Huge Starbucks!
For most Americans Starbucks is a place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and maybe surf the net, or meet a friend to work on a homework assignment. Generally it's a pretty chill place to hang. The average Starbucks seats about 12 to 25 people depending on the location. The Ginza Starbucks is a two story building with seating for around 200 people!!
I was amazed at the size, and wondered why it would be so huge. It has a secondary coffee bar upstairs as well. When we were there, the place had from 10 to 25 people spread out through the house. The main coffee bar downstairs did a brisk business since its in the midst of a large business district, but many just grabbed coffee and hoofed it. ...until Saturday! OMG you never say such a bustle as the Ginza Starbucks on the weekend! This place is packed! Clearly Tokyoites love coffee as well as I do, because it was really challenging to find a place to sit!
You can of course enjoy the great quality of Starbucks coffees, pastries are slightly different- lending themselves to local tastes. Prices are high, if you balk at paying domestic Starbucks prices you will be in shock at what a Tokyo coffee will cost! Still, I am not starting my day with brown swill, and tea is NOT a fog cutter for me. So gimme that grande french roast and pass me the loan papers to pay for it.