A coffee purchase has always been a special treat that wasn’t a daily task, but a weekly splurge. This is different when I travel, and don’t have my own luxuries at hand. I buy coffee frequently when I am on the road, as a way to merge with the time zone I am residing in, get wifi, or even as a way to bond with my mom over a latte.
But what has happened to people and their caffeine purchases? Starbucks drive thrus are the rage in American suburbs. And when you enter the infamous facilities in NYC, there are less and less Starbucks that have tables. People aren’t standing at an espresso bar taking their espresso shops with other customers. They are taking their orders and leaving. People have a mobile order, enter a coffee shop wearing headphones, search for their printed name on cups, and do not even have to greet the baristas or any other people in the shop. Human interaction and engagement is limited.
What has happened? I think what many coffee chains have turned into is simply adrenaline stations. It’s as if everyone has morphed into zombies and this is a zombie station. We travel to and from work uber caffeinated. We are paying loads for a caffeine boost, but do we even taste what we are drinking anymore? Although espresso has caffeine in it and it definitely fuels you, the point of drinking a latte is to drink it slow. Mobile orders are the rage here in America. The world is not immune. I recognize people opt for Uber Eats deliveries at my local Parisian Starbucks.
Is cafe culture dead?
If I could, I would sit in coffee shops for hours. But it seems others do not look forward to this. They want a packaged prompt drink, not a crafted experience that takes time to appreciate. This is all an example of time poverty. We may be an affluent culture that can spend money on luxury items, but many are lacking the luxury of time. This is a concept in positive psychology called time affluence. We feel we are abundant with time in our lives. This concept is not reserved solely for the youth or the retired. Anyone can have it? It’s how you interact and engage with time, with your commutes, with your loved ones, and even with your latte.
So next time you order a latte, slow down and drink it, maybe even while sitting in a café.
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