万花筒2008-01-10:A latte with that big Mac?麦当劳抢滩咖啡市场

Janet Adamy reports that McDonal's will add espresso, latte and other specialty¹ drinks to its menu

Starting this year lovers of Mocha, Cappuccino and Latte will be able to get them in Mcdonald. The golden arches is overhauling² its front  counters to install an espresso machine where the customers can watch a Mcdonald's "baristas" make drinks. The move is the biggest addition to Mcdonal's menu since it's launched breackfast 30 years ago.

The new drinks put Mcdonald's more closely into competition with Starbucks and other coffee houses, and could reshape the way  Americans buy their upscale coffees. Mcdonald has about 14,000 locations in the US while starbuck has about 10,000. Mcdonald is pricing the drinks about 60 cents to 80 cents below competitors.

" We thought we could get into this business because our customers have been asking us to. Their tastes have changed over recent years, we've done a lot of work in this area, we think we'll be able to deliver great products to them."

Mcdonald has told franchisees³ the drink could add about a billion dollars a year to the company's sales. The chain also hopes they will help increase reputation as providers of we called premium⁴ products, not just hamburgers and french fries.

"We thought it was important to position these products in front of the center for the customers to watch them being prepared, to creat a little theater if you will, our employees really enjoy being upfront of preparing beverages⁶, and also happens to be very closely to our drive-thru window, and we sell a lot of beverage⁵ through there."

In addition to the coffees, Mcdonal also plans to offer smoothies and bottle drinks, and *markets. Those have included Lipton green tea, redbull energy drink and Mountain Dew made by Pepsi. Coke also gave Mcdonald's a drink fountain that contains flavor shots, which allow customers to creat new favor of soda⁷, like Vanilla⁸ Diet coke or blueberry sprite.

For the Wall Street Journal
I'm Janet Adamy

1 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

2 overhauling   

n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• I had no chance of overhauling him. 我没有赶上他的可能。 来自辞典例句
• Some sites need little alterations but some need total overhauling. 有些网站需要做出细微修改，而有些网站就需要整体改版。 来自互联网

3 franchisees   

n.特许经营人( franchisee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Works on these franchisees' facilities were moving ahead rapidly. 这些专营设施的工程正迅速推展。 来自互联网
• Another good source of information about a franchise is other franchisees. 另一个了解特许经营的可靠信息源是其他经营者。 来自互联网

4 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

5 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

6 beverages   

n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 控制酒类销售的法规
• regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 含酒精饮料的销售管理条例

7 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

8 vanilla   

n.香子兰，香草

参考例句：

• He used to love milk flavoured with vanilla.他过去常爱喝带香草味的牛奶。
• I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie.我在馅饼里加了一块香草冰激凌。