It’s wayyy too hot to be October, and I’ve been standing in line for what feels like hours (20 minutes), chasing a drink from one of College Station’s most lucrative mobile cafes: Daily Bevs.
Just last night, their perfectly curated Instagram account made its way onto my feed, showing me yet another one of their picturesque coffee photoshoots. This time, it was of their fall drop (launching the next day!), positioned on a backdrop of pumpkins and candlelight, with cinnamon carefully dusted over cold foam that overflowed artistically down the side of the cup. Yum! Who wouldn’t want to drop everything to get a taste of one of those?
Which brings me to the next day, Friday afternoon, before driving home for the weekend, looking for something to keep me awake for the drive. That something turned out to be Daily Bevs’ Brown Butter Cinnamon Bun Latte.Â
Now, I’ve been to Daily Bevs before, and there is ALWAYS a line. And for good reason: they are constantly releasing uniquely flavored lattes and matchas; every drink looks beautiful when it comes out, and most importantly, they taste amazing. What’s really amazing, though, is that they only opened one year ago, and they seem to have taken the campus by storm.Â
Daily Bevs is a food truck/mobile cafe; they currently park off of Wellborn, near the Lark apartment complex and Aroma Cuisine. They serve both hot and cold coffees, matcha, and dirty sodas, but I would say their biggest business comes from their specialty drinks.Â
Daily Bevs isn’t the only new cafe that seems to be operating under this business plan. Looking at the types of drinks that seem to be dominating cafes nationwide, certain trends emerge. Fun flavor profiles, mix-ins, cold foam, seasonal drops. Not to mention the rise of matcha and the increasing popularity of dirty sodas. Many other chains have gained huge success and devoted fan followings after adopting this strategy. Blank Street, The Nitro Bar and their viral Instagram drinks, and Texas’ own La La Land (the La La Latte and the Matcha Squared are so delicious), to name a few. Even Starbucks is trying to join the race, dropping new flavors like banana bread, coconut, and pistachio (though the quality is, in my opinion, questionable).Â
Maybe everyone just wants to add a little more whimsy to their daily lives. Maybe people crave something fun, unique, handcrafted, and thoughtfully presented, without chasing Michelin-star experiences. And people definitely don’t want to feel like they missed out. Whatever the reason is, the demand for specialty drinks is on the rise, and stores are reacting to that, chasing innovation, virality, and exclusivity in the drinks they present and how they present them.Â
All that to say, rest assured Daily Bevs, I will be back to try the rest of your fall menu.Â