A status symbol

As a result, going to Starbucks became a symbol of trendiness. The first homegrown Starbucks devotees were white-collar workers. They go to Starbucks more for the ambiance than the coffee. The music in Starbucks, mostly jazz, American country music and piano concertos, happens to cater to their pursuit of novelty and exoticness.

"If I am not in my office, I am either at Starbucks or on the way to Starbucks" became a mantra among Beijing's white-collar employees.

"Actually people come not for coffee, but for the Starbucks name," Li said. "To many Chinese people, Starbucks represents an American leisure culture."

The success of Starbucks is partly attributed to its strategy of taking advantage of Chinese white-collar workers' psychology. The coffee chain has placed advertisements in fashion magazines, which preach the brand as the incarnation of an easy lifestyle. The tactic has proven effective as for many people Starbucks cafés have become the first choice for spending leisure time.

Meanwhile, the successful advertising campaigns have managed to attract entertainment stars to the Starbucks craze, making it even more popular among young people.

But the lifestyle Starbucks tries to sell does offend people with traditional mindsets, especially senior citizens. Opponents criticize this lifestyle as too idle and purposeless. "You should do something better than sitting there, doing nothing," Li said her father often tells her.

One treasured virtue in Chinese tradition is diligence, and traditionalists cannot get used to the idea of idle time. Seeing their children embrace this laid-back lifestyle, traditionalists view it as the result of the invasion of an aggressive Western culture.

"Some people tend to relate a fashion with a Western lifestyle, like my father," Li added. "Their perception clashes with my desire for Starbucks time."

Despite the traditionalists' views, more and more young urbanites are hanging out at Starbucks in their free time.

To localize or not

In Starbucks outlets in Beijing, you can find traditional Chinese cookies on the menu. This is an obvious effort to offer clients more choices in the context of localization, although the step is not substantial.

"Localization will ruin Starbucks' unique attraction," said Wang, the businessman, who was first attracted to the coffee shop by its exotic ambience.

"I remember when I first went to Starbucks, I just wanted to impress my business partners," Wang recalled. "I thought that discussing business at Starbucks was more elegant than Chinese teahouses and for the last two years I have not changed my perception. The possible localization of adding local food and drinks to the menu would lower Starbucks to the likes of McDonald's and ordinary Chinese restaurants. Then I would not come here any longer."

This represents the view of a large segment of Starbucks consumers. "I am here for style and detachment, which should not be diluted by things we can always see in the street," said Wang Li, a customer at the Starbucks in Xidan.

Wang said she comes to Starbucks to meet friends, and hopes the coffee chain can maintain its special leisure atmosphere.

However, Starbucks' localization attempts have suffered serious setbacks due to an insufficient understanding of Chinese food safety standards.

In 2005, mooncakes sold by Starbucks in Tianjin failed to meet bacterial control standards, according to the local quarantine authorities, which marked the first setback of localization of Starbucks in China.

By the end of 2005, the total number of Starbucks cafes on the Chinese mainland reached 146 and new shops are opened at a speed of two or three every month.