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Was 'Friends' just a long Starbucks ad? Theory suggests show popularized 'cafe over pub' culture amid youth

Alex Baker talks in length on his theory of how 'Friends' shaped the popular notion of beverages and created a shape-shifting narrative

To make the month of May merrier for the millions of 'Friends' fanatics of the world, the 'Friends' reunion is finally taking place. The reunion special has teased a dream lineup of special appearances including the biggest names in pop culture at the moment. From BTS to David Beckham, Reese Witherspoon, TV show host James Corden and more, an 'unforgettable night' of nostalgia and looking back at one of the best television series ever made, the reunion has built high hopes for 'Friends' fans.

Prior to the show taking place, some of the craziest fan theories which got momentum are also being discussed. One of those theories suggests that 'Friends' was a perfect stage maker for Starbucks, carefully building a subconscious narrative of 'coffee culture'. Radio and TV presenter Alex Baker fueled this theory discussing how perfectly 'Friends' made the young generation lead to cafes more than pubs. He noted, "Wouldn't it be mad, if we found out that Friends (as in 'THE WHOLE TV SERIES') was just an elaborate stage-setter for Starbucks."

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Was the entire show a Starbucks ad?

Alex Baker talks in length on his theory of how 'Friends' shaped the popular notion of beverages and created a shape-shifting narrative among the young generation. He pointed out, "An elaborate, meticulously-planned priming exercise to manipulate human behavior, getting them away from pubs (Cheers) and into coffee shops (Friends)." Delving deeper into the crazier part of the theory, Baker argues that the logo of Starbucks is Green just as Rachel Green's surname. If one could dismiss that as just a coincidence, the user argued that in Starbucks, people yell your name when the coffee is ready, Monica and Ross's surname is 'Geller' derived from the German word 'Gellen' which means the 'one who yells.' 

While some of the arguments of the theory seem outright far-fetched, here's what the social media users have noted about the above-mentioned Starbucks theory. A user opines, "I'm totally buying into this. Still would love to go to Centrel Perk - but Starbucks is the closest thing to it." While another user chimed in saying, "IN FACT, CENTRAL PERK USED TO *BE* A BAR (Episode "The One With the Flashbacks)!" A user quipped, "Stretchhhhhhhh of the century but I kinda love it!"

'Friends: The Reunion' will come on HBO Max on May 27. One of the special points of the reunion lies in the fact that the cast of 'Friends' will be appearing as themselves and not as the beloved characters. HBO Max stated in a statement, "In order to avoid any misunderstanding about what this special is, we want to make it very clear that this is not a new, original episode of the series. The cast will be appearing as themselves, not as their beloved characters."

Can't wait for the reunion? Tune into HBO Max on May 27.