ING dreaming of a cafe on every corner It looks like ING Direct wants to be Starbucks. The financial institution is expanding its high-tech coffee-cafe banking model to New York and Honolulu. Patrons at ING cafes in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and a few other markets are already served Pete's coffee and pastries (and given the chance to buy ING-branded merchandise!) while bathed in the glow of plasma screens flashing news about the bank's products and services. Given ING's recent results, I'm not so sure I'd trust its financial advice. As for emulating Starbucks, well, that company's doing even worse. These days, the green tea latte might be its only asset even close to the color of money. —Posted by David Gianatasio

August 20, 2008 in Finance, Gianatasio, ING, Non-traditional | Permalink

Comments

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Oh no - does this mean we'll now have to pay dividends on a latte? CD's for a cafe au lait?

Can't I just get a cup of Joe any more?

Posted by: TheCannonGroup | Aug 20, 2008 3:35:10 PM

If you had done your due diligence instead of recycling (and misinterpreting) a Brandweek article, you'd know that New York already has an ING Direct internet cafe.

The Brandweek article is about the new technology that's coming to new cafes, not about a bank that serves coffee. ING has been serving delicious Peet's coffee for at least 5 years.

Posted by: Peet's lover | Aug 21, 2008 6:11:38 PM

It's "Peet's", not Pete's.

Posted by: | Aug 21, 2008 6:55:17 PM

ING just sent me an email coupon for 15% of ING merch due to my birthday! You mean I can buy my bank logo on a baseball cap - for 15% off - as a birthday present to myself? WOW!

On the other hand, Wachovia, Bank of America and Northwestern Mutual never send me birthday savings. Those cheapskates!

Posted by: Rebecca Cullers | Aug 25, 2008 2:37:31 PM

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