More remarkablility

In his regular column at the Wall Street Journal online, Jeff Opdyke describes what he calls the "Starbuck's Syndrome," whereby we come to spend extra money for something that could be considered a basic because we value the experience.  To Opdyke, the experience of an affordable luxury ("sitting in a comfortable coffee bar, listening to hip music while you read of work on your laptop") is what explains the popularity of Starbuck's, Whole Foods and a plethora of similar businesses.

Exactly.  Well, not quite exactly.  We would say that it is the fact that the experience is remarkable, beyond what might otherwise be expected, that makes it worth the premium.  Remarkable is the opposite of commodity--what most ordinary grocery stores or diners seem to sell.  It's more about the remarkability than the experience.  A nuance to be sure, but one that makes all the difference.