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