Why So Many Starbucks in Thessaloniki?

[nadellii]

I was in Thessaloniki this past summer and I noticed more than one Starbucks. Why are there so many?

Not only that, but I am curious if the Greek population has embraced it and if they're popular.

Lots of people were in all that I saw, but I couldn't tell if it were Greeks, tourists, students, etc...

I had thought that Greek coffee drinks were different, and I had no idea Greeks liked coffee like this!

 

[Deborah]

I believe that at last count there were at least 18 Starbucks in Athens. Espresso is definitely popular; saw fewer people ordering frappes and ellinikos……freddo is definitely in! No matter the type of coffee, the cafe culture is thankfully as strong as ever.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

I believe that at last count there were at least 18 Starbucks in Athens. Espresso is definitely popular; saw fewer people ordering frappes and ellinikos……freddo is definitely in! No matter the type of coffee, the cafe culture is thankfully as strong as ever.

Wow! 18! I saw at least a handful in Athens and Thessaloniki. I wasn't complaining that's for sure but I found it interesting. I expect more of a Frappe experience in Greece. Of course, I did manage to have plenty of those. But no matter where I went, I could find at least a few places with an espresso machine.

 

[Vangelis]

Starbucks! Ye, nah. They tried to come into Australia and thought they would dominate the market here but to their great surprise and embarrassment, they had to close 75% of their stores 8 years after. Why? Because we have real coffee here and a coffee culture that is not all about the profits but about the experience. The Greek and Italian immigrants that came here in the 50s and 60s built a coffee culture that is second to none, especially in Melbourne. These cheap junk american franchise operations whose only focus is profits, don't understand what real coffee is. Now that I've had my little rant, I'm off to my favourite cafe to get a magic.