Batali and Starbucks Team Up in Times Square

Starting today at 10 a.m. Mario Batali and Starbucks be holding court in Times Square. They'll be set up at Military Island (the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets) handing out hot cups of (RED) coffee to any caffeine fiend who passes by. (RED) helps raise money to fight AIDS in Africa, and has just partnered with the coffee purveyor. If you don't find yourself in Times Square on Black Friday (consider yourself lucky), you can head to any 'bucks throughout the holiday season and a five cent donation will be made to (RED) with a purchase of a holiday drink. However, Food & Wine points out that at "approximately 10:30, you can have your picture taken in the (RED) photo booth to join the (RED) community, perhaps with one of Mario's helper elves, Helena Christensen and Mary Louise Parker."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Food on November 28, 2008 9:09 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

He really needs to team up with Jenny Craig, the fat fuck.

leftylib

5 cents really is pathetic.

JanetG

Starbucks is the closest caffeine purveyor to my workplace, and from now on, as I pass by (and I have gone in there on occasion) I will vow to make my own coffee and contribute a few dollars to an AIDS charity.

Then again, was it Mencken who said that "no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public?"

I would like to know how much they increased the price of these premium drinks from last year to this year. More than the nickel they're donating, I'd bet.

smacky

Mario Batali sucks

Toby von Meistersinger

Well giving 5¢ when making an obscene profit will probably make those stupid enough to spend $5 on a cup of coffee giddy with the feeling they actually did something good, even if it is just really a cheap publicity stunt.

sbest2048

Does anyone else think that $0.05 is a little slim of a donation for a $5.00 drink? They don't even donate from drip coffee sales, it has to be a "Red Exclusive" beverage which cost twice as much as the coffee. 1%?! C'mon Starbucks, you can do better.