Risky revenge visit leaves us with some newfound revelations.

This time of year is an important one for Starbucks fans in Japan, as the chain announces the results of its annual lucky bag lottery by contacting the winners who now have the privilege of purchasing a bag.

This year, a lot of our own reporters entered the lottery but unfortunately most of them didn’t win. Yuuichiro Wasai was one of the losers, and he was so brokenhearted about it that he decided to turn his luck around by heading out to the fanciest branch and spending the money he would’ve spent on the lucky bag there instead.

Taking 10,000 yen (US$66.06) with him, Yuuichiro aimed to spend no more than the cost of the 8,800-yen lucky bag, with hopes of picking up an even better swag than the winners. So what did he end up buying, and was it worth it? Let’s find out!

Arriving at the Reserve Roastery Tokyo, Yuuichiro was greeted by a wide variety of premium drinks, food and products, many of which are exclusive to this location.

Being a 15-minute walk from the nearest station, this branch is slightly inconvenient to get to so Yuuichiro only visits here about once a year. After losing in the lucky bag department, Yuuichiro could think of no better place to visit, as a stylish Starbucks like this would surely buoy his spirits.

There was one exclusive drink here that he’d had an eye on for a while, so he headed up to the Arriviamo Bar to search for it. Called the Frozen Espresso Custard, this is a limited-edition cocktail that sounds totally delicious, but the only drawback to it is the price tag.

▼ 2,200 yen

Yuuichiro hadn’t thought to check the price beforehand, so this drink alone ate up a quarter of the total cost of a lucky bag. Oh well, he was here now so he figured he might as well make a meal of it, so he added a Pizza Margherita Foccacia and a Vanilla Sugar Mele (Italian apple cake) to his order.

▼ That brought the price, including tax, to a total of 3,830 yen.

Approximately half of the lucky bag price was now wiped out just by filling his stomach, before doing any shopping.

At this point, Yuuichiro began to feel anxious as the scars caused by losing in the lucky bag lottery became even deeper. Would he be satisfied if he continued with his shopping spree? Or would he feel duped by getting so little in return for his hard-earned money?

Putting his concerns aside for a moment, Yuuichiro took a sip of the Frozen Espresso Custard, which can be ordered with or without alcohol. He’d requested for alcohol and the most bitter coffee beans, and when it arrived, he had to admit that it did look like it was worth the money.

It was much whiter than he’d anticipated, and when viewed from above, it looked like a frozen yogurt.

However, at the bottom he could clearly see the coffee component, and when he took a sip through the cookie straw, he likened it to a sharp Kahlua milk.

The taste will vary depending on the choice of beans and the presence or absence of alcohol, but for Yuuichiro this blend was perfect. It didn’t really taste like a coffee or a cocktail, as it was more like a parfait, but that’s what he liked about it.

▼ The Focaccia Pizza Margherita was another costly menu item, but it was so delicious he didn’t mind forking out for it.

▼ The mele contained a delicious filling of apple, and although it was Yuuichiro’s first time trying it, it quickly became one of his favourite desserts.

The cocktail and side dishes worked to fill his stomach and brighten his spirits, so by the time he’d finished, he was ready to browse the shelves. There, he fell in love with a limited-edition tumbler, in beautiful blue gradated hues, which cost…

▼ …5,000 yen.

So in the end, Yuuichiro spent a total of 8,830 yen during his revenge Starbucks visit. It was slightly more than he would’ve spent on a lucky bag, and he may have only received four things in return for it, but as he made his way out of the store, he came to a realisation.

It’s not just the food, drinks and goods that Starbucks is selling; it’s the whole experience of visiting a store and enjoying the vibe and interiors inside. In that sense, Yuuichiro got more for his money than he would have if he’d simply purchased a lucky bag filled with goods and coupons.

So as he passed the gleaming panels inside the Roastery and pulled open the heavy door to step outside, he did so with a wide smile on his face. He may not have won the chance to purchase a Starbucks lucky bag this year, but he won something greater that day — a memory of a time well spent in beautiful surroundings, and a sense of self-fulfillment that money can’t buy.

Photos © SoraNews24 
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