A Starbucks for the rest of us

So McDonald's decided to open up coffee bars inside its stores to compete with Starbucks for high end coffee experiences.

Pause for laughter, I mean reflection.

On the surface this looks like a pretty bonehead move by Ronald and Co. Big Mac's and Caffe Latte's go together about as well as democrats and republicans. Technically they are both digestible, but you wouldn't consume too many, and certainly not at the same time. And they both can give you upset stomach.

But back to the food products. On the surface, I equate this to Tiffany's putting in a drive-thru window in their stores. Ritz-Carlton putting a sign out front that says 'Buses Welcome.' Maybe even Nike changing their slogan to "Just Try a Little Harder." You just won't see it.

However, when you dig a little deeper it isn't a completely ridiculous play on the part of McDonald's. While I doubt McD's will steal a substantial number of regular Starbuckers, they might attract the Starwannabes. We might not be able to play golf like Tiger Woods, but we can wear the same Nike shirt. Same concept for McDonald's. They will attract the emulators.

I happen to think this move will go over as well as the Hula Burger, but I've been wrong once or twice before. It's just a hard fight when you try to mix apples and oranges. Or the sophisticated coffee shop with the dirty kid infested playgrounds serving wafer-thin burgers. But who knows. Maybe we'll see the turtleneck wearing sophisticates planting themselves in McD's sipping a latte and wolfing down a Big Mac while they search for the WiFi.