Krispy Kreme was founded in NC. They did not branch out of the Southeastern US until the late 90s, when they hit Manhattan. I was raised on Krispy Kremes, since I live in NC and more than half of the school fundraisers when I was growing up involved selling boxes by the dozen. Nowadays, I only allow myself a doughnut once or twice a year, but when I have one, it's Custard Filled with Chocolate Icing. Nothing tops that doughnut on my dessert list except carrot cake.
Starbucks coffee comes in over two dozen blends. They differ in acidity, aroma, body, and flavor notes. I've never eaten dirt, so all I can say is my favorites, Caffe Verona and Sumatra, are distinctly different in terms of strength and smoothness. Caffe Verona is effortless to drink and inherently sweet enough that I'd never dream of adding more than a little milk. Sumatra is a serious wake-up kind of cup, with a robust kick, and it's delicious to smell while brewing.
While Starbucks takes over the world, they are one of the top 100 importers to the US via the largest shipping company in the US (the Danish-owned Maersk), moving coffee beans from various third world countries where agriculture is a large part of the economy. They fund and support farming cooperatives, rather like efforts of The Body Shop in developing economies, or Ben & Jerry's dairy cooperatives. They finance conservation efforts and provide disaster relief in these same coffee-growing countries. My personal Starbucks participates in community charity drives, most recently collecting for Toys for Tots this holiday season. And, when lack of health insurance is one of the largest problems in the US, Starbucks was a forerunner in providing their part time employees with comprehensive health coverage. Compared to their ongoing social and economic efforts, not getting to litter their walls with a handful of college flyers is a pretty insignificant crime to me. There may be ten Starbucks in my city, but there is still an equal number of privately owned coffeehouses available; they aren't mutually exclusive entities.
