While not everyone in Europe's coffee kingdoms thinks Starbucks is the best thing since sliced bread, the folks at Eston International seem to be eagerly awaiting the arrival of global coffee chains to Budapest. But then they are international business analysts. They report that AmRest, the dudes that run the Budapest KFC and Pizza Hut franchises, have signed an agreement with Starbucks to bring overpriced and overcomplicated coffee to Hungary by 2008.

As Eston points out, Budapest has a number of international chains that have already moved in, such as the California Coffee Company, Coffeeshop Company, the laughable Stardust and Gloria Jean's.

What's more, Budapest has a café culture of its own where coffee is still more of a drink than a drug. There is no stigma attached to drinking coffee in a pub or even a bar and many Budapest coffee shops are now offering coffee to go. So, while we don't necessarily need Starbucks, which incidentally has been a surprise hit in the coffee capital of the world, it is good news that we have so many imitators having a go, even if Eston believe that rents are too high in Budapest's top locations, even for a mega brand like Starbucks. Phew, it certainly is a red hot topic for global market analysts, but we're coffee drinkers, and we'll be drinking our espressos elsewhere, thanks.