Is Starbucks Coffee of Better Quality?

　　星巴克咖啡质量更好吗?

　　Blind taste tests have shown the average American prefers Dunkin Donuts or McDonald’s coffee to Starbucks coffee.

　　盲品测试显示，比起星巴克，普通的美国人更喜欢唐恩都乐或麦当劳咖啡。

　　So why are so many people addicted to Starbucks? There is nothing extraordinary in their coffee beans, and no special coffee or extra ingredients that produce addiction aside from caffeine. Their success, and customers’ addiction with the brand does not come from the coffee…

　　那么为什么还有这么多人对星巴克上瘾呢?他们的咖啡豆没有什么卓越的地方，除了咖啡因外，也没有特别的咖啡或者额外的原料让人上瘾。他们的成功，以及顾客对他们品牌的着迷不是源自咖啡......

　　Coffee Experience is more Important than Actual Coffee Quality.

　　咖啡体验比咖啡实际的质量更重要

　　Three main factors contribute:

　　三个主要因素起着作用：

　　1. Coffee Buying Experience. Howard Shultz (Starbucks Founder) spent a lot of effort not only in the beverage itself but in the entire coffee buying experience.

　　1.购买咖啡的体验。霍华德·舒尔茨(星巴克创始人)不仅在饮料本身花了大力气，还在整个咖啡购买体验上下功夫。

　　This is why Starbucks locations around the world consistently have a good atmosphere, indirect lighting, relaxing music in the background, great aromas, and friendly ‘baristas‘.

　　这就是为什么星巴克在全球的门店都一致拥有美好的气氛、柔和的灯光、令人放松的背景音乐、绝妙的香气以及友好的咖啡师。

　　2. Personal Reward . Psychologists believe a big part of Starbucks’ success comes from the desire to reward yourself. Before a long day of work, you deserve to treat yourself to a nice Grande Cappucino. It’s a little daily splurge that most people can afford.

　　2. 个人奖赏。心理学家相信，星巴克的成功很大一部分是来源于犒劳自己的愿望。在一天漫长的工作前，你理应用一大杯卡布奇诺犒劳自己。这是大多数人每天都能承担得起的挥霍。

　　Behavioral psychologist Dan Ariely has proven how our brain tricks us into enjoying things more if we believe they are better.

　　行为学家丹·埃雷利已证明，如果我们相信某些东西更好的话，我们的大脑就会欺骗我们，让我们更享受这些东西。

　　This means that even if the coffee at Starbucks is not actually scientifically better than the average coffee, the combination of the brand, the experience and your belief that it is probably better makes your brain actually taste it as better coffee and enjoy it more than an average coffee.

　　这就意味着即使星巴克的咖啡实际上没有普通咖啡好，品牌、体验和你相信星巴克咖啡更好的思想让你的大脑觉得咖啡真的更好喝，也比普通咖啡更为享受。

　　This is why blind tests are important, because your taste buds will go with your brain bias.

　　这就是为什么盲品咖啡很重要，因为你的味蕾跟着大脑的偏见走。

　　In other words, perception is reality.

　　换句话说，感受即是现实。

　　3.Familiarity – When you are running to work, and you need your morning Joe, it is hard to think about multiple coffee shops, evaluate them and decide on one.

　　3.熟悉度。当你奔去工作时，需要早晨的咖啡，很难想到多家咖啡店、评价它们并挑选一家。

　　The default answer to ‘morning coffee’ is ‘Starbucks’. This is the power of branding and positioning.

　　“早晨咖啡”的默认答案就是“星巴克”。这就是品牌和定位的力量。