Joel Achenbach on Starbucks

One Tall Cappuccino Conundrum, to Go

Like any savvy dealer, Starbucks sells caffeine on street corners, and will gladly double or triple the dose. The chain is most successful in places where people are already ramped up and on the verge of nervous breakdowns. The Starbucks people understand that human beings under stress will pay large amounts of money for something that exacerbates their problem.