I know it’s PSL season and everyone is *so* excited, but I’m about to rain on everyone’s parade with my next sentence. Starbucks is overrated. Yikes, I said it, but it had to be done. You can continue to get your coffee at the popular chain, but maybe my article will be less of an attack for you and more of an eye opener by the end of it all.
As a coffee lover myself, I understand the love for going out to get your morning cup of Joe and heading off to work or school, rather than making it at home. I’ll be the first to agree that it’s always better tasting than the home brew you make, but there are so many better places than Starbucks to get that drink from. I know there are Starbs all over the place, one on every corner, if we’re being honest, and it’s convenient, typically with a drive thru and not horribly priced. But honestly-their espresso is so, so bad. It tastes like tires, or it’s burned, changing the whole taste of the drink.
I used to be a Starbucks regular before I learned more about espresso and how it’s supposed to taste. I realized when I tried espresso elsewhere that I was missing out on amazing specialty drinks in comparison to Starbucks. So, I go local. Coal Creek here in Laramie is the spot for me because not only is their espresso- and any drink, really- super amazing, but it’s also locally roasted. Yes, it’s a little pricier, but you’re supporting a local business, and paying for that high quality coffee you deserve to be drinking if you’re going to go out and get something. It’s so delicious that Starbucks doesn’t even compare. I haven’t even ordered a drink from them in 3 years, I just refuse.
Now, I’m sure you’re probably thinking something about how other shops might not have your typical PSL or Peppermint Mocha that Starbucks loves to hype up when it’s in season, but I have a spoiler for you-EVERY coffee shop can probably recreate the drinks at Starbucks, it’s just named something else, or all in how you order it. You have to remember “PSL” and “Peppermint Mocha” are marketed names. They’re given the name much like a Band-aid is given for bandages, or Tide for laundry detergent. It’s literally all hype and branding, not that it exclusively exists at Starbucks. If you want a PSL at another coffee shop, just ask for a latte with pumpkin flavoring, or pumpkin spice. If you want a Peppermint Mocha, ask for a mocha with peppermint flavoring. It’s *that* simple, and it will probably taste better. You could probably tell a barista the drink from Starbucks and they might be able to copy it, it just depends on the shop, but it’s not impossible. Just because a drink is at Starbucks doesn’t mean it isn’t anywhere else.
Finally, this is purely personal belief, but I also live for a coffee shop I can work in as well. I like having a study or work space when I go in for a drink most days, unless I’m on the run, and Starbucks is always packed, with loud noise levels and too much hustle and bustle to focus. If you find a little coffee shop that’s local to your area and cozy, that makes a world of difference, too. A place that feels cozy is way better than a place that you can’t find peace in, but again, that’s just a factor I take into account and I realize that isn’t for everyone.
Sorry to come for you, Starbucks, but honestly, locally made coffee is so much better than large franchise coffee. Sure, finding smaller, local coffee shops can be a bit of a search, but once you find one, it’s so worth it. Those cozy, hole-in-the-wall shops are typically the best you’ll ever find. So, instead of making yourself suffer with the tire flavored lattes that Starbucks is notorious for, do yourself a favor and do some research, find a coffee shop that fits your vibe and try out their coffee. If you think I’m totally stupid after reading this, that’s fine too, I just want to help. Everyone deserves good coffee and if I can help you with that, I will feel accomplished.