In the case of Starbucks, I know of few people who go in there for just a drip coffee. However, I do know a lot of people who like latte but don’t feel like going through the hassle and expense of getting their own espresso maker and using it themselves. If one’s demands are a fancier cup of coffee than a drip-pot will make by renting a special machine for a few seconds and temporarily hiring a person with specialized skill to operate it in order to save yourself the labor of doing it yourself, then Starbucks meets that demand quite well.
As for generic plastic wrap, that one is a crap shoot as some generic brands are crap; at least Saran Wrap is a known quantity, and many people will pay a little extra for the peace of mind that comes with knowing what you are getting before you open the packaging. Do you know the real reason McDonald’s is so popular? Say what you will, but you can go into just about any McDonald’s anywhere and get the same thing. Some people really value that. Sure, a little restaurant a couple doors down may have far better food by any objective standard for comparable prices, but they are also an unknown quantity and a lot of people aren’t willing to take a risk. To many, not scaring them with a mystery is a non-negotiable part of their demand.
Personally, I love indie devs myself. In fact, I’m more likely to pay for shareware than commercial software, and not just for the price. But you and I are a bit different than the majority of computer users too. Are you frightened that using any browser other than IE will infect you computer with Ebola? Many people are. So when you think about this question, you must also think about how other people have different demands from you and I.