OK, first let’s be clear about something. If you want coffee in the morning, and you’re in China, “local” is irrelevant because there is no “local” morning coffee-drinking ritual here. Just trying to rationalize an American going to an American place while in China instead of taking in something culturally Chinese.

Clearly, if the Chinese don’t do coffee in the morning, they have no culture. 🙂

Yesterday, on the way back from the Terra Cotta Warriors, we found a Starbucks imitation here, King Coffee. Only it was better! They knew exactly how to prepare coffee, each cup personally as if it were special and not just another Mocha Latte. Sadly, the King Coffee locations aren’t open in the morning, forcing me into something from the Twilight Zone. A totally-empty Starbucks. At what would be rush hour back home.

We need King Coffee in the US. Give Starbucks some real competition!