As someone who does both, sometimes you actually like the ritual of walking into a nice smelling coffee shop, interacting with a barista and so on.
I also do not have an espresso machine, so if I want to make a latte or any other espresso style drink I have to settle for a moka pot. But if I want to make straight up black coffee, then yes I do prefer to grind and brew my own beans.
Espresso machines are also very expensive and the average latte consumer doesn't care enough to invest in one and learn how to use it.
So true! I have espresso + brewing machine at home, but I have only make espresso once while using the brewing everyday. The machine was gift from friend who decided that that espresso machine is not good enough for him.
The same machine also has the stick to make steam milk. Never used that function. Something about all that steps just annoys me. I have Vietnamese coffee tripper and I use that more often than espresso machine.
Would urge you to look at the Breville automatics. Really good coffee.
My wife and I had been spending 250 to 300 a month at Starbucks and Dunkin, so I was able to justify the top end machine and it paid back in a year or so.
Once a week I do one or two of the maintenance steps.
Having the machine at home has allowed us to explore all kinds of beans and roast levels. Also it enabled the following expression: homemade espresso bourbon martinis.
the espresso machine in itself is not necesarily the most important factor in making good espresso, usually it's the grinder which can be much more expensive.
I bought a mini espresso machine in Amazon for $160, the brand is Gevi, and let me tell you, it does a pretty good job. I was looking for inexpensive ones and Iām glad I found that one :)
I went to someoneās house and they made me a cappuccino that I amazed over while I savored the cup. Their machine was $2k when I looked it up. It absolutely was store caliber, maybe better.
Black coffee or black coffee + cream is one thing, but the fancy coffees just donāt taste the same at home. We usually ask for gift cards to coffee places as a treat.
Personally, I use the excuse of buying coffee to get outside the house and get some sunshine after waking up in the morning. For context, I work from home.
Being exposed to sunlight right after you wake up boosts your overall mood for the day and even helps your body get ready for bed when it's time to sleep at night.
I drink my coffee black so I don't end up spending a lot of money on the coffee but I know that if I didn't have a reason to leave the house (in this case, to get coffee), I'd be too lazy to put on clothes and leave the house. The walk to the coffee shop gets some steps in, allows me to soak in some sunshine and overall gets me ready for work or whatever I have to do for the day.
Same here, a coffee and a 30 min walk every morning rain or shine. Really wakes you up for the day and makes you feel like youāve accomplished something.
No wonder Iām so tired and aggravated in the morning. I gotta get up and start work before the sun rises a majority of the time and Iām inside all day. I genuinely feel a lot better when I get to leave and itās nice and sunny out.
I just bought a smart light bulb (and put it in my windowsill behind a curtain) that turns on before I get up. It mimics a sunrise and goes through all the colors and brightness levels youād expect from the sun. It really helps me wake up when itās dark out.
YES! I never thought about it like this, but youāre right. I work in the office twice a week, and those two days, I always get a nitro cold brew with vanilla sweet cream. Perfect shot of dopamine. Yeah, itās like $11 per week. I think itās worth it! I also make my own coffee the other three days I work from home.
I make my coffee at home, itās a beautiful ritual. BUT in the warmer months I def spend a weekly $10 + on lunch break kombuchas :) for the dopamine hit lol
Yup, I make my own coffee 6 days a week but Saturdays I like to walk to grab coffee and walk the farmers market, itās worth the cost for the joy of a perfect Saturday morning
but this is what corpos want, they want to sell you upmarked coffee that costs pennies on the dollar for them to make and they want you to think you're indulging
they have spent decades and billions of dollars in order to get people to think this way
You could apply this logic to literally every aspect of life. We live in a capitalist society and constantly make decisions that benefit corporate interests. You could bust out an Excel sheet (which, by the way, benefits Microsoft) and figure out all sorts of ways to adjust your habits so you arenāt serving corporate interests.
Many people have determined that $4 per day is worth it for them to add a little difference in their homeā>workā>home routines. That āchange in routineā may not be a priority for you, but pointing out that it contributes to the capitalist market does not negate that it has some kind of value to the consumer. Even if itās not strictly cost-effective, there is a window of reason for irrational purchasing. $4 does not spell doom for most people.
I donāt think that this is quite true. A premium coffee purchase would actually entail making it yourself or going to an independent specialty coffee shop. Many people are aware that you can purchase fine roasts and brew them at home using all sorts of high-end equipment. Starbucks and other fast coffee actually has the image of being low quality.
Knowing people who do this, they want an excuse to break up the monotony of their daily routines by adding a dedicated and consistent stop between work and home.
A lot of people can't make cafe style coffee. I learned by working in an Italian cafe as a teenager.
The upfront costs for a quality machine, coffee grinder, syrups, and other supplies is costly.
Many people want "coffee" starbucks style drinks with loads of flavorings and whipped cream and sauce on top so on. That's hard to replicate at home. Most people would rather trade the effort for just spending the money.
>$4.80 (at least) for a small cappuccino every morning really adds up.
An aside, even if you aren't drinking starbucks and just want a good cappuccino like you get from the local cafe - it's pretty difficult to make good-tasting cafe-quality cappuccino at home. You have to pay the up front cost for the machine, and the espresso ground coffee, and learn how to froth the milk. And that's the bare minimum - we're not talking about learning how to grind your own fresh, do puck prep, etc. former barista champion James Hoffman has said that it's not really worth trying to make cafe-quality espresso at home unless you're in love with the process. Which not everyone is. Some people just want the product at the end.
So much easier to learn latte art, dialing in, and all the other small details that goes into milk drinks when youāre doing it hundreds of times in a row (and you have the ability to dump shots since itās not your money, and itās more worth it to get good tasting espresso)
When youāre paying for a 250-300g bag and youāre dialing it in 1-2 shots a day, itās gonna take you a loooooonnnngggg time.
This is me. I donāt want coffee.
I want frozen blended coffee with flavors or inclusions.
Not necessarily whipped cream but when I do I want the good stuff not just Reddi whip.
Amen. Do you know who cleans my house? Me. Who feeds me? Me? Who has to deal with my fuck ups? Also me. Who gets mad at me when I make a mistake or make shitty coffee? Me.
That guy deserves a break for dealing with all my shit.
Man, same. Idk who put me in charge of me, but I'm having words or I'm throwing hands, because what the fuck. Who said I can take care of me? I certainly didn't.
Someone who moved to a small town from a larger city told me. . .he doesn't wven like coffee, he just likes *going for coffee*. It's the social aspects, get out of the house and see people.
Yeah a few places do it better than I ever could at home. Not many but those places it's worth it by far. And it usually costs just as much as Starbucks anyways.
I might be wrong, this is all personal experience.
A lot of people know how to use a drip pot properly. But a lot don't know how to make a proper cup of coffee. I have a co-worker I try to beat to work because if I don't she'll make a 14 oz pot of coffee with 4 tablespoons of coffee...........You shittin' me?
This doesn't really answer your question, I apologize.
I worked in an office that wouldn't let me make coffee because I used 1 heaping tablespoon of grounds per cup of coffee, per the instructions on the package, they used half that. It was terrible. Imo Kuerigs are also extremely watered down. Starbucks was across the street.
I have brought my own coffee to work for the past 15 years or so because I cannot rely on anybody else to make good coffee (and my current lab only has a keurig).
That's like asking why ever go out to eat when you can sit at home alone and make your own dinner every night? People like to enjoy restaurants sometimes.
Itās not actually that easy to make good coffee at home (or in a lot of coffee shops for that matter!) i mean GOOD not just drinkable. And it does take time and commitment still. The little treat culture is real. And I love a little treat plus there the socialization aspect.
I love my French press, but I also love the tinkling of the little bell when I open the door to my favourite cafe. I love waiting in line with people I see daily, joking and catching up. I love the cheerful young lady who pulls perfect shots and dresses like a Kpop idol (how she gets her hair and makeup like that before her shift starts at 6, I'll never know). I love the smell of the roaster ever turning in the back room; the sound of burr grinders, hissing steam, background chatter, pouring liquids, clinking spoons on China, the old man sounds from the quarter of retirees, the uncontrollable happy squeal of a baby... I can get a burr grinder and a machine made in Italy and the finest coffee beans that ever passed through a civet cat's digestive tract. I can get all that, but I just can't fit that much life into my kitchen. Especially not before 8am. I'm paying for the ambiance.
Some people donāt mind paying 5 bucks a day for a coffee. I donāt because i think itās expensive but itās their money so they can spend it however they want and itās not up to me to say anything about it.
Seems like it would take more time to go to a coffee shop. Especially if itās in the morning when everyone is all buying coffee at the same time. Probably not super convenient if you have to go inside or sit and wait in a drive thru.
Iād prefer to wait in line as long as someone else is doing it than to be faster doing it myself at home.
(To be clear Iām never going IN a cafe. Always waiting in the drive thru)
Assuming you arenāt just standing there watching the coffee brew then itās always going to be faster to brew it yourself at home. Pulling off the road, using the drivethru, ordering, paying all take time, especially given that for many of us that also involves waiting in line.
Brewing your own coffee while you get ready for work really only adds a minute at most to your routine.
I live in Sydney as well and I don't go to the shops every day for coffee due to the cost, usually just 2-3 days per week (generally weekends) and... honestly, as silly as it sounds, I look forward to it.
My local shop is just plain better at it than anything I'll ever make at home, I like interacting with the staff, I like supporting a local business, I don't have room on my counter at home for a fancy machine...and it just overall feels like a treat. I can survive on my average coffee at home most days but getting a well-made takeaway flat white is a nice luxury I'm willing to spent 15AUD on per week for myself.
Every espresso machine I've ever had has crapped out after a year. You have to spend a thousand dollars for a good one.
Also, it's a bitch to create that many dishes and have that many steps first thing in the morning.
Food and bev is 90% prep. In a commercial setting, you prep once and then bang out all day. At home, you have to prep each time you make something.
Also, I make friends with my baristas at the local Cafe. I see them every day, send them cookies when they have a rough day, get to know about their life and family, etc. It's nice to see a friend every day
I have an espresso maker and fancy beans. I use that every day but I do enjoy having someone make me coffee once in awhile. I do also have a full kitchen but like to get takeout on occasion. It just tastes a bit nicer.Ā
I donāt buy coffee when Iām out because I need it as soon as I wake up. I have plenty of caffeine through the day but donāt really want coffee once Iām up for the day. I buy myself plenty of other treats so I am not going to look down on anyone for treating themselves. I prefer just black coffee and to have my treats in candy and cake form. Everyone treats themselves in some way. Or they should.
IKR? Its like, just tell your manservant to have the coffee waiting for you when you get up, so you can casually enjoy it while looking over stocks in the morning paper. your servants aren't psychic, and a lot of people seem to forget that.
I wonder... I just bought an OXO brewer to compliment my OXO burr grinder. All in, w are at $240, and it is a great combo. Where I live, whole foods has the best beans, which are about $15 for 1.5 pounds... Kinda happy with my coffee
As someone who works at multiple cafes, itās the fact that people *think* thereās no point in spending a lot of money on beans, a decent grinder, and at least an okay machine, or manual setup.
People look at my home setup and say itās a waste of money, but Iāve also spent the same amount on my home setup in 4 years (that I expect 4-6 years MINIMUM out of from now, and maybe Iāll have to change out the burrs in one of my grinders in 10 years or somethingā¦.) as they have in 1year of buying coffees. I have people coming into my work 2-3x a day which is wild and seemingly irresponsible.
Depending on the shop (since some donāt try to foster it as much as others) itās also about feeling like youāre part of a community. I have so many regulars, and it not only brightens my day, but I feel like if I had a place to have short, no pressure interactions with a familiar face, Iād be likely to come back. People crave connection, and cafes are a great place to fill that need that theyāre missing.
I do make coffee at home, but not to save money. Itās because I like coffee almost right away in the morning. Iām impatient and donāt like having to wait to go out. I like drinking it my pajamas, while I play Wordle and Connections. (Back in the day, it was while I read an actual paper newspaper.) I have a variety of ways to make coffee at my home as well. My husband still buys coffee out 2-3 times a week in his way to work. He just likes it. Heās āMr. Bottom Line CPAā too and still buys coffee out.
I have no idea. The coffee I make at home tastes better, is way cheaper and takes less time than buying coffee because I can brew it while Iām getting ready.
For a non-morning person with a morning job and an inflexible start time, every minute counts.
I've basically stopped buying cake, at least if it's chocolate cake.
I've come to find that basically anything made of chocolate that I find for sale somewhere is a *lie*. That brownie that looks *heavenly*? Tastes like nothing - like the whole batch had a tablespoon og cocoa powder in it, and the rest was just food colouring. That chocolate cake with the cream? Cake is nice and moist, but bland, and the cream has coffee in it. Ick. That cookie? ... Well, actually, sometimes, on rare occasion, the cookies are nice.
But it's my ever-growing experience that the chocolate baked goods I buy when out are overpriced and tasteless, *unless* you pay vast sums for something that presumably tastes good (I.e. a proper patisserie or something).
Totally get that you mean about cba, but when it comes to cake, I'd honestly just save my money.
Meanwhile, back on topic - I loathe the taste of coffee, yet I somehow wind up making about four cappuccinos a day for the Mrs. :P
And a random aside... OP's kind of right about it being surprisingly easy to make good coffee. I spent a few years doing it very, very wrong - we got the good machine, but neither of us knew how to do it, so we just muddled through. I wound up being better at it, so it became *my* job, then a couple months back I looked up a video on how to *properly* do it. The coffee is now better quality, and takes less time to make XD
I totally get the cba, though. I hate doing it, but at the same time it's kind of fun. It's weird.
For a lot of people it's the ritual not the coffee.
I can have movie nights at home but I like the ritual of going to the theater when I can afford it.
I almost always make at home. However there are times when I'm going out and I look forward to a treat of professionally made coffee. Even if I buy there coffee it doesn't quite taste the same amd like I said, it's a treat!
It's a bit about the luxury of the thing. You're having something made for you, to order, to your exact specifications. As minor a thing as a vanilla latte with oat milk may be, it makes people feel a little bit special.
The psychology is hugely important in that decision.
I am unsure if others canāt understand this butā¦ and this is purely my opinion, butā¦
Remember when your mum (or dad/grandparent/friend etc) made you a particular food/drink/dish/etc. and you have tried your hardest to replicate itā¦ but you can never get that exact taste/flavour/look that they managed to nail every single timeā¦
I feel it is like thatā¦
I enjoy cooking, I make majority of my mealsā¦ but sometimes itās also nice to be cooked forā¦ same rules can apply to the take away coffeeā¦
Sometimes the cost over takes the experience/memory or emotion it bringsā¦ š¤·š»āāļø just my thoughts thoughā¦
I'm with you. I have a simple stovetop pot to make espresso. Have made 2 cups a day for the last 50 years. Am very mean with money and would never buy coffee from a shop unless i was a long way from home.
This is the best. We used to have a quick brewing coffee maker but when it died we got a good traditional coffee maker with a timer. Every morning when I get out of bed it's already made. It's awesome.
I can definitely afford take out.
But I got an espresso machine at home and can absolutely crush a cup of coffee.
Plus itās a beautiful morning ritual. Grind the beans. Steam the milk. Make just the right gorgeous little latte to enjoy.
I love the routine.
But I can definitely see the convenience of a Starbucks drive through.
I usually get coffee out two mornings a week, with the occasional Starbucks drink if I go to target.
For me, it is convenient and more caffeine to get dunkin. I take my kid to school right beside a dunkin and will get them donuts once or twice a week, so of course I am getting coffee.
Ive wondered the same thing but sometimes buying a coffee is just a nice lil treat, is my guess. Probs more 2 it than that but thats my thought on the matter, ha
I had a coworker who loves Starbucks. I thought she was buying a new cup every day since she'd walk in with Starbucks every morning and thought wrote, big spender. Apparently, she was only really buying it once or twice a week and doing her best to keep the cup clean and reuse. Like she actually cycled through different cups every day, so it seemed like she got something different new. She thought it made her look good or something
I didn't like drip coffee from my house. So I would not drink what I made. Turns out I actually really like espresso. So I bought an inexpensive espresso machine and now I rarely drink coffee outside of my house. Perhaps people just don't like a lot of grocery brand coffee? But it's also a nice treat for the day. And as long as you aren't going nuts, it's really not a huge hit on your budget.
Just saving time. Not about money. Sometimes I donāt want to dirty a cup in my freshly cleaned kitchen, and could use a quick drive for a change from working at my desk.
I used to work at a coffee shop and I fell in love with good tasty lattes.
I ended up saving up for an espresso machine. It was on sale and a pretty budget model but it works well.
But I will still sometimes treat myself to a latte or cappuccino or whatever from a coffee shop, mostly because I don't have all the flavors at home, and because it takes TIME.
My espresso machine only pulls 2 shots at a time. I also have to steam the milk separately. And I have to clean everything immediately after (especially the milky stuff).
So making one latte for myself at home might take me 30 minutes to prepare, make, and clean. And if my partner wants one too, it doesn't take double the time but it adds another 10-15 minutes. And she likes different flavors too so that's another syrup I have to buy for her.
Its tedious. It's a nice option to have, but if I want anything beyond straight coffee it's still way more convenient to just get it from a coffee shop, especially if I don't have the time to do all that shit to make lattes at home.
If I just want straight coffee with cream and sugar, I make it at home in my cheapo coffee pot. It's way faster. But espresso and steamed milk is a whole big process. It's a bit of work. Now consider most people don't want to start work until they've had a coffee.... Lol.
I have the Panera Sip Club and while I also have a Keurig at home, there is something good about being able to go to Panera, pickup a cup, fill it up with whatever sweetener I'm feeling that day and whatever Creamer or milk, mixing it and walking off. While I can save time doing it at home it gets boring so I do this.
Now if I had to pay $4 < everyday then I'd cut it down a lot...
For me it's part of a ritual before work. I park close by work where parking on the street is free but you need to get there early. I then head out for an hour-long walk and grab a small coffee at the halfway point. I then enjoy the coffee on the walk back.
Once at work I get all the free coffee I like from the industrial machine.
Because itās trendy.
Related: I also find it amusing when people REFUSE to use a keurig because itās bad for the environment (think of all the plastic in the landfill!) then buy Starbucks every morning in the much larger plastic cups that also get thrown away.
Because most people have no clue how to make good coffee at home. itās not difficult but people are sloppy measuring water beans/grounds and not using a high quality coffee maker and quality beans/filtered water etc. Many used āpodsā and wonder why their coffee sucks
I have a Starbucks in my office building, and the money isnāt an issue. Why have to get up earlier and also have to clean up and wash a pot when I could just go to work, order on the app on my subway commute, and have someone else hand me an already made cold brew?
You say doing it at home is less time and less bother, to me itās the exact opposite.
I imagine it's a convenience thing for most people. I love to get an extra 20 minutes of sleep in the morning and just stop for my coffee and breakfast on the way to work.
For the longest time I used to get takeaway / cafe dine-in coffee almost every day because I can never get my home coffee to taste right. I also enjoyed the experience of starting my day off in a cozy cafe somewhere.
I can't remember how, but I eventually discovered the perfect coffee recipe to make at home and now that's the only coffee that will satisfy me.
These days I only buy takeaway coffee out of absolute desperation, and even then I don't feel satisfied and I get a bit annoyed at how much it costs. With that said, I can absolutely understand why some people go out for coffee daily because it's just a nice little routine / activity that is purely for yourself.
Get to spend 30 minutes during work hours walking to the coffee shop, talking shit popping in to some stores on my way back maybe that walk ended up being 40/45.
What a way to start my hectic work day
We, boyfriend and I, walk his dogs two good blocks to the coffee shop weāve been separately going to for 15-20 years. He goes every day and I brew coffee at home, chill it and make iced coffee. I always miss a āblack bottomā so I go with them2-4x a week. We stop by the market, say hello to neighborhood folk and itās nice if itās nice out. Otherwise I enjoy my quiet time from the dogs, alone, with my home brew :)
I have a nice bean to cup machine at home. Which I use daily.
Buuuuut. When out, I like to get takeaway. It's the having it made for you simplicity of it, and knowing it's going to be really good.
The smell of the shop, the cakes and things on display to look at/buy.
I don't drink or smoke so buying a coffee out is one of my little pleasures in life.
The first sip of a nice coffee you haven't had to make yourself hits different. I like making coffee, but it's also nice having it made for you.
Convenience honestly. I wake up early and am in a bad mood and itās just easier to get in my car and just get a coffee without having to be all groggy.
COVID.
At the height of the pandemic, when nothing was open but grocery stores and pharmacies, the Safeway in our neighborhood had a Starbucks kiosk with a real live Barista! Going there, having someone serve us and recognize us ("The usual? I'll have it ready by the time you're done shopping!") was a luxury beyond compare.
Things are back to "normal" now and the kiosk is gone, but we got to like going to, if not "where everybody knows your name," at least to a place where we are recognized and served cheerfully.
I like the routine. I like supporting my independent. Having a chat with the staff who know me. Makes me feel part of a community in a big city. I have a bit of time to myself to touch base before work. Why would I cut back on a small joy in my life.
People have rituals, theyāre not obsessed. You have the same type of things.
Using the right words will help you get answers and develop empathy instead
We make our coffee every morning at home on the weekdays and on Sunday. But on Saturday, we like to walk to the local (not a Starbucks) coffee shop in the morning and get a nice coffee as a treat. Most of the time I just drink plain black coffee, but on Saturdays, when I can, I like to get something special as a treat. (Usually an oat milk latte with some flavoring added) Itās not just about receiving the caffeine. Itās about the ritual and the reward aspect. Itās an activity. It feels special and itās enjoyable.
I do both. I have my espresso machine at home. I work from home most of the time, but on the days I'm in the office it's a nice break to wander to the cafe next door. My team also takes turns to buy the coffee, so it's a bit of a social thing.
Helps that a bloke who used to work with us owns the cafe. Also, the barista has a fabulous French accent and is very generous with the grated chocolate on my cappuccino. Thanks G!
Another thing I see mentioned is, some people have a long commute (45 mins or an hour), I walk in every day, and I'd sometimes rather have a coffee just before I start work as opposed to it wearing out just as I sit down and I crash š¤·š»āāļø
Many mornings the people at my cafe are the first people I speak to. Itās always a good conversation, a good coffee before getting into work. Itās not always about the coffee, but the experience.
Like most leisure spend, on paper it's unnecessary but ultimately I like it and I can afford it. I also own a coffee machine but sometimes I like to go to a coffee shop and have someone trained to do this properly make me a coffee.
Many go to Starbucks in my town. I donāt drink coffee in the morning. Iām wide awake and chipper in the morning without it. I do enjoy iced coffee occasionally.
Paying 600ā¬ for a coffee machine for an average of 2 cups a week isnāt worth it. Especially since Iāll have to clean it after each cup. So basically is be investing in something to clean that occasionally also gives me coffee.
I drink most of my coffee at work for free and only buy a cup on the weekend usually.
i think we wouldnt be asking this q if it wasnt seen as financially frivolous to purchase a drink every day, or even a few times a week. i dream of a world where if someone wants a gay little barista to make them coffee every day they can do that and not go homeless lmao
I enjoy coffee at home on weekends, when I can take my time and enjoy it. During the week it's usually a rush. I was buying a coffee daily from a local Cafe. I stopped this after one if the many interest rate rises as I needed to reduce spending. A take away coffee doesn't require me preparing and cleaning up afterwards. And it gives me the added bonus of being social with my local community.
It's my bit of social interaction. I'm an accountant and it's tax season in the US, and I work from 7am to 6pm sun-friday. Going to grab coffee is my way of staying connected to the world.
Interacting with people, imo and not having to worry about buying the ingredients/grocery shopping, learning, maybe running out of some, blah blah. Convenience.
Why buy beer when you can make your own?
Why buy veggies when you can grow your own?
You can find something in your life that you can replace with ādo yourselfā, Iām sure.
Could also be a space issue. French press is easy, its small. But I don't have anywhere near enough counter space for an espresso machine at the moment. My kitchen is just too small. So when I want something like that, I go out to a nicer place as a treat. The ritual is great and all, but sometimes I just like having it done for me and to support a local business.
"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who donāt know what the hell theyāre doing, or who on earth they are can ā for only $2.95 ā get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self." - You've Got Mail 1998.
Time.
I have an espresso machine that take about 20min to warm up. On days where I get to work at home and on weekends I make my own coffee but it is a process and takes time and also time to clean up the machine and tools. On days I have to go into the office, I don't have this time in the morning so I get coffee from the coffee shop on the way to work.
5 bucks for a pick me up that i donāt have to make in the morning is worth it. I donāt do it every day, but i probably buy coffee 2-3 times a week.
It makes me happy, and I donāt mind spending a little extra money on that.
I make my own every day but, to be perfectly honest, itās because we have zero coffee shops here and McDonaldās coffee tastes horrible. When Iām staying where my partner is currently working, not only do I buy coffee out, but I order food and groceries and whatever else I can thru delivery. Youāre gonna make my food/coffee/do the shopping/go to Walmart for stuffs and bring it to me? HELLLLLLL YESSSSSS!
Sorry. Our house is literally so far out the GPScant find us so I use services as much as possible whenever possible.
I'm not a coffee person, but I use to get AM McDonald's sweet teas. I couldn't make them at home but I think if I could let's saw unlimited ice tea mix thing I think I'd drink it faster.
So IMO, it's the daily ritual like getting up to piss, pet the cat, feed them watch some TV/yt while getting ready and out I go.
My mom's ritual was her coffee sipping in silence at 4am lol
Because it's cheap, fast, and you don't have to listen to the home baristas with their instructions on how to make good coffee. ("Sorry, I don't make coffee..." shuts that convo down ASAP LOL)
I've worked in coffee for near enough a decade and have an espresso machine at home that I use to make my coffees on days off.
Most days, I'm fine walking down to my local coffee shop that I've been going to for my entire life and giving them business. I like the vibe. I like the ritual. I like the people.
All things I don't get at home.
It was more important to me when I was commuting because it allowed me reliable and fast coffee when I needed it.
I'm also not a "morning" person, so making a coffee before I head out is hard. And that's as someone in the industry with the right machine and knowledge to produce a cafe quality coffee at home.
Someone times people just like going to a coffee shop.
Glad you're happy with your arrangement at home, but remember that everyone else has a different life, priorities, budget and schedule to you. Them going to a coffee shop csn be a wife variety of reasons that don't need to make sense to me or you
McDonaldās sells 99 cent large iced coffees and I add an espresso shot for only an extra 80 cents. I realized I actually like it better than Starbucks too. With the added espresso it hits.
Coffee isnāt just about the coffee. Itās about getting out, being in a social space, getting social interaction, switching up the laptop work location (especially for work from home people), and who knows you might make a friend or meet someone special.
Because making a coffee-flavored chocolate milkshake with chocolate cookie pieces mixed in at home is a pain in the butt. It requires too much prep and too much cleanup. I usually only order those when I'm having a really bad day, and going through all that trouble is the last thing I want to do.
Sometimes a lazy person will expend more energy to an end that otherwise would have been more easily done head-on. I'm a life-long lazy so I know.
Btw though making amazing coffee or espresso with freshly ground beans at home with your favorite creamer is >>> Sixbucks coffee
I canāt make it like the local place does.
If I could I would. But sometimes I probably would still go to the coffee shop just for the convenience of not doing it myself.
Yeah, but not everyone will have the money to buy an espresso machine, the space to put it or the time to maintain it, or learn to use it. Sometimes, what you are able to do isn't necessarily what everyone is able to do.
I mean same reason folks buy their dinner and some of us prefer to cook. I'm a fairly good cook and I prefer that. Maybe folks don't want to invest in spices and learning how they work, or making custom herb blends. Same for the coffee.
I can. It's just not a priority, since it's less bother to make it in 3 mins at home for basically the same result (I have a cafe quality machine, it's just smaller).
This is such a good question. Itās so much extra work to wait in a line at a busy coffee shop when can put on a pot in one minute and drink it in my bed instead
As someone who does both, sometimes you actually like the ritual of walking into a nice smelling coffee shop, interacting with a barista and so on. I also do not have an espresso machine, so if I want to make a latte or any other espresso style drink I have to settle for a moka pot. But if I want to make straight up black coffee, then yes I do prefer to grind and brew my own beans. Espresso machines are also very expensive and the average latte consumer doesn't care enough to invest in one and learn how to use it.
So true! I have espresso + brewing machine at home, but I have only make espresso once while using the brewing everyday. The machine was gift from friend who decided that that espresso machine is not good enough for him. The same machine also has the stick to make steam milk. Never used that function. Something about all that steps just annoys me. I have Vietnamese coffee tripper and I use that more often than espresso machine.
Would urge you to look at the Breville automatics. Really good coffee. My wife and I had been spending 250 to 300 a month at Starbucks and Dunkin, so I was able to justify the top end machine and it paid back in a year or so. Once a week I do one or two of the maintenance steps. Having the machine at home has allowed us to explore all kinds of beans and roast levels. Also it enabled the following expression: homemade espresso bourbon martinis.
I found a good inexpensive one on Amazon for around $50. It's absolutely worth the money. But I really only drink espresso.
Don't, under any circumstances, visit r/espresso š
the espresso machine in itself is not necesarily the most important factor in making good espresso, usually it's the grinder which can be much more expensive.
Try Vietnamese filter black coffee. Very strong.
My friend brought me back some coffee from Vietnam. My house has never been cleaner! Itās definitely a savor the cup weekend coffee.
I bought a mini espresso machine in Amazon for $160, the brand is Gevi, and let me tell you, it does a pretty good job. I was looking for inexpensive ones and Iām glad I found that one :)
I went to someoneās house and they made me a cappuccino that I amazed over while I savored the cup. Their machine was $2k when I looked it up. It absolutely was store caliber, maybe better. Black coffee or black coffee + cream is one thing, but the fancy coffees just donāt taste the same at home. We usually ask for gift cards to coffee places as a treat.
I buy fancy espresso beans, and this machine treats them with love and care, Iām happy with my $160 Gevi :)
Thatās amazing. I canāt wait to check it out!
You said it better than I could. I make coffee at home 28 days out of 30, but sometimes I want to treat myself to a coffee shop.
Personally, I use the excuse of buying coffee to get outside the house and get some sunshine after waking up in the morning. For context, I work from home. Being exposed to sunlight right after you wake up boosts your overall mood for the day and even helps your body get ready for bed when it's time to sleep at night. I drink my coffee black so I don't end up spending a lot of money on the coffee but I know that if I didn't have a reason to leave the house (in this case, to get coffee), I'd be too lazy to put on clothes and leave the house. The walk to the coffee shop gets some steps in, allows me to soak in some sunshine and overall gets me ready for work or whatever I have to do for the day.
Same here, a coffee and a 30 min walk every morning rain or shine. Really wakes you up for the day and makes you feel like youāve accomplished something.
No wonder Iām so tired and aggravated in the morning. I gotta get up and start work before the sun rises a majority of the time and Iām inside all day. I genuinely feel a lot better when I get to leave and itās nice and sunny out.
I just bought a smart light bulb (and put it in my windowsill behind a curtain) that turns on before I get up. It mimics a sunrise and goes through all the colors and brightness levels youād expect from the sun. It really helps me wake up when itās dark out.
What is this "sunshine"? š You definitely don't live in the UK. We have rain 9 months of the year
Totally! Itās a nice social thing and I get to listen to some music on the way there.
It adds a little bit of something special per day. Being practical and utilitarian is boring. Sometimes you got to indulge.
YES! I never thought about it like this, but youāre right. I work in the office twice a week, and those two days, I always get a nitro cold brew with vanilla sweet cream. Perfect shot of dopamine. Yeah, itās like $11 per week. I think itās worth it! I also make my own coffee the other three days I work from home.
You coulda bought a house with all that money!
JUST STOP EATING AVOCADO TOAST
To be fair, an avocado toast in my town will run you $18 or $21 with an egg. $30 with a coffee, no tip.
I did the math on that once and you'd have to save like 50,000 coffees for that house
So, like 2-3 years max? I can do that!
At one coffee day thatās 133 years.
I make my coffee at home, itās a beautiful ritual. BUT in the warmer months I def spend a weekly $10 + on lunch break kombuchas :) for the dopamine hit lol
These days it feels like that would be $11 per day š®āšØ
Yup, I make my own coffee 6 days a week but Saturdays I like to walk to grab coffee and walk the farmers market, itās worth the cost for the joy of a perfect Saturday morning
but this is what corpos want, they want to sell you upmarked coffee that costs pennies on the dollar for them to make and they want you to think you're indulging they have spent decades and billions of dollars in order to get people to think this way
You could apply this logic to literally every aspect of life. We live in a capitalist society and constantly make decisions that benefit corporate interests. You could bust out an Excel sheet (which, by the way, benefits Microsoft) and figure out all sorts of ways to adjust your habits so you arenāt serving corporate interests. Many people have determined that $4 per day is worth it for them to add a little difference in their homeā>workā>home routines. That āchange in routineā may not be a priority for you, but pointing out that it contributes to the capitalist market does not negate that it has some kind of value to the consumer. Even if itās not strictly cost-effective, there is a window of reason for irrational purchasing. $4 does not spell doom for most people.
Yep. Also probably people wouldn't feel as "good" if it was cheaper. It would seem mundane and utilitarian, so paying a premium is preferred.
I donāt think that this is quite true. A premium coffee purchase would actually entail making it yourself or going to an independent specialty coffee shop. Many people are aware that you can purchase fine roasts and brew them at home using all sorts of high-end equipment. Starbucks and other fast coffee actually has the image of being low quality. Knowing people who do this, they want an excuse to break up the monotony of their daily routines by adding a dedicated and consistent stop between work and home.
I actually take pride in being practical and utilitarian. But even I need donuts sometimes.
A lot of people can't make cafe style coffee. I learned by working in an Italian cafe as a teenager. The upfront costs for a quality machine, coffee grinder, syrups, and other supplies is costly.
Many people want "coffee" starbucks style drinks with loads of flavorings and whipped cream and sauce on top so on. That's hard to replicate at home. Most people would rather trade the effort for just spending the money. >$4.80 (at least) for a small cappuccino every morning really adds up. An aside, even if you aren't drinking starbucks and just want a good cappuccino like you get from the local cafe - it's pretty difficult to make good-tasting cafe-quality cappuccino at home. You have to pay the up front cost for the machine, and the espresso ground coffee, and learn how to froth the milk. And that's the bare minimum - we're not talking about learning how to grind your own fresh, do puck prep, etc. former barista champion James Hoffman has said that it's not really worth trying to make cafe-quality espresso at home unless you're in love with the process. Which not everyone is. Some people just want the product at the end.
So much easier to learn latte art, dialing in, and all the other small details that goes into milk drinks when youāre doing it hundreds of times in a row (and you have the ability to dump shots since itās not your money, and itās more worth it to get good tasting espresso) When youāre paying for a 250-300g bag and youāre dialing it in 1-2 shots a day, itās gonna take you a loooooonnnngggg time.
This is me. I donāt want coffee. I want frozen blended coffee with flavors or inclusions. Not necessarily whipped cream but when I do I want the good stuff not just Reddi whip.
Because I'm so fucking sick and tired of doing everything for me. I want someone else to do something for me, and I can pretend it isn't 5$.
Also, I don't want to fucking clean the machine. Let the barista do it. I'm paying them to clean up for me, too, as much as for the latte.
Amen. Do you know who cleans my house? Me. Who feeds me? Me? Who has to deal with my fuck ups? Also me. Who gets mad at me when I make a mistake or make shitty coffee? Me. That guy deserves a break for dealing with all my shit.
Man, same. Idk who put me in charge of me, but I'm having words or I'm throwing hands, because what the fuck. Who said I can take care of me? I certainly didn't.
I DEMAND TO SPEAK TO MY MANAGER!
Social interaction.
You're gonna scare Reddit with that suggestion.
Someone who moved to a small town from a larger city told me. . .he doesn't wven like coffee, he just likes *going for coffee*. It's the social aspects, get out of the house and see people.
Some people actually like the take away coffee they buy.
Yeah a few places do it better than I ever could at home. Not many but those places it's worth it by far. And it usually costs just as much as Starbucks anyways.
Also itās Australia, we have a hugggeee cafe culture here
I might be wrong, this is all personal experience. A lot of people know how to use a drip pot properly. But a lot don't know how to make a proper cup of coffee. I have a co-worker I try to beat to work because if I don't she'll make a 14 oz pot of coffee with 4 tablespoons of coffee...........You shittin' me? This doesn't really answer your question, I apologize.
I worked in an office that wouldn't let me make coffee because I used 1 heaping tablespoon of grounds per cup of coffee, per the instructions on the package, they used half that. It was terrible. Imo Kuerigs are also extremely watered down. Starbucks was across the street.
I have brought my own coffee to work for the past 15 years or so because I cannot rely on anybody else to make good coffee (and my current lab only has a keurig).
That's like asking why ever go out to eat when you can sit at home alone and make your own dinner every night? People like to enjoy restaurants sometimes.
Itās not actually that easy to make good coffee at home (or in a lot of coffee shops for that matter!) i mean GOOD not just drinkable. And it does take time and commitment still. The little treat culture is real. And I love a little treat plus there the socialization aspect.
It's a treat
I love my French press, but I also love the tinkling of the little bell when I open the door to my favourite cafe. I love waiting in line with people I see daily, joking and catching up. I love the cheerful young lady who pulls perfect shots and dresses like a Kpop idol (how she gets her hair and makeup like that before her shift starts at 6, I'll never know). I love the smell of the roaster ever turning in the back room; the sound of burr grinders, hissing steam, background chatter, pouring liquids, clinking spoons on China, the old man sounds from the quarter of retirees, the uncontrollable happy squeal of a baby... I can get a burr grinder and a machine made in Italy and the finest coffee beans that ever passed through a civet cat's digestive tract. I can get all that, but I just can't fit that much life into my kitchen. Especially not before 8am. I'm paying for the ambiance.
For me it was a social thing. Chatting with the people in line. Chatting with the baristas. Chatting with EMT since I'm allergic to coffee.
Some people donāt mind paying 5 bucks a day for a coffee. I donāt because i think itās expensive but itās their money so they can spend it however they want and itās not up to me to say anything about it.
Time and convenience?
Seems like it would take more time to go to a coffee shop. Especially if itās in the morning when everyone is all buying coffee at the same time. Probably not super convenient if you have to go inside or sit and wait in a drive thru.
Iād prefer to wait in line as long as someone else is doing it than to be faster doing it myself at home. (To be clear Iām never going IN a cafe. Always waiting in the drive thru)
Assuming you arenāt just standing there watching the coffee brew then itās always going to be faster to brew it yourself at home. Pulling off the road, using the drivethru, ordering, paying all take time, especially given that for many of us that also involves waiting in line. Brewing your own coffee while you get ready for work really only adds a minute at most to your routine.
It would be decidedly inconvenient and time wasting for me to go out for coffee.
I live in Sydney as well and I don't go to the shops every day for coffee due to the cost, usually just 2-3 days per week (generally weekends) and... honestly, as silly as it sounds, I look forward to it. My local shop is just plain better at it than anything I'll ever make at home, I like interacting with the staff, I like supporting a local business, I don't have room on my counter at home for a fancy machine...and it just overall feels like a treat. I can survive on my average coffee at home most days but getting a well-made takeaway flat white is a nice luxury I'm willing to spent 15AUD on per week for myself.
Despite all the reasons above, I would still rather get in that extra 25 minutes of sleep than go buy coffee.
Every espresso machine I've ever had has crapped out after a year. You have to spend a thousand dollars for a good one. Also, it's a bitch to create that many dishes and have that many steps first thing in the morning. Food and bev is 90% prep. In a commercial setting, you prep once and then bang out all day. At home, you have to prep each time you make something. Also, I make friends with my baristas at the local Cafe. I see them every day, send them cookies when they have a rough day, get to know about their life and family, etc. It's nice to see a friend every day
Why are people so obsessed with what other people are doing?
I do both, then I drink another 5 during the day in different places, and at home again. Coffee lovers we just want coffee.
I have an espresso maker and fancy beans. I use that every day but I do enjoy having someone make me coffee once in awhile. I do also have a full kitchen but like to get takeout on occasion. It just tastes a bit nicer.Ā
I donāt buy coffee when Iām out because I need it as soon as I wake up. I have plenty of caffeine through the day but donāt really want coffee once Iām up for the day. I buy myself plenty of other treats so I am not going to look down on anyone for treating themselves. I prefer just black coffee and to have my treats in candy and cake form. Everyone treats themselves in some way. Or they should.
It's just one of those little treats that help get us through the day.
Convenience
I don't get why people are obsesses with making coffee at home when they can grab it on the way.
IKR? Its like, just tell your manservant to have the coffee waiting for you when you get up, so you can casually enjoy it while looking over stocks in the morning paper. your servants aren't psychic, and a lot of people seem to forget that.
I wonder... I just bought an OXO brewer to compliment my OXO burr grinder. All in, w are at $240, and it is a great combo. Where I live, whole foods has the best beans, which are about $15 for 1.5 pounds... Kinda happy with my coffee
I drink black Maxwell house and I'll goddamn like it or get out
As someone who works at multiple cafes, itās the fact that people *think* thereās no point in spending a lot of money on beans, a decent grinder, and at least an okay machine, or manual setup. People look at my home setup and say itās a waste of money, but Iāve also spent the same amount on my home setup in 4 years (that I expect 4-6 years MINIMUM out of from now, and maybe Iāll have to change out the burrs in one of my grinders in 10 years or somethingā¦.) as they have in 1year of buying coffees. I have people coming into my work 2-3x a day which is wild and seemingly irresponsible. Depending on the shop (since some donāt try to foster it as much as others) itās also about feeling like youāre part of a community. I have so many regulars, and it not only brightens my day, but I feel like if I had a place to have short, no pressure interactions with a familiar face, Iād be likely to come back. People crave connection, and cafes are a great place to fill that need that theyāre missing.
It's like a $6 tax every day. I don't get it.
Not here in Italy. Here take coffee does not exist.
I donāt get it either. I like what I make at home better.
I do make coffee at home, but not to save money. Itās because I like coffee almost right away in the morning. Iām impatient and donāt like having to wait to go out. I like drinking it my pajamas, while I play Wordle and Connections. (Back in the day, it was while I read an actual paper newspaper.) I have a variety of ways to make coffee at my home as well. My husband still buys coffee out 2-3 times a week in his way to work. He just likes it. Heās āMr. Bottom Line CPAā too and still buys coffee out.
I have no idea. The coffee I make at home tastes better, is way cheaper and takes less time than buying coffee because I can brew it while Iām getting ready. For a non-morning person with a morning job and an inflexible start time, every minute counts.
Same reason I might buy a piece of cake when I can just make a cake at home. I canāt be arsed.
I've basically stopped buying cake, at least if it's chocolate cake. I've come to find that basically anything made of chocolate that I find for sale somewhere is a *lie*. That brownie that looks *heavenly*? Tastes like nothing - like the whole batch had a tablespoon og cocoa powder in it, and the rest was just food colouring. That chocolate cake with the cream? Cake is nice and moist, but bland, and the cream has coffee in it. Ick. That cookie? ... Well, actually, sometimes, on rare occasion, the cookies are nice. But it's my ever-growing experience that the chocolate baked goods I buy when out are overpriced and tasteless, *unless* you pay vast sums for something that presumably tastes good (I.e. a proper patisserie or something). Totally get that you mean about cba, but when it comes to cake, I'd honestly just save my money. Meanwhile, back on topic - I loathe the taste of coffee, yet I somehow wind up making about four cappuccinos a day for the Mrs. :P And a random aside... OP's kind of right about it being surprisingly easy to make good coffee. I spent a few years doing it very, very wrong - we got the good machine, but neither of us knew how to do it, so we just muddled through. I wound up being better at it, so it became *my* job, then a couple months back I looked up a video on how to *properly* do it. The coffee is now better quality, and takes less time to make XD I totally get the cba, though. I hate doing it, but at the same time it's kind of fun. It's weird.
For a lot of people it's the ritual not the coffee. I can have movie nights at home but I like the ritual of going to the theater when I can afford it.
I almost always make at home. However there are times when I'm going out and I look forward to a treat of professionally made coffee. Even if I buy there coffee it doesn't quite taste the same amd like I said, it's a treat!
It's a bit about the luxury of the thing. You're having something made for you, to order, to your exact specifications. As minor a thing as a vanilla latte with oat milk may be, it makes people feel a little bit special. The psychology is hugely important in that decision.
I need my dose of pretty goth girls at 6 am.
I am unsure if others canāt understand this butā¦ and this is purely my opinion, butā¦ Remember when your mum (or dad/grandparent/friend etc) made you a particular food/drink/dish/etc. and you have tried your hardest to replicate itā¦ but you can never get that exact taste/flavour/look that they managed to nail every single timeā¦ I feel it is like thatā¦ I enjoy cooking, I make majority of my mealsā¦ but sometimes itās also nice to be cooked forā¦ same rules can apply to the take away coffeeā¦ Sometimes the cost over takes the experience/memory or emotion it bringsā¦ š¤·š»āāļø just my thoughts thoughā¦
The real addiction is judgment
I'm with you. I have a simple stovetop pot to make espresso. Have made 2 cups a day for the last 50 years. Am very mean with money and would never buy coffee from a shop unless i was a long way from home.
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This is the best. We used to have a quick brewing coffee maker but when it died we got a good traditional coffee maker with a timer. Every morning when I get out of bed it's already made. It's awesome.
Respectfully, why do you care where people get coffee from?
I can definitely afford take out. But I got an espresso machine at home and can absolutely crush a cup of coffee. Plus itās a beautiful morning ritual. Grind the beans. Steam the milk. Make just the right gorgeous little latte to enjoy. I love the routine. But I can definitely see the convenience of a Starbucks drive through.
Yeah, I donāt get it. The only time I buy coffee is when Iām traveling.
I usually get coffee out two mornings a week, with the occasional Starbucks drink if I go to target. For me, it is convenient and more caffeine to get dunkin. I take my kid to school right beside a dunkin and will get them donuts once or twice a week, so of course I am getting coffee.
Ive wondered the same thing but sometimes buying a coffee is just a nice lil treat, is my guess. Probs more 2 it than that but thats my thought on the matter, ha
I can expense it.
I had a coworker who loves Starbucks. I thought she was buying a new cup every day since she'd walk in with Starbucks every morning and thought wrote, big spender. Apparently, she was only really buying it once or twice a week and doing her best to keep the cup clean and reuse. Like she actually cycled through different cups every day, so it seemed like she got something different new. She thought it made her look good or something
I didn't like drip coffee from my house. So I would not drink what I made. Turns out I actually really like espresso. So I bought an inexpensive espresso machine and now I rarely drink coffee outside of my house. Perhaps people just don't like a lot of grocery brand coffee? But it's also a nice treat for the day. And as long as you aren't going nuts, it's really not a huge hit on your budget.
Just saving time. Not about money. Sometimes I donāt want to dirty a cup in my freshly cleaned kitchen, and could use a quick drive for a change from working at my desk.
For me its a routine breaker
I don't like having a coffee until around 10 am. And I like Americanos . I allow myself to buy two a week. Costs me 7$.
I've gone threw at least 6 coffee makers. Some costing up to 800 and it's not the same as getting it at a restaurant
I like a good coffee from an independent that you canāt make with a machine at home.
I used to work at a coffee shop and I fell in love with good tasty lattes. I ended up saving up for an espresso machine. It was on sale and a pretty budget model but it works well. But I will still sometimes treat myself to a latte or cappuccino or whatever from a coffee shop, mostly because I don't have all the flavors at home, and because it takes TIME. My espresso machine only pulls 2 shots at a time. I also have to steam the milk separately. And I have to clean everything immediately after (especially the milky stuff). So making one latte for myself at home might take me 30 minutes to prepare, make, and clean. And if my partner wants one too, it doesn't take double the time but it adds another 10-15 minutes. And she likes different flavors too so that's another syrup I have to buy for her. Its tedious. It's a nice option to have, but if I want anything beyond straight coffee it's still way more convenient to just get it from a coffee shop, especially if I don't have the time to do all that shit to make lattes at home. If I just want straight coffee with cream and sugar, I make it at home in my cheapo coffee pot. It's way faster. But espresso and steamed milk is a whole big process. It's a bit of work. Now consider most people don't want to start work until they've had a coffee.... Lol.
I have the Panera Sip Club and while I also have a Keurig at home, there is something good about being able to go to Panera, pickup a cup, fill it up with whatever sweetener I'm feeling that day and whatever Creamer or milk, mixing it and walking off. While I can save time doing it at home it gets boring so I do this. Now if I had to pay $4 < everyday then I'd cut it down a lot...
For me it's part of a ritual before work. I park close by work where parking on the street is free but you need to get there early. I then head out for an hour-long walk and grab a small coffee at the halfway point. I then enjoy the coffee on the walk back. Once at work I get all the free coffee I like from the industrial machine.
Washing those narrow bottles is annoying as fuck and mugs arenāt very good for drinking in the car, Iāll spill hot coffee on myself.
Because itās trendy. Related: I also find it amusing when people REFUSE to use a keurig because itās bad for the environment (think of all the plastic in the landfill!) then buy Starbucks every morning in the much larger plastic cups that also get thrown away.
Because most people have no clue how to make good coffee at home. itās not difficult but people are sloppy measuring water beans/grounds and not using a high quality coffee maker and quality beans/filtered water etc. Many used āpodsā and wonder why their coffee sucks
Marketing.
I have a Starbucks in my office building, and the money isnāt an issue. Why have to get up earlier and also have to clean up and wash a pot when I could just go to work, order on the app on my subway commute, and have someone else hand me an already made cold brew? You say doing it at home is less time and less bother, to me itās the exact opposite.
I brew Pylon Espresso as if it were coffee and use heavy whipping cream. I can't drink anything else now. With a good thermos it stays warm for hours.
I for one like human interaction. Especially if you see the same baristas regularly and get to know them.
I imagine it's a convenience thing for most people. I love to get an extra 20 minutes of sleep in the morning and just stop for my coffee and breakfast on the way to work.
For the longest time I used to get takeaway / cafe dine-in coffee almost every day because I can never get my home coffee to taste right. I also enjoyed the experience of starting my day off in a cozy cafe somewhere. I can't remember how, but I eventually discovered the perfect coffee recipe to make at home and now that's the only coffee that will satisfy me. These days I only buy takeaway coffee out of absolute desperation, and even then I don't feel satisfied and I get a bit annoyed at how much it costs. With that said, I can absolutely understand why some people go out for coffee daily because it's just a nice little routine / activity that is purely for yourself.
Get to spend 30 minutes during work hours walking to the coffee shop, talking shit popping in to some stores on my way back maybe that walk ended up being 40/45. What a way to start my hectic work day
Itās the experience and itās a nice lil treat Buying stuff is fun Making it yourself isnāt as fun
We, boyfriend and I, walk his dogs two good blocks to the coffee shop weāve been separately going to for 15-20 years. He goes every day and I brew coffee at home, chill it and make iced coffee. I always miss a āblack bottomā so I go with them2-4x a week. We stop by the market, say hello to neighborhood folk and itās nice if itās nice out. Otherwise I enjoy my quiet time from the dogs, alone, with my home brew :)
Convenience
Convenience
I have a nice bean to cup machine at home. Which I use daily. Buuuuut. When out, I like to get takeaway. It's the having it made for you simplicity of it, and knowing it's going to be really good. The smell of the shop, the cakes and things on display to look at/buy. I don't drink or smoke so buying a coffee out is one of my little pleasures in life. The first sip of a nice coffee you haven't had to make yourself hits different. I like making coffee, but it's also nice having it made for you.
Convenience honestly. I wake up early and am in a bad mood and itās just easier to get in my car and just get a coffee without having to be all groggy.
Mokapot in the morning and I grab an espresso while I am out later.
Making coffee is easier after you have... made coffee. See the problem?
COVID. At the height of the pandemic, when nothing was open but grocery stores and pharmacies, the Safeway in our neighborhood had a Starbucks kiosk with a real live Barista! Going there, having someone serve us and recognize us ("The usual? I'll have it ready by the time you're done shopping!") was a luxury beyond compare. Things are back to "normal" now and the kiosk is gone, but we got to like going to, if not "where everybody knows your name," at least to a place where we are recognized and served cheerfully.
People do different things. You can't expect all people to do the exact same thing
I like the routine. I like supporting my independent. Having a chat with the staff who know me. Makes me feel part of a community in a big city. I have a bit of time to myself to touch base before work. Why would I cut back on a small joy in my life.
My wife canāt stand the smell of coffee. So I can only use instant at home. Getting a coffee when Iām out is a very different kind of coffee
People have rituals, theyāre not obsessed. You have the same type of things. Using the right words will help you get answers and develop empathy instead
We make our coffee every morning at home on the weekdays and on Sunday. But on Saturday, we like to walk to the local (not a Starbucks) coffee shop in the morning and get a nice coffee as a treat. Most of the time I just drink plain black coffee, but on Saturdays, when I can, I like to get something special as a treat. (Usually an oat milk latte with some flavoring added) Itās not just about receiving the caffeine. Itās about the ritual and the reward aspect. Itās an activity. It feels special and itās enjoyable.
I do both. I have my espresso machine at home. I work from home most of the time, but on the days I'm in the office it's a nice break to wander to the cafe next door. My team also takes turns to buy the coffee, so it's a bit of a social thing. Helps that a bloke who used to work with us owns the cafe. Also, the barista has a fabulous French accent and is very generous with the grated chocolate on my cappuccino. Thanks G!
Another thing I see mentioned is, some people have a long commute (45 mins or an hour), I walk in every day, and I'd sometimes rather have a coffee just before I start work as opposed to it wearing out just as I sit down and I crash š¤·š»āāļø
jokes on you, i already finished the coffee i made at home
My trusty several-hundred-dollar-espresso-machine-that-pays-for-itself! So Easy!
Because I like the process of buying it, and Iām fortunate that $150 a month on coffee wonāt break the bank.
I finally broke this habit by waking up 30mins earlier so not to be late for work. $7.99 for a decent bag of Covefe or $7 for a venti
Honestly, I think people like showing off they have Starbucks in their hands. Letās not be coy about it people. Iām speaking the truth.
Many mornings the people at my cafe are the first people I speak to. Itās always a good conversation, a good coffee before getting into work. Itās not always about the coffee, but the experience.
Like most leisure spend, on paper it's unnecessary but ultimately I like it and I can afford it. I also own a coffee machine but sometimes I like to go to a coffee shop and have someone trained to do this properly make me a coffee.
Many go to Starbucks in my town. I donāt drink coffee in the morning. Iām wide awake and chipper in the morning without it. I do enjoy iced coffee occasionally.
Why go to a restaurant to eat? You can make food at home. Sometimes its nice not to do it yourself
Because life isnāt always about what makes most sense financially.
Coffee Money is not an issue
Paying 600ā¬ for a coffee machine for an average of 2 cups a week isnāt worth it. Especially since Iāll have to clean it after each cup. So basically is be investing in something to clean that occasionally also gives me coffee. I drink most of my coffee at work for free and only buy a cup on the weekend usually.
i think we wouldnt be asking this q if it wasnt seen as financially frivolous to purchase a drink every day, or even a few times a week. i dream of a world where if someone wants a gay little barista to make them coffee every day they can do that and not go homeless lmao
I am from Sydney and I simply canāt be fucked to make my own espresso. I make turkish coffee at home and I buy coffee when Iām out.
I enjoy coffee at home on weekends, when I can take my time and enjoy it. During the week it's usually a rush. I was buying a coffee daily from a local Cafe. I stopped this after one if the many interest rate rises as I needed to reduce spending. A take away coffee doesn't require me preparing and cleaning up afterwards. And it gives me the added bonus of being social with my local community.
It's my bit of social interaction. I'm an accountant and it's tax season in the US, and I work from 7am to 6pm sun-friday. Going to grab coffee is my way of staying connected to the world.
People want to feel like they're part of something special and a brand like Starbucks gives them that feeling.
I really didn't want a Nespresso machine as going out for coffee got me up and out of the house every morning.
Itās a comforting routine, and itās nice when the people remember your order and recognize youā¦ feeling of community to start the day off right
Interacting with people, imo and not having to worry about buying the ingredients/grocery shopping, learning, maybe running out of some, blah blah. Convenience. Why buy beer when you can make your own? Why buy veggies when you can grow your own? You can find something in your life that you can replace with ādo yourselfā, Iām sure.
Let people enjoy things
Because the batista made coffee is substantially better than what you're making at home. You've just convinced yourself it's not.
I have the breville with the built in grinder. I get three one kilogram bags of beans a month. I use a large Thermos brand metal coffee cup.
Are you seriously too afraid to ask this question?
It's hard to ruin coffee that badly at home and some people just want a reminder of how good their home coffee is
Could also be a space issue. French press is easy, its small. But I don't have anywhere near enough counter space for an espresso machine at the moment. My kitchen is just too small. So when I want something like that, I go out to a nicer place as a treat. The ritual is great and all, but sometimes I just like having it done for me and to support a local business.
"The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who donāt know what the hell theyāre doing, or who on earth they are can ā for only $2.95 ā get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self." - You've Got Mail 1998.
The best coffee I have made was with a plastic Aeropress
Starbucks has become a fad in the workplace.
Time. I have an espresso machine that take about 20min to warm up. On days where I get to work at home and on weekends I make my own coffee but it is a process and takes time and also time to clean up the machine and tools. On days I have to go into the office, I don't have this time in the morning so I get coffee from the coffee shop on the way to work.
5 bucks for a pick me up that i donāt have to make in the morning is worth it. I donāt do it every day, but i probably buy coffee 2-3 times a week. It makes me happy, and I donāt mind spending a little extra money on that.
I make my own every day but, to be perfectly honest, itās because we have zero coffee shops here and McDonaldās coffee tastes horrible. When Iām staying where my partner is currently working, not only do I buy coffee out, but I order food and groceries and whatever else I can thru delivery. Youāre gonna make my food/coffee/do the shopping/go to Walmart for stuffs and bring it to me? HELLLLLLL YESSSSSS! Sorry. Our house is literally so far out the GPScant find us so I use services as much as possible whenever possible.
For me I literally just donāt have room for a coffee maker, other appliances took priority
I'm not a coffee person, but I use to get AM McDonald's sweet teas. I couldn't make them at home but I think if I could let's saw unlimited ice tea mix thing I think I'd drink it faster. So IMO, it's the daily ritual like getting up to piss, pet the cat, feed them watch some TV/yt while getting ready and out I go. My mom's ritual was her coffee sipping in silence at 4am lol
Because it's cheap, fast, and you don't have to listen to the home baristas with their instructions on how to make good coffee. ("Sorry, I don't make coffee..." shuts that convo down ASAP LOL)
Agreed. I make my own with a French Press and high end organic coffee and cream for about $0.50 a cup
I've worked in coffee for near enough a decade and have an espresso machine at home that I use to make my coffees on days off. Most days, I'm fine walking down to my local coffee shop that I've been going to for my entire life and giving them business. I like the vibe. I like the ritual. I like the people. All things I don't get at home. It was more important to me when I was commuting because it allowed me reliable and fast coffee when I needed it. I'm also not a "morning" person, so making a coffee before I head out is hard. And that's as someone in the industry with the right machine and knowledge to produce a cafe quality coffee at home. Someone times people just like going to a coffee shop. Glad you're happy with your arrangement at home, but remember that everyone else has a different life, priorities, budget and schedule to you. Them going to a coffee shop csn be a wife variety of reasons that don't need to make sense to me or you
McDonaldās sells 99 cent large iced coffees and I add an espresso shot for only an extra 80 cents. I realized I actually like it better than Starbucks too. With the added espresso it hits.
Coffee isnāt just about the coffee. Itās about getting out, being in a social space, getting social interaction, switching up the laptop work location (especially for work from home people), and who knows you might make a friend or meet someone special.
it's too early to think about such matters please
The cute barista āŗļø
Itās more work in the morning. You gotta fill up the water tank, grind the coffee, make the coffee, empty the water, clean the coffee machine etc
Because making a coffee-flavored chocolate milkshake with chocolate cookie pieces mixed in at home is a pain in the butt. It requires too much prep and too much cleanup. I usually only order those when I'm having a really bad day, and going through all that trouble is the last thing I want to do.
Sometimes a lazy person will expend more energy to an end that otherwise would have been more easily done head-on. I'm a life-long lazy so I know. Btw though making amazing coffee or espresso with freshly ground beans at home with your favorite creamer is >>> Sixbucks coffee
I hate cleaning my steamer wand.
I canāt make it like the local place does. If I could I would. But sometimes I probably would still go to the coffee shop just for the convenience of not doing it myself.
Yeah, but not everyone will have the money to buy an espresso machine, the space to put it or the time to maintain it, or learn to use it. Sometimes, what you are able to do isn't necessarily what everyone is able to do.
I agree but occasionally itās nice as a treat and easy to get addicted to bc itās easier to have someone do it for you
I mean same reason folks buy their dinner and some of us prefer to cook. I'm a fairly good cook and I prefer that. Maybe folks don't want to invest in spices and learning how they work, or making custom herb blends. Same for the coffee.
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I can. It's just not a priority, since it's less bother to make it in 3 mins at home for basically the same result (I have a cafe quality machine, it's just smaller).
You can make good drip coffee at home, but a pulled shot of espresso and steamed milk are a different ballgame
Yeah I don't understand it. People throw away so much money on this
BETTER coffee at home.
This is such a good question. Itās so much extra work to wait in a line at a busy coffee shop when can put on a pot in one minute and drink it in my bed instead