³ÉÈËXÕ¾

JOHN CURLEY

Starbucks cafes now exceed McDonald’s, but are there too many?

Jun 8, 2018, 3:00 PM

Starbucks peta...

(File, Associated Press)

(File, Associated Press)

In the great coffee wars, Starbucks is now outpacing McDonald’s. After opening 2,000 new cafes nationwide in the last three years, they currently number is 14,300 U.S. locations according to . That’s just a few hundred higher than McDonald’s, in case anyone is keeping count.

“What I found shocking is that this now just became news,” said ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio’s Tom Tangney. “Because I would have guessed that they crested a number of years ago. It seemed then that there were three on every corner, and now it feels like there are only two on every corner.”

¸é·¡³¢´¡°Õ·¡¶Ù:ÌýIs Starbucks’ new bathroom policy unfair to paying customers?

While it may be surprising to hear that you’re more likely to spot Starbucks’ nautical siren logo than the Golden Arches, both are still far outnumbered by Subway. They sling sandwiches at approximately 25,800 U.S. locations, nearly as much as McDonald’s and Starbucks combined. Not that many people buy coffee at Subway.

The news comes on the heels of an eventful few months for the coffee behemoth. They recently closed all their locations for racial bias training after a controversial incident involving two customers. Starbucks has opened all their bathrooms to non-paying customers, meaning there are now about 14,300 public bathrooms. And the company also announced that CEO Howard Schultz is stepping down.

And this week, the company said it’s raising the price of regular drip coffee by about 10 to 20 cents. Prices for more elaborate drinks like iced coffees and lattes will remain the same.

Starbucks may be experiencing slowed growth due to over-saturation

Since the country is by no means lacking in places to get coffee, this may be a sign of over-saturation. Starbucks shares declined 8 percent in the past year, and numerous analysts have argued that the company isn’t necessarily reaching new customers, but potentially causing individual locations to draw traffic away from each other, and ultimately cannibalizing their own sales.

“The question is: have they reached a saturation point?” Tangney said. “One of the people who was mostly aggressively pushing opening new stores was none other than Howard Schultz. The fact that he’s stepping down may indicate that they may be retrenching a bit.”

John Curley on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to tom and curleyTune in to ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio weekdays at 3pm for The John Curley Show.

John Curley

John Curley

Jim walsh on John Curley...

John Curley Show

‘College freshman posing as political radicals’: WA rep. has no faith in next Seattle mayor

Washington Representative Jim Walsh slammed the two remaining Seattle mayoral candidates Katie Wilson and Bruce Harrell.

20 hours ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: WA GOP Chair Jim Walsh Sounds Off!

State Rep and Chairman of the WA State Republican Party Jim Walsh joined the John Curley Show to share his thoughts on the primary turnout, the disappointing state of Seattle’s mayoral race, and what he calls factual nonsense being spread regarding rural hospitals closing in Washington. Listen to The John Curley Show every weekday at […]

2 days ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Local Grocer to Seattle: Don’t Raise Prices!

Yousef Shulman, co-owner and president of Leschi Market, a family-owned and -operated market in Seattle’s Central District since the 1930s, stopped by the John Curley Show. Yousef talked about his op-ed in The Seattle Times, urging the Seattle City Council not to raise grocery prices​ Listen to The John Curley Show every weekday at 3pm […]

4 days ago

burien city council...

John Curley Show

‘A big fat lie’: Burien council member slams DESC-run facility over lack of treatment

A Burien City Council member voiced her frustrations with a DESC-run shelter over a lack of treatment.

9 days ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Retired US Navy Fighter Pilot Talks the Blue Angels Protests

Retired US Navy fighter pilot Jim Frank joins John to discuss the latest Blue Angels protests and how important a strong US military is for global peace. Listen to The John Curley Show every weekday at 3pm on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio 97.3 FM, or visit MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

9 days ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Gunman of the Midtown Shooting Cites CTE Issues

Dr. Steve Broglio, Director of the Michigan Concussion Center, joined the John Curley Show to discuss the gunman who killed four people Monday evening in a Midtown Manhattan office building, left behind a suicide note targeting the NFL. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the note suggested the shooter believed he had chronic […]

9 days ago

Starbucks cafes now exceed McDonald’s, but are there too many?