Starbucks is changing the face of Europe's cafe culture and is paused and ready for domination as soon 150 more outlets will open in train stations and airports across the continent.

The major coffee chains such as Starbucks, Costa and Nero have become the scourge of independent coffee houses in the past decade, as their popularity and strong brand image has attracted a huge consumer base throughout Europe and the USA.

Starbucks European saviour
Starbucks' expansion within Europe, announced this week, is due in large part to the dire 2008 forecasts for the US market. The coffee firm has decided to cut the number of new store openings to 2,500 for this year, 100 less than planned, and many of these will be in Europe through partnership with the food operator SSP. The company project that the European market will be more prosperous than the US due to rising household food and energy costs across the country.

Further expansion is expected in South America, as the first Starbucks opened in Argentina in June of this year.

Starbucks craze
In France and Germany, the Starbucks craze is mostly gathering pace amongst students and tourists who recognise the chain's bold advertising. In Paris, Starbucks occupies some of the most expensive and well-situated properties in order to entice office workers in for their morning espresso.

In France, however, cafe culture is something that is ingrained in popular culture and it is often family-run bistros and tabacs which provide the most welcoming environment for "on-the-go" city workers. Many Parisians say that Starbucks is great for a quick coffee, but doesn't match up to the homeliness of your local bistro.

Starbucks still can't do slow coffee
Julien Grollemund, a 25 year old advertising executive from Paris says that Starbucks is his fallback if he doesn't have enough time in the mornings, but that his preferred cafe is le Saint Andre: "Starbucks is great when I'm late for work, have my car, and want my coffee American-style. Culturally [le Saint Andre] is just an environment that I feel more comfortable in."

There are some who hope that the French will come up with their own middle-ground alternative to Starbucks. Bernard Quartier represents cafe owners in the Union of Trade Workers and Hotel Industry, he says: "Maybe there will be a more French chain that will respond to the change. Coffee and muffins are O.K., but we French have such good pastries."