Starbucks started out importing $40,000 (in ninties money) la marzocco machines, specially imported because nobody had done that before.

Those old, cost as much as a luxury car and supply a cafe all day long, la marzoccos required someone who cared to perform a skill. They had to train a new trade, basically coffee cooks, which hadn't been a thing. Coffee generally came with breakfast.

If it weren't for Starbucks Americans wouldn't know what espresso was. Now, they did get out of hand with the milk at some point. Americans like buying and selling milk and I'm sure they focus grouped it or idk, but I'm sure that's fate as much as fault. Anyway, my pet theory is that the charred tastes goes further in the milk.

Now they've got those super autos and the last interesting aspect disappeared.