Starbucks Wants to Sell You a $450 Steel Gift Card: Is It Catering to the One Percent?

It is not cheap, but that is because it makes good, quality coffee. I wish there was a "kind of" option: I agree that it does cater to middle class and upper class families more, but this "one percent" business is crazy. It makes it sound really political - people are just finding more reasons to hate the "one percent".

If you want it and can afford it, buy it. If you want it and can't afford it, whine that it caters to "rich people."

For their prices the men should get hookers with their coffee and the women should get male gigolos!

Starbucks, the upscale Sharper Image of coffee. I just buy black when I go there, Plain. nothing in it, black coffee.

No, Starbucks caters to the morons who are brain washed to think that they HAVE to spend big buck for a cup of coffee or what ever.

Of course. I don't have a problem with it though.

... but I don't think any one has a problem with it. It's fine by me, and I would never even consider buying this gift card.

Firstly, this 1% thing is one of the stupidest memes (I even hate that word) ever. Secondly, this is simply a business trying to market a product to its customers. The more people that buy them the easier it is for the company to predict future costs and sales.

Maybe not. i am not sure.

I do not understand paying 50 for the making of the card itself. You can give a coffee lover a 450 dollar starbucks card, worth 450 dollars and they are really nice, why give the chain the extra 50 for nothing. What am I missing here?
Also there is no way, it cost them 50 bucks a card to make.

And I'm sure not in that 1%.

This is insane! We are in a hard time folks. A good cup of java at home is just as good. Toss in a good creamer, or hot cocoa mix, or cinammon (sp?), and well, home brood is good.

Amen! I'm all for that. I have hot cocoa at home and all ten packages cost me only a 1.99 if that. We poor people can only do the best we can!

"the extra $50 is for the amount it costs to produce the steel card itself"
Hmm... I doubt that. The raw material costs less than $1!!

Yes, I was thinking that myself. Unless they paid someone 10,000,000 to design the thing.

I don't use Starbucks now. They have recently been rumbled for not paying any tax in the UK, in fact they claim to make a loss.
Part of the unacceptable face of capitalism.

Well in fact, I believe that they work at a loss in the UK with all the taxes and whatsnot. BUT, that is maybe just the reason they choose to go to the UK, or Europe for that matter, as do a lot of big US companies - to have a taxwriteoff. This is a nice face of capitalism because that way you poor buggars in Europe are able to enjoy the good things.

It's a tax scam, pure and simple. All the profits go in 'royalty payments' to a shell company in the Netherlands.
They have now agreed to start paying corporation tax because so many customers stayed away in protest.

Maybe so? And so what?

Rich pricks. Corporate fat cats. Smug bastards with your scarves and your laptops. Getting all dressed up for a trip to the coffee shop. Sitting alone at a table for four. Pretending. Always pretending.

Gotta smile. It does seem this way at times eh!

Huh, Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs wont buy them!

But, I would never go to Starbucks. Not only do I do not drink coffee, I could never afford it. This is America and it is still OK to price yourself out of business.

No ! Just good marketing.

I may buy one for myself. If you can afford it why not. If you cannot, who cares.

If it is just for yourself get the regular card because then all 450 bucks will go to you.

So what if they are ? This is America. I can't do with my own business what I see fit as doing ? You don't like them ? Don't shop there. This coming from a guy who doesn't have pot to pee in and has been out of work a long time. Liberals have the whole country on this hate the rich kick.

I do not hate the rich, but I am guessing you are correct, Mike. I do my own coffee at home. Scent in the kitchen, lovely along with a bit of breakfast food. When I was in WA State, I found I liked Seattle brand of coffee more so than Starbuck. I also find McD coffee equally as good as Starbuck. But I rarely buy coffee outside the can that I bring home.

Yes I too love the smell of coffee in the kitchen in the morning. Some of my best memories of childhood are related to the coffee smell coming from the kitchen when my grandfather who is now passed away would be making coffee in the kitchen.

it can be expensive buying a cup of coffee already made out of the house. Especially at Starbucks where they charge $2 a cup. Some place more than that. That's not a lot of money if you buy one cup. But over time it adds up.

That is roughly 100 cups of coffee and that is fairly modest as I'd assume most starbucks faithful make their way through that in a matter of months. I participate in their "gold" gift card and I refill it in increments of $10, I would imagine that I've filled it more than 45 times in the 2 years I've been using it. Dropping $450 on an SB card sounds kinda crazy at first but the reality is that you probably spend it!
Additionally this is like saying that BMW is catering to the "1%"; if you can afford one--great! If not, keep moving!

Probably yes. But if they can get away with it, more power to 'em. they've included me out. This hick ain't goin to Starbucks no more. There are better local coffee bars locally anyhow.

Starbucks is killing the environment with environmental pollutuion (paper cups, plastic cups, etc.) and giving people potential cancer and illnesses through coffee (which is a drug) addiction. Milk also is a big cause of breast cancer and many other illnesses (latte contains milk for example). That is not counting all the vaccines and cattle growth hormones injected into cows which produce milk for Starbucks. I'm 41 and I quit all coffee, dairy products and Starbucks 2.5 years ago. Starbucks is a drug disposing gang for poorly educated or low intellect people. Don't be a slave to them- take care of you blood by keeping it clean and your health. Starbucks will only make you blood and brain dirty (as blood flows into brain). "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life" book written by a medical doctor shows photos of holes in the brain brain damage caused by caffeine in coffee (just like tobacco and alcohol and other drugs)

And if i did have that money i would not spend it on a card, my father would raise from the grave and ask if i have gone of my rocker.

Good father and good child. :-)

I pray to god that i never have so much money i value nothing.I know people like that and its sad.

who the hell wants 7$ coffee?

They don't think that price is too high. Their coffee is not as good as my homebrewed Cafe LaLlave. They do not even support our troops. Barney's coffee was always better.

I know people who would use that up in 3 months, $7 or not; and they're definitely not in the 1% -- which may or may not have something to do with their coffee habits.

do they even M&A; deal with a Lone -star or goldman sachs ?
eh?