Guess everyone was fooled, Starbucks just wants to be McDonald's after all (get their own "crypto"). Get into something cool as a way to catch the wave of "revolution" but by no means do they want to be part of the revolution.
McDonald's has already issued its crypto currency. Starbucks plans to accept payment by bitcoins. This once again proves the development and promotion of bitcoin and crypto currency.
If you're talking about MacCoins, I don't think that is anything closely resembling cryptocurrency. Only accepted at 50 countries, don't see any referencing to a blockchain, don't see any cryptographic use. Just another centralised token with "coin" in its name to misrepresent itself.
I like the idea of starbucks embracing bitcoin.
I don't know about the homeless shelter part of your statement, but I do agree with the above. However, I don't want to buy coffee with my bitcoin. I usually keep FRNs in my wallet for just such an occasion. Those notes absolutely do not have the potential to make me a profit by holding them. Those dollar bills are meant to be spent for coffee--I don't believe bitcoin is. That might be a little heresy on bitcointalk, but I know there are many who agree with me.
Look at how many people try to sell stuff here and get no offers, even if it's a good deal. People want to use bitcoin as an investment. The only really good use of it as a currency is in the dark markets where anonymity coupled with a need for electronic money transfer is necessary. And it's so much quicker to just whip out a $5 bill and pay for that coffee in cash.
As I said, I do support Starbucks doing this. I like the company and have been thinking about buying its stock for quite a while now. I just can't seem to pull the trigger.
Nah, I don't think it's heresy. I personally like spending whatever I can with Bitcoin but only simply because I earn almost 100% in Bitcoin/crypto now, so whatever expenses I have I eventually have to sell Bitcoin. Of course, I save as much as possible, but makes no difference if I earned/saved in different currencies.
I imagine if someone earned fiat still and bought Bitcoin, then of course they don't go out of their way to spend BTC on coffee. To each his own, and all's fair and good.