到星巴克尋寶 / Treasure hunting at Starbucks

您們是否有收集星巴克的城市杯？星巴克的城市杯，又稱為「城市馬克杯」，是星巴克為不同城市推出的特色杯款，杯身上會印有該城市的特色圖案或地標，如台北的城市杯，通常會融入台北101、中正紀念堂、總統府等具有代表性的地標，或是其他與台北相關的文化元素。

我有位朋友，是星巴克的忠實粉絲，每到一個新城市，就會到當地的星巴克，看看櫃台上是否有賣代表該地的城市杯，有的話，就買回來收藏，對他而言，城市杯不只是賣咖啡的紀念品，更是一種城市的文化代表，更是一種生活中的儀式感。

某天，朋友找我去附近的星巴克逛逛，說要是買點東西，看他自從走進星巴克店內後，就東瞧瞧、西摸摸，在星巴克的伴手禮專區，到處翻找，哇！這裡居然也有賣茄芷袋，聽說日韓旅客很瘋茄芷袋，常常購買回去作為伴手禮，祈願系列馬克杯是我第一次看到的產品，杯身是各式可愛的神明樣式，如媽祖、土地公及三太子等，非常的討喜。

因為朋友即將要出差，他被國外朋友拜託，過去時順便帶一些台灣星巴克限定的特色禮品，所以才有這趟星巴克之旅，也讓我見識到原來星巴克不只是賣咖啡、賣氣氛，還賣在地特色，難怪，星巴克在全球市場，幾乎是所向披靡，沒有太多的對手，有時候，當我走入星巴克休息時，隱隱地懷疑，星巴克到底是賣咖啡，還是賣杯子的？

Have you ever collected Starbucks City Mugs? Also known as "City Tumblers" or “You Are Here” mugs, these special cups are designed by Starbucks to represent different cities. Each mug features iconic landmarks or cultural elements from its respective city. For example, the Taipei mug usually includes famous sites like Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and the Presidential Office Building, along with other symbols that reflect the local culture.

I have a friend who’s a huge Starbucks fan. Every time he visits a new city, the first thing he does is head to the local Starbucks to check if they sell that city’s exclusive mug. If they do, he buys one for his collection. For him, the city mugs aren’t just souvenirs—they’re symbols of a city’s identity, and collecting them has become a meaningful ritual.

One day, this friend invited me to check out a nearby Starbucks with him. He said he just wanted to “look around and maybe grab something small”. But as soon as we stepped inside, he started scanning the shelves, picking things up and checking every display. We wandered over to the gift section, and to my surprise—they were selling those colorful woven plastic bags (known locally as “茄芷袋”)! I’ve heard that tourists from Japan and Korea love these bags and often take them home as souvenirs. There was also a collection of prayer-themed mugs I had never seen before—each one featuring cute illustrations of traditional deities like Mazu, the Earth God, and Nezha. They were really charming and felt very unique.

It turned out my friend was preparing for a business trip abroad, and some of his friends overseas had asked him to bring back exclusive Starbucks gifts from Taiwan. So that’s why we ended up on this little Starbucks adventure. It really opened my eyes to how much more Starbucks offers beyond just coffee. No wonder the brand is so successful globally. It is not only sell drinks or vibes, but sells culture and local character. Sometimes when I’m sitting in a Starbucks, taking a break, I can’t help but wonder—are they really selling coffee, or are they actually selling mugs?