There used to be a somewhat cynical expression that went ‘what happens in America today happens in Britain tomorrow’. Of course this harks back to the 80s when the UK’s love affair with the fashion and food of the US really hit its height, but in the enlightened Britain of the 21st century things are very different; now what happens in the US takes a year to happen here…
We speak, of course, of the freshly launched Starbucks app – brewed over a year ago in the States and finally served up on Google Play here in the UK a full year later with some virtual biscotti and your misspelled name scrawled on the side.
But, 12 month tardiness aside, now that the bean blender’s aromatic app is available to Java junkies in Britain, finally Fair Trade flavour fanciers can use their smartphone to not only check the balance of and reload their Starbucks loyalty card, but also use an SB widget to pay for their cup of freshly ground goodness at the till.
Add in GPS tracking to help you locate your nearest bean-juicing branch and you’ve the ideal app whether you’re thirsting for a Frapp or eager for an espresso.
Sadly, whilst the US app allows patrons to make payment via PayPal, the UK version does not. Well, maybe next year…
Off to Starbucks now? Then download the app now from Google Play. Oh, and ours is a full-fat large Latte with vanilla syrup, thanks.
