Fashions change rapidly at least among groups with discretionary
income.  In my college town Starbucks has a mostly female clientele.
This may simply reflect the fact that at most American colleges and
universities male students are in a minority or it may mean that
upscale coffee drinks appeal to young women more than to young men.
The big problem for coffee shops here is that young people expect their
drinks to be chilled (beer, soft drinks, smoothies).

On Mar 28, 2005, at 3:17 PM, Jon Miller wrote:

> My wife and I had a nice meal at an area restaurant with an extensive
> menu of "martinis" which rarely included gin. They were mainly vodka
> with sweet and colorful things such as juices, syrups, or liqueurs.
> All served in martini glasses. My wife compared these "martinis" to
> the "coffees" offered at Starbuck's. It seems to me that most any
> indulgence at Starbuck's is permissible because the beverage is
> coffee, which Americans associate with overworking, industry,
> brainwork, and other good industrious connotations. A milkshake at
> Starbuck's is still a coffee drink in the eyes of most people. I
> wonder if the word "martini" is not evolving in a similar fashion to
> give an edge to drinks that are heavily fortified with alcohol and
> sugar. Jon
>