From my experience in China I’m guessing the environment you find in Starbucks anywhere in the world is going to be the same. The staff here speak enough English to take orders. The menu is in English. The decor, chairs, couches, music, advertising, free internet are all just like you find in England. The one thing that really bothers me is that the prices are the same.

There’s a hefty tax on imported goods in China, and local coffee doesn’t seem readily available here. I understand that there’s an inherent cost there, especially with the espresso machine, but as far as I understand everything else is cheaper. Wages, rent on the shop space, construction of the shop, furniture etc. The bottom line, however, is that people are prepared to pay the prices, but it annoys me just the same. It’s Western, must be stylish and worth paying for.