The customized drink is out of control

[Patsy Baloney]

Sept 17, 2024 18:31:51 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

What I am also somewhat ragey about are the trendy floats and shakes. Like, they look great in social media pics but how is anyone consuming a thick milkshake underneath a Klondike bar, underneath a bunch of Oreos, underneath Reese’s cups, underneath hot fudge, underneath sprinkles, underneath a cherry on top??? Stop it. And they are exorbitant!

I won’t fight about customized drinks, but I will fight about these.

Such. A. Waste.

Agree with you wholeheartedly.

People can have joy, but they can’t have the “freak shakes” or “monster shakes” or whatever they’re called.

[mofongo]

I was a barista in college and grad school, and I wouldn’t have survived today. Dietary restrictions aside, this is absurd. I like strong black coffee with a little half n half, or double espresso with hot or cold milk and foam. I have an espresso machine. I do get maybe 2 pumpkin spice lattes/year and the same for the peppermint mochas b/c: basic bitch.

If i get coffee from a coffee shop, otherwise, it’s one of my standard orders. I do like the shaken espresso drinks from Starbucks, but prefer to go to local shops, if I don’t make it at home.

ETA: Can we please remove “sweet little treat” from our vernacular!?!

[loira]

Sept 17, 2024 11:25:07 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

But I guess I’m the weirdo who’s cool with just tea. HOT tea. I seem to be in the minority now because I realize I now have to say “hot” with my order since the workers assume iced.

Just move to Canada already. You can leave the "hot" off your tea and the "ice" off your hockey and everyone will know what you mean. You'll probably have to add an "American" to your football but I feel like it's still a fair trade.

[sakoro]

I grew up drinking milky tea and milky coffee so fortunately never got into the flavors/ sweeteners. I wore a CGM earlier this year to understand my hunger signals better and realized how dramatically sweet drinks threw my blood sugar out of whack. The poor pancreases of Utah!

[audette]

Sept 17, 2024 18:31:51 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

What I am also somewhat ragey about are the trendy floats and shakes. Like, they look great in social media pics but how is anyone consuming a thick milkshake underneath a Klondike bar, underneath a bunch of Oreos, underneath Reese’s cups, underneath hot fudge, underneath sprinkles, underneath a cherry on top??? Stop it. And they are exorbitant!

There is a restaurant near me that does these sorts of milkshakes, and they are rediculous.  I think I've ordered one of them twice - as a whole-table sort of dessert type of thing.

They are certainly not something I would order as an individual, not something I would order frequently.

[heygrey]

Diet Coke is my favourite drink far and above anything else. I definitely feel the judgement about it.

@@@@
At work I can't have Diet Coke in the classroom because we have a No Pop rule for students and have to model that as staff. But the teachers have a Starbucks club on Fridays and I see these large sugary drinks and really question why mine is bad and theirs is not. Good thing I have a 32 oz. Yeti to hide my large McDonald's Diet Coke!

[icedcoffee]

I’ve gotten into the habit of getting a McDonalds iced coffee on my way to the office. I drink it black and it’s actually tasty and only 99 cents for a large. Anyway—I do feel kind of embarrassed by it and IDK why because who the fuck cares? Not embarrassed enough to stop.

[mofongo]

Sept 17, 2024 20:56:36 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

I’ve gotten into the habit of getting a McDonalds iced coffee on my way to the office. I drink it black and it’s actually tasty and only 99 cents for a large. Anyway—I do feel kind of embarrassed by it and IDK why because who the fuck cares? Not embarrassed enough to stop.

You don’t say?

[AAM2012]

Sept 17, 2024 11:38:24 GMT -5 sent said:

It's all fun and games until your A1C gets out of control.

And then you train yourself to have coffee with no sugar.

True story. I'm old. I don't understand this at all.

Right!! My mind immediately went to all the sugar, non-value added carbs, diabetes, etc!

*Shaking my cane*

[wanderingback]

All I can think about is all the waste. The person that goes 3 times a day, are they using a reusable cup? I know there is controversy about banning straws but I just think about all the single use items for all this madness.

But I’m not a regular coffee or soda drinker so this is something I don’t "get."

[macmars45]

Same wanderingback; the waste of cups is awful. The few times a month I get a drink at Starbucks I bring my own travel coffee mug.

[thejen626]

I drink regular Coke but don’t drink any coffee or tea. Like someone else said, I’m embarrassed to carry a can of coke around… just feels really white trashy to me, personally. I bought a reusable cup with a straw and lately I use that instead. I don’t judge anybody else and no one has ever said anything judgy to me about it, it’s just a *feeling* 🥺

Lately I hang with my teen at Starbucks to kill 30 minutes before her math tutor. Today I brought a can of coke in my purse and had my daughter get a cup of ice when she ordered her drink. I poured my coke into that cup and felt stupid and genius at the same time 🤣

[mrsukyankee]

I'm pretty sure I'm just totally out of it but I don't see this in the UK in the same way. The big drink craze has been bubble tea. While we do have Starbucks, it's not as big over here. We tend to trend on things later so perhaps we'll see this in the UK in about 5 years.

[shauni27]

Sept 17, 2024 20:56:36 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

I’ve gotten into the habit of getting a McDonalds iced coffee on my way to the office. I drink it black and it’s actually tasty and only 99 cents for a large. Anyway—I do feel kind of embarrassed by it and IDK why because who the fuck cares? Not embarrassed enough to stop.

my mom hates coffee but will get it if we are doing a road trip. She loves the Mcdonalds coffee--"it's newman's!" she always declares, lol.

Sept 17, 2024 22:12:46 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

But I’m not a regular coffee or soda drinker so this is something I don’t "get."

yeah, this is all just not relatable to me. I have been to starbucks once in my life. I drink one cup of coffee made at home in my slow drip cone thing that my dad bought probably 45 years ago. Soda is consumed maybe twice a year with a liquor mixed in. 

These are just not things I can relate to, so I do not get the hype.

whoever mentioned the fancy dessert drinks under the whipped cream and brownies etc, that makes me think of the bloody mary's that are served with a grilled cheese, shrimp, a sausage, etc, all on top. Dude, no.

[wildrice]

I am too afraid to customize too much - one thing I like about going to restaurants is that someone else has already come up with a good recipe for the item, so what if I come in and add things and ruin it? I get making changes for dietary reasons but adding a bunch of extra stuff to my already expensive drink sounds like a good day to mess it up.

I do get a Starbucks or Dunkin coffee about once a week as a treat - usually on days I have to be in the office to make the fact that I have to commute seem less terrible. I cannot imagine doing it daily or multiple times a day - that's so much money spent! I guess if that's your only joy expense then maybe it's worth it, but personally I'd rather use some of that money to go out to eat or buy alcoholic drinks or whatever.

[basilosaurus]

Lol at the woman thinking an expensive drink 3 times a day is a special treat. It's a habit, not a treat.

I had a friend who was either a regional or maybe district manager for Starbucks, and his main location was downtown that was pretty much all business types who want caffeine, hot, get in, get out. I often stopped in for just a drip coffee or a latte if feeling fancy.

He hated covering at suburban stores especially if near a school because of all the blended drinks that took more time, and that years ago before people were all about secret menus and customizing every little thing. I cannot imagine the sugar content of some of these things. I get a toothache just thinking of it.

[glw]

Sept 18, 2024 0:49:02 GMT -5 thejen626 said:

I drink regular Coke but don’t drink any coffee or tea. Like someone else said, I’m embarrassed to carry a can of coke around… just feels really white trashy to me, personally. I bought a reusable cup with a straw and lately I use that instead. I don’t judge anybody else and no one has ever said anything judgy to me about it, it’s just a *feeling* 🥺

See I wouldn't think twice about someone carrying a can of soda, but if they have a big Starbucks cup full of something not coffee-colored and with whipped cream and stuff drizzled on it, my thought is "oh, we would not be friends."  lol

[icedcoffee]

Sept 18, 2024 7:22:46 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

Sept 17, 2024 20:56:36 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

I’ve gotten into the habit of getting a McDonalds iced coffee on my way to the office. I drink it black and it’s actually tasty and only 99 cents for a large. Anyway—I do feel kind of embarrassed by it and IDK why because who the fuck cares? Not embarrassed enough to stop.

my mom hates coffee but will get it if we are doing a road trip. She loves the Mcdonalds coffee--"it's newman's!" she always declares, lol.

LOL---she's right!  It's legit!  It just tastes like...coffee!!  And it's consistent.  It always tastes the same. 

[sonrisa]

Around here, the big custom drink craze looked different than in other parts of the country. There are a number of places that sell custom, usually organic, tonics, juices, cleanses and ‘shots’. All touting different health benefits. Places like Pressed, Urban Remedy, Juice Shop, etc.

Much more expensive and very self righteous claims that it’s improving the world as well as gut health. The treat is getting to be ‘better’ than everyone else. I feel like health and beauty are the new religion and morality.

[UMaineTeach]

McDonald’s makes me mad because they introduced those coffee beverages and had to look “cool” like Starbucks and Dunkin by putting them in clear plastic cups. Which, whatever, I guess cocktails need to be in the right glass to taste right.

But then they didn’t want to stock two kinds of cups and switched soda and juice to the plastic cups. What a waste.

[eddy]

I don't really care for sweet drinks and coffee wrecks my stomach so I sadly don't get to participate in fun beveraginos. BUT if I ever came across a place that had fun sparkling water on tap for example, I would be absolutely addicted lol. And I can't go to any sit down establishment without feeling very tempted to order a pretty glass of wine.  And yes the kind of glass it is in will impact how much I enjoy the wine. :-) I have my vices.

[onomatopoeia]

Sept 18, 2024 11:00:23 GMT -5 eddy said:

I don't really care for sweet drinks and coffee wrecks my stomach so I sadly don't get to participate in fun beveraginos. BUT if I ever came across a place that had fun sparkling water on tap for example, I would be absolutely addicted lol. And I can't go to any sit down establishment without feeling very tempted to order a pretty glass of wine.  And yes the kind of glass it is in will impact how much I enjoy the wine. :-) I have my vices.

Semi-related: I'm trying to cut back on my alcohol intake and I find if I put my flavored seltzer in a wine glass it satisfies that craving for a glass of wine. Enough that I find it easier to abstain from the actual wine, anyway.  Having it in a fancy glass makes it seems much more like a treat.

[EvieEthelGarland]

I was a daily Starbucks/Tully's customer until the combination of them changing their rewards program/giving me lip about an iced doppio with a splash of cream/raising the prices to $4+ for a doppio. Then COVID hit and I bought a Nespresso. It's also not cheap, but its a lot less than a coffee shop. My daily treat now is a convenience store diet dr pepper with crunchy ice. I am too old to care if it looks trashy. Until Halloween they also offer a free snickers or twix with fountain drink purchase. We are now the house that gives out full sized candy bars.

[jeaniebueller]

There is a tiktok account that is just a barista making people's customized drinks and I am appalled by the sugar every time.

[starburst604]

I'm another who doesn't "get" it, but to each their own I guess. I am loathe to waste tons of calories on anything drinkable. I'd much rather eat a dessert than get a sugary drink. I've never liked coffee but I drink black tea throughout the day, with milk and stevia. I'm kind of glad that it's next to impossible to get a decent cup of tea at any place of convenience, because it's forced me into just making it at home in my reusable cup and I do the same at work.

[Deleted]

Add me to the “I don’t get it” list….or maybe the “okay sure, as a treat” list.

I get something like Starbucks maybe twice a month as a social thing, like meeting a coworker for coffee, and I get something simple like iced chai with soy milk because I’m lactose intolerant.

When we lived in the South, it seemed like many people went to Sonic for their drinks and specialized sodas. I never tried them, so I don’t know how “customized” they were, but they were brightly colored and loaded with ice (which I guess is better when it’s from Sonic). They would do this for like an afternoon pick-me-up I guess? Not generally part of a meal, so I guess more like a treat, except people would go every single afternoon.

[RitzyHeifer]

Sept 18, 2024 11:00:23 GMT -5 eddy said:

I don't really care for sweet drinks and coffee wrecks my stomach so I sadly don't get to participate in fun beveraginos. BUT if I ever came across a place that had fun sparkling water on tap for example, I would be absolutely addicted lol. And I can't go to any sit down establishment without feeling very tempted to order a pretty glass of wine.  And yes the kind of glass it is in will impact how much I enjoy the wine. :-) I have my vices.

7Brew, mentioned in the article has this. I’m pretty sure Scooters (Illinois and Iowa chain) does too. Not too encourage a bad habit, just sharing:)

[beerlover]

The only way I ever customize a drink is by lessening the pumps of sugar syrup. I'll get a fun coffee out maybe every few weeks. We have a local shop that always has seasonal lattes and I had a pumpkin cheesecake iced latte the other day w/ half the sugar, and it was delicious. I don't understand why they only sell them in 24 oz cups though. I don't need all that. I often drink half of it and toss it, or share it with H.

[sent]

Sept 17, 2024 22:12:46 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

All I can think about is all the waste. The person that goes 3 times a day, are they using a reusable cup? I know there is controversy about banning straws but I just think about all the single use items for all this madness.

But I’m not a regular coffee or soda drinker so this is something I don’t "get."

I recall Starbucks said not too long ago that they will make your drink in your reusable cup. I don't know if they are still doing that.

[sent]

I hired a very expensive marketing & business management consultant for my office one year. One of her suggestions was to contact a referring office, get their drink orders from Starbucks and bring it to them as a nice gesture to thank them for their referrals. At the time I was thinking "This is a dumb idea. Everyone's coffee will get cold by the time you get through ordering 10 drinks at Starbucks and then transport it to their office."

Now I get it. She was talking about bringing everyone cold drinks.