The other day, on the short walk from my car to my class, I counted six students with Starbucks cups. And, once I got to class, I counted two more students with Starbucks drinks.
Starbucks is very popular with students, but there are drawbacks that should make it not so popular with students.
For one, Starbucks is not cheap. I personally spend ten to fifteen dollars per week on Starbucks drinks and food.
Others spend much more than that on their weekly Starbucks fix. Shanise Small, a fellow student, said that she spends “twenty dollars a week on average.”
While Starbucks drinks and treats are tasty, more than four dollars for twelve ounces of coffee is overpriced. Being that many students are cash-strapped, spending that much money on coffee makes little sense.
Most of Starbucks drinks and food are very unhealthy. The drinks are loaded with sugar and the food is chock full of sodium.
Making your own coffee would not only allow for ingredient control, but would also be much more cost-effective.
Yet, despite the drawbacks, Starbucks remains a favorite amongst students. So then, what makes it so popular?
A big factor is accessibility. There is a Starbucks on almost every corner, it seems.
This accessibility is what makes Starbucks so appealing to student Raveena Sroya. “The fact that I know I can run to the Starbucks near campus before class after a long night of studying is why I am there almost daily.”
The “Starbucks experience” is perhaps the biggest factor.
Starbucks has its own lingo, replacing regular size names with tall, grande, and venti. “The size names make the drinks feel more fancy,”said Shanise Small.
And let’s not forget the seasonal drinks that send students into a frenzy. Chief among these is the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which just recently made its triumphant seasonal return.
This frenzy ensures that students will stop in and get their favorite seasonal drinks before they are gone. “I’ve already had three Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and its only been back for a couple of weeks,” Raveena Sroya said.
There is also the matter of Starbucks serving as a preferred study spot for students. The free WiFi, abundant tables, and, of course, energy-boosting caffeine make it a great place for students to meet up and work on projects or study for a test.
The coffee chain’s popularity lies not only with its drinks but also the experience built around visiting a Starbucks. As long as this continues, Starbucks will continue to count on students as devoted customers and the Cult of Starbucks will live on.
Note: This article was featured in the Fall 2015 print edition of The Prospector.
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