 pesos/pound and enjoy the foul aftertaste produced by the various fillers they use to stretch the coffee.

Starbucks is a status symbol for the Dominicans that buy it. It also really doesn't matter where the coffee comes from or the quality of the roast if you add 5 tablespoons of sugar anyway.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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I'm confused, it seems that you're calling Starbucks coffee crap compared to the lowest common denominator of coffee on the planet (Cafe Dingo)? Starbucks sources some of the best quality coffee berries from around the world and uses a patended roasting process. On the other hand you can buy unpalatable Cafe Santo Domingo for the insane price of 300 pesos/pound and enjoy the foul aftertaste produced by the various fillers they use to stretch the coffee.

Starbucks is a status symbol for the Dominicans that buy it. It also really doesn't matter where the coffee comes from or the quality of the roast if you add 5 tablespoons of sugar anyway.
I am calling Starbucks coffee crap because it sucks. I am not comparing it to anything else. You might like the taste, I will never buy it.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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I am calling Starbucks coffee crap because it sucks. I am not comparing it to anything else. You might like the taste, I will never buy it.
The ONLY thing Starbucks has for itself is the name. Like the guy said: "There is a sucker born every minute". And there are a lot of them here .............
 
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windeguy

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The ONLY thing Starbucks has for itself is the name. Like the guy said: "There is a sucker born every minute". And there are a lot of them here .............
Back when I was working, I had need for WiFi. At first I could just sit in a Starbucks and use their WiFi. They were everywhere and convenient on the west coast. Then they required a purchase. So I would buy their coffee, set it on the table while I worked, and throw it out on my way out the door without tasting it after I tried it the first time I had to buy one and found it horrible.