Yukinoshita's Correction Method

"Yes." Iroha Isshiki nodded vigorously. "You two should focus on the branch store. We'll wait for your good news, and you should wait for our good news too!"

--

After exiting the ticket gates at Fukutoshin Line Shibuya Station, you can directly enter the basement level of the Radiance Mall through the connecting passage without going to the ground level.

As the holidays approach, warm yellow lights and a cozy Christmas atmosphere fill the air.

The ceiling is decorated with champagne gold and red ribbons, adorned with minimalist modern geometric snowflake lights, and a dynamic LED screen hangs around the ceiling, scrolling through brand advertisements and holiday information.

A gentle jazz version of Christmas carols played softly, and the aisle was decorated with silver snowflake-shaped light boxes on both sides. A small Christmas tree was set up in the central area, with limited-edition beauty gift boxes displayed under the tree.

A complex and pleasant aroma filled the air, a blend of freshly brewed coffee, baked buttery pastries, sweet fruit notes, and a subtle fragrance carried on the cool air.

An open-air Starbucks is located in a place frequented by commuters and shoppers.

Instead of traditional wall partitions, low fences and display cases define the space, allowing the aroma of coffee and the warmth of the atmosphere to flow naturally into the public areas.

Inside the store, red and gold ribbons are hung, mini Christmas trees are placed on the counter, Christmas promotional posters are posted on the walls, employees are wearing Santa hats, Christmas tree-shaped cakes and red and green sandwiches are displayed in the display cases, and limited-edition Christmas-themed travel mugs and teddy bear plush toys are on the shelves next to the cashier.

Customers either spend their leisure time at the bar or wait in the waiting area to pick up their food. There are all kinds of people, from office workers in suits who have just finished get off work to female friends who have made plans to go shopping together, to students chatting and laughing. They all turn into a flowing vortex around this place.

Starbucks store manager Jack Ito admired the mesmerizing vortex, silently marveling at the wisdom of his initial choice.

The location was ultimately selected by the headquarters' professional team through macro-market analysis and strategic planning, along with specific site selection and data analysis, meticulous evaluation and on-site inspection, comprehensive decision-making and financial calculations.

As it turns out, all the effort was worthwhile.

But... the fruits of our labor were stolen.

Jack Ito stared at the Cloud Snow Tea across from him.

To be precise, it's the enclosure surrounding Cloud Snow Tea.

To isolate the construction area and minimize the impact on customers and surrounding businesses, construction barriers are usually erected during renovations.

There are some products that Chiba has been offering for a long time, as well as several unnamed drinks, all in Flower.

[A hundred flavors of Tokyo, all in one cup]

Every customer who comes to Starbucks inevitably looks in the direction of Cloud Snow Tea.

That's too arrogant...

Jack Ito had previously talked to a colleague about the tea shop across from the Chiba Starbucks, and three months later, the shop put up an advertisement for him.

"Store Manager," the assistant store manager approached, "That store seems to be officially opening tomorrow."

"Hmm." Sato Jack's face held the composure of a mature middle-aged man. "They're not here with good intentions."

"Um..." the assistant store manager hesitated for a moment, "We are the ones who came here."

"Um?"

"That shop specializes in local ingredients and local flavors; it's a local brand," the assistant manager added. "We're from out of town."

"Tokyo Flavors... Hmph." Sato Jack scoffed. "Tokyo, a trendy and diverse city, cannot be defined by a young brand like this."

"Are you saying that this branch will have a hard time replicating Chiba's success?"

"If they want to replicate Chiba's success, I might think twice," Sato Jack gestured. "Using such a slogan now means this brand is still a long way from maturity. While innovation is commendable, this aggressive approach is not a rational choice for a mature brand."

The only right way is to take a steady and pragmatic approach, like Starbucks.

"You mean, Chiba's success has led this brand into blind optimism, which is why they've so arrogantly wanted to define [the essence] of Tokyo, this trendy and diverse city..." The assistant store manager paused, "Overestimating themselves?"

"Chiba has a developed agricultural sector, and the locals have an emotional attachment to local ingredients. Even if it doesn't taste good, they'll still go for a cup of [Chiba Hyakumi]. But Tokyo doesn't have such a developed agricultural sector, so naturally, it doesn't have the same emotional connection to ingredients as the people of Chiba. Most importantly..." Jack Ito looked at the swirling crowd, "The people here have tasted real coffee. High-calorie, high-sugar sweet drinks like milk tea and fruit tea don't attract high-end people who pursue a high-quality, healthy lifestyle."

Jack Ito turned his gaze to the railing of Cloud Snow Tea), looking at the little cloud figures dressed in Christmas attire and holding snowflakes. "I hope they can hold on for a while longer, so that everyone will clearly realize the consequences of going against Starbucks."

The little cloud figures are certainly cute, but the snowflakes held in one's hands are as fragile as a shattered dream.

The moment it truly lands in the palm of your hand is the moment it melts and disappears.

The assistant store manager felt that the store manager's words made sense.

but...

On the day Cloud Snow Tea officially opened, seeing the queue in front of Cloud Snow Tea not shortening but getting longer, the assistant manager couldn't convince himself to stick to his original idea.

Several customers who were leisurely enjoying their coffee at Starbucks decided to join the line after noticing that the queue in front of Cloud Snow Tea was getting longer and longer.

Some even went straight there without taking a coffee.

Considering that Cloud Snow Tea is newly opened and customers want to try it out, the assistant store manager is willing to accept this.

But isn't it a bit much to bring Cloud Snow Tea drink back to Starbucks to drink?

"Manager," the assistant manager looked at Jack Ito, "This..."

"Don't worry about it," Jack Ito waved his hand. "It's normal."

"Is this normal...?" The assistant store manager looked at the long queue at Cloud Snow Tea.

In contrast, Starbucks was rather deserted.

The vortex of people had already shifted to Cloud Snow Tea.

Jack Ito's voice was calm. "Do you think our customers have been stolen?"

"It seems... right." The assistant store manager couldn't think of any other answer.

"Because there was a long line across the street, it felt like our business was being stolen..." Jack Ito shook his head. "Think carefully, has there ever been a line like that in our store before?"

"... No, there really isn't."

"The difference lies in the brand's core values and identity," Jack Ito explained. "We sell a third space and coffee culture. Our customers seek efficiency and quality, and they need a quiet and orderly environment. The noise, waiting, and crowding caused by long queues directly undermine this core experience."

"So..." the assistant store manager continued, "Long lines represent inefficiency, cramped space, and a poor customer experience—this is a dangerous sign. It means we can't provide the experience we deserve, and it will also cause our customers to avoid this negative experience."

Jack Ito nodded in satisfaction. "So it's not that we can't create this illusion of popularity, but rather that we don't need it, and shouldn't have this kind of false prosperity."

"And what about them?"

"They post a lot of photos and check-ins on social media, along with unique drinks, selling social currency and instant gratification. Their customers seek trendy novelty and a sense of participation. Shopping, checking in, sharing... even queuing in long lines are all part of the consumption experience. Getting a drink that others are queuing for, taking a photo and sharing it is itself a form of realizing social capital."

The assistant store manager murmured, "So the long lines prove it's popular, which in turn means it's delicious, worth checking out, and trendy."

"Realizing this, what would you do?"

"Hiring people to queue," the assistant store manager suddenly realized. "So these people..."

"See those people carrying water?" Jack Ito gestured with his chin. "Those are hired."

"I see..." The assistant store manager was still a little worried, "But this kind of scene will still attract some customers."

"Truly high-quality customers won't be fooled by such illusions," Jack Ito said with a distant gaze. "Like them."

The assistant store manager followed Jack Ito's gaze and saw a young couple who looked like high school students... or more like college students.

The girl's aloof demeanor and perfect beauty stood out in the crowd, while the boy had a model-like physique, a handsome face with a faint smile, and exceptionally deep eyes.

The two walked hand in hand through the crowd, glanced at the long line at Cloud Snow Tea, and went straight into Starbucks.

As expected... the assistant store manager smiled, turned to look at Jack Ito, and was about to praise his wisdom, but found that he had a complicated expression and was staring fixedly in one direction.

"Long time no see." The woman in the turtleneck sweater waved the cups of Cloud Snow Tea she had just bought in her hand. "May I come in and sit for a while?"

"Welcome." Jack Ito let out a long sigh of relief. "Rio... Ms."

"Just call me Takahashi." Takahashi Rio smiled and walked into the shop. "Would you like to sit with me for a bit? I can't finish this drink by myself."

"...Okay." Jack Ito sat down with the other person, and when he looked up at Takahashi Rio, he noticed a young couple who had just entered the store out of the corner of his eye.

Memories surged uncontrollably; many years ago, he had shared similar moments with Takahashi Rio.

The two joined Starbucks together, hoping to learn from Starbucks ' advanced experience and create their own brand.

But Jack Ito was given important responsibilities, his career prospects were getting better and better, and he was unwilling to leave.

Takahashi Rio gave up her ever-increasing salary and promising career prospects, leaving Starbucks and him in the process.

Although I hadn't paid much attention, I recently heard from Jack Ito that Takahashi Rio, with the help of Pearl Lady, has launched a new brand Tea BAR.

I never expected to run into you here.

"Want to try some?" Takahashi Rio took a cup out of the bag and handed it to her.

"Orange C Americano? This is..." Jack Ito frowned. "Coffee?"

"It's [Fruit Coffee], and also Grapefruit C and Lemon C." Takahashi Rio laid out the other two cups. "I remember you prefer orange."

"These are two different things." Staring at the clearly layered liquid, Jack Ito made no attempt to hide his disdain. "Mixing fruit juice into coffee will completely mask the original flavor of the coffee with its strong fruity taste. This is a dilution of coffee culture."

Takahashi Rio: "But it tastes very good."

"..." Jack Ito reluctantly took a sip. "Orange juice concentrate, blended beans, and syrup. Not only does it lack coffee flavor, but it's also excessively sugary—this is no longer coffee; it's a fruit-flavored beverage that provides caffeine."

At this point, Jack Ito noticed that the boy had looked up at him.

Was I too noisy...? Jack Ito returned an apologetic look.

The boy shook the iced Americano in his hand, giving it an approving look.

So it was an agreement... Jack Ito revealed a faint smile.

There are still many people with good taste.

Chapter 650, a little earlier

"People with real taste wouldn't come to Starbucks to drink this kind of..." Dong Yunshan put down her iced Americano, a slight smile playing on her lips, "Dishwater."

"Dark roasting Arabica coffee beans brings a rich, full-bodied, caramelized, and bitter taste, but it also masks many of the unique flavors of the coffee beans themselves. Essentially, it's to make the coffee flavor stand out in a mixed beverage." Yukino Yukinoshita took a small sip of her toffee hazelnut latte. "As a top student among commercial coffee chains, Starbucks offers a standardized, mass-market flavor selection, which goes against the current trend in the specialty coffee world of light to medium roasts that highlight regional flavors—that's why it's been ridiculed like this."

"That's the awkwardness of Starbucks' positioning. If you call it low-end... the coffee beans are medium to high-grade, and the quality is consistent. If you call it high-end... it doesn't have a wide variety of fruity acids, floral aromas, and sweetness." Dong Yunshan raised his hand and shook it up and down. "It's stuck in the middle, not quite there."

"If you value the flavor of coffee, you'll go to a specialty coffee shop. But if you don't care about the flavor, there's no need to come to Starbucks." Yukino Yukinoshita Cloud Snow Tea across the street. "Cloud Snow Tea is an option outside of specialty coffee shops and Starbucks. I don't care about the flavor of the coffee, I don't need a third space, I just need a refreshing... functional drink?"

"Cloud Snow Tea sells coffee now! Coffee for those who strive! Coffee~ coffee~ coffee~ coffee~ coffee~! Yunxue Coffee! A cup of struggle!" Dong Yunshan muttered, resting his chin on his hand. "I even had someone record the slogan, thinking of playing it on a loop at high volume in the store, but I didn't expect the mall to disagree."

"No way they'd agree... The situation is chaotic enough as it is." Yukino Yukinoshita saw mall security guards helping to maintain order, then turned around and noticed Dong Yunshan looking in another direction.

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced sideways and saw a middle-aged man and woman sitting on the table with several cups of "Cloud Snow Tea," chatting about something.

The distance wasn't too far or too close; you could hear some sounds, but the content was unclear.

However, Dong Yunshan's physical condition, there's absolutely no problem.

Yukinoshita (qqun89) pondered slightly, "Are they talking about Cloud Snow Tea)?"

"Hmm." Dong Yunshan nodded slightly. "They talked quite professionally."

"Isn't Starbucks coffee a beverage too?" Takahashi Rio retorted, "And one that's practically devoid of Vitamin C."

"No wonder it has this name." Jack Ito pinpointed the key phrase. "Using the health benefits of vitamins to mask the unhealthiness of high sugar..."

"You can choose the sugar level yourself. If you like, you can choose not to add any extra sugar, and it still tastes good." Takahashi Rio smiled. "At least Starbucks coffee doesn't have such a strong citrus aroma, right?"

"Are you saying that Cloud Snow Tea Coffee will beat Starbucks?" Jack Ito shook his head. "Impossible. This is just temporary hype from the new store opening; it's simply impossible..."

"It wasn't Starbucks coffee that got defeated, but the Starbucks across from Cloud Snow Tea," Takahashi Rio interrupted. "You'd already lost the moment Cloud Snow Tea opened across the street."

"What did you say?"

"We've discussed this topic before, but you weren't really listening back then," Rio Takahashi sighed. "Starbucks ' third space was indeed a great success, but the subsequent expansion only made that success more of a failure, even leading to... such an obvious site selection mistake."

Jack Ito's face stiffened.

"In pursuit of growth and financial reports, Starbucks has been opening stores like crazy, especially in high-traffic areas. This has led to a surge in customer traffic per store, making seats scarce, the environment noisy, and the comfortable and tranquil atmosphere of the 'third place' completely gone—in such a transportation hub, where is the 'third place' anymore?" Takahashi Rio murmured. "This is an irreversible failure driven by capital. Starbucks doesn't belong here, but it has to be here. When there are no competitors, it can cover up the collapse of the 'third place' by increasing sales volume, but with competitors..."

The aroma of Starbucks coffee has been transformed into the aroma of Cloud Snow Tea.

The Starbucks third space was disrupted by the long lines at Cloud Snow Tea.

"Even if Cloud Snow Tea is very popular, even if the Third Space isn't exactly peaceful..." Jack Ito frowned, "Starbucks is still the benchmark and ceiling for commercial coffee, it will never..."

"198 yen." Takahashi Rio didn't argue with him and stated the price directly. "A Starbucks Americano costs 330 yen, while Cloud Snow Tea Orange C Americano is only 198 yen."

Jack Ito: "..." Headquarters, save me!

"The Starbucks across from the Cloud Snow Tea Chiba flagship store should have already reported this to headquarters. If I'm not mistaken, headquarters, like you, doesn't take Cloud Snow Tea seriously." Takahashi Rio seemed to see right through Jack Ito's thoughts. "You can't influence headquarters, and headquarters won't go to great lengths for a new brand. Here, only failure, only leaving, can..."

"After all that, this is your real purpose, isn't it?" Jack Ito sighed softly, "To come here and declare that my initial decision was a mistake."

"You simply made the right choice at the time." Takahashi Rio stood up. "Unfortunately, you no longer have the rationality you had then."

Jack Ito stood up, wanting to persuade her to stay, but couldn't say anything.

Was it rational back then?