McDonalds and Starbucks: Different But Similar
Michal Jonson-Marquis
American Public University

Abstract
Over the years it would seem even through these harsh economic times Starbucks and McDonald’s have stayed the course and have not had to suffer through the recession. Both are still able to make huge profits, this is a testament to the way they market and sell their products locally and globally. Over the past few years both have been competing against one another to grab a foothold (McDonald’s fast foods and Starbucks coffees) internationally. McDonald’s has chains in over one hundred countries, while Starbucks has over fifty-five. While they seem different, there are similarities between them that may be surprising.

McDonalds and Starbucks are the elite in the respective domain of service. While McDonalds is the giant among the fast food market, Starbucks is the giant in the fast coffee market. They both have similarities in the way they present their products to the customers, “think globally but act locally” (Montgomery Research, 2008). Both are geared toward speedy service and customer satisfaction through their products. McDonalds is through the fast food (hamburgers, cheese burgers, Big Macs, etc) and Starbucks is through their coffee products. McDonalds has been in business for over fifty years and boast that they have sold to over a billion people. In the sense of things McDonalds has a restaurant on every corner. They use the theory of overlapping their restaurants to ensure that they flood neighborhoods with their products so that they can push their product to the customer base. Even in their mission statement, McDonalds goes to the extreme length to make eating at their establishment and great personal experience. Over the years, within the physical architecture of their stores (McDonalds has rebuilt their stores) has