When did coffee become a status symbol?
Chances are, when you go to the grocery store, you’ll see a lot of people with a cup of Starbucks coffee in hand. At one point, it made it almost a “right of passage” to get into the grocery store.
The funny thing about this is that most of these cups are filled with low quality “coffee” drinks that are mostly made up of sugar and chocolate. Those holding one of these cups in their hand probably wouldn’t be able to tell a cup of Starbucks coffee from a cup of plain old gas station coffee.
Another thing that gets lost in this is why not support the local guy? While Starbucks, Dunkin and Tim Horton’s coffee chains are thriving, there are plenty of local coffee shops that offer a better product at a similar price. Plus, you’re helping someone in your community build and maintain their business, which can often be their livelihood. Sure, you might have to get out of your car and go to the store, but when you try a delicious latte from a local coffee shop, it will make you happy. Their goal is to make a drink so good that you come back for more. Not to push thousands of cups to the customers who walk in daily.
While you might not look as cool with your unbranded coffee shop at the grocery store, maybe someone will see your cup and wonder where you got that weird-looking cup that’s missing the Starbucks logo. Or they might see your mug and say to themselves, “It’s good to see there’s someone out there who knows where to get a good cup of coffee.”
I promise you that if you go get a cup of coffee from your local coffee shop, it will exceed the expectations you’ve built up while frequenting the big chain coffee shops. If not, then the cafe probably won’t be around much longer. Most local coffee shops are owned by people who have been in and around the coffee industry their entire lives. They pursue something that is their passion and when it is, it almost always results in a better product.
I always make it a point to go and check out a local coffee shop when I travel for work or business. It’s a great place to learn more about the local culture, network and most of all – grab a cup of great coffee.
#coffee #status #symbol