The Culture of Coffee
400 billion. That staggering number is representative of the amount of cups of coffee that are consumed around the world annually. According to the History of Coffee, the United States alone spends 4 billion dollars on importing coffee every year, and the retail market for coffee in the U.S. is estimated to be worth around 30 billion dollars. What is it about coffee that creates such a demand, and why do we drink so much of it?
Coffee is a part of most of our morning routines. Coffee drinkers consume 65% of all coffee during breakfast hours. It is a ritual, and we make sure everyone knows it. We’ve all seen the mug that says, “Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my morning coffee,” or the one that equates how empty our cup is to how full our social battery is. Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. It increases activity in our brain and nervous system and even increases the circulation of chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline in our bodies. If people aren’t drinking coffee, they’re likely getting their caffeine from tea (the most consumed drink in the world after water) or maybe even energy drinks. Even so, I don’t think it’s the caffeine alone that keeps the culture of coffee so alive and well.
There is a whole culture and a personalized reality surrounding coffee. Let’s first discuss the coffee shop.
It’s the perfect neutral location. Need to get some work done? Pick your favorite corner and order a latte. First date? Suggest to meet at your favorite coffee shop. Boss wants to have lunch? Head to that café down the street from your office. There's something for anyone at a coffee shop; whether you like black coffee, a specialty latte, avocado toast, or a chocolate croissant, sit back and let the indie baristas serve you.
Furthermore, coffee shops always produce a certain vibe. Stepping into a coffee shop means putting the outside world on pause and entering an altered reality. Time seems to slow here, the smell of roasted coffee filling your nostrils while you skim the pages of a new book; people from all different places are all stopped in time to enjoy their drink. There is probably some “Coffeehouse” Sirius XM radio station quietly playing acoustic covers of today’s top hits, and you may have thought the barista was totally into you. Everyone is welcome in the coffee shop.
Curated reality also plays into the coffee culture. Just like fingerprints, no two coffee orders are the same. Hot or iced? Flavor shot? Cold foam? Cream? Sugar? Milk? Perhaps a milk substitution for $1 extra? The world is in your little coffee cup. You can customize your order to your heart's content, and no one will stop you because that’s just what you do with coffee. And it’s not only the coffee that we can customize and personalize…we can get our own mugs, koozies, straws, and cups. Everything about a coffee can be completely customized to your liking–from where you get it to how it’s made to what it tastes like, even to what it looks like. It’s something that can be entirely your choice.
Coffee is also a social catalyst. It gets people comfortable, gets people talking and gathering together, and gives people a mission or something to do. Bored with your friends? Let’s go grab a coffee. When there's nothing to do, swing through the Dunkin’ drive-through and drive around town to sightsee. Don’t know if a bar is the right place to meet someone? Suggest a coffee shop instead! It provides the perfect amount of exposure and intimacy.
Coffee is the perfect excuse to spend a little more time with the people you love or an excuse to get a little more me-time. However you like yours, let's raise our mugs and thank the universe for that perfect cup of joe.
Strike out,
Haley Dockendorff
Boca Raton
Haley Dockendorff is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. Loud and proud, this Virgo loves writing just about anything that will cause a bit of commotion. If you can’t find her, she’s probably somewhere on a beach with a camera in hand. You can reach her at haleydockendorff143@gmail.com
