Free Coffee

No charge
Grande black eye
Day starts well

$1000 Sex vs. $100 Sex

Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts

Image courtesy of Seattlepi.com

Now that I have your attention, the real title of this entry is Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts.

I know you guys are smart enough to realize this is by no means a taste test comparison of two the nations leading coffee brands. This is more of a look at the mind set that often comes into play when discussing ones favorite brew. Just for full disclosure I prefer Starbucks.  I have tried the others, D&D, 7-11, various diners, break room and even instant coffee. It does not bother me that the majority of the folks do not like Starbucks. Is it not about choice? What does bother me though is that the non Sbux drinkers will deride us for spending more on something that we enjoy. As if all pallets were the same. Should that be the case why not a monochromatic world and season less food? There is no comparison, for better or worse, between the various brews.  Yes it is all coffee just like $100 sex and $1000 sex is still sex. But what do I get for the $1000 that I do not get for the $100.

• Environment – I can enjoy my cup of joe in an environment that suits my lifestyle.
• Choice – Sbux provides me with a constant variety of new flavors and blends to try.
• Class – This is not about the people per se but more about the experience. Sbux educates its customers. You either get it or you don’t.

You see my point. Although ultimately sex is sex and each provider will produce the same outcome (snicker snicker) but perhaps for the $1000 I am in a posh hotel and not in the back seat of a car. Perhaps for the $1000 I am with an educated, worldly and entertaining host. For the $1000 I had the chance to pick from a selection of the most beautiful and talented women for which to satisfy my carnal desires.

Continuing with my prostitution metaphor. Perhaps I tried the $100 street walker and by some good fortune also got to experience the $1000 call girl. Yes they both performed the same service but as I described above what made the difference was how it was offered. Maybe for some those differences are irrelevant but for others they are deal breakers.

I guess all I am saying is that there are choices out there.  The ones you choose are just that, the ones you chose. Let me enjoy my $2 cup of coffee and I’ll let you enjoy your $1 cup of coffee. After we are done with our hot aromatic beverage we can bask in the warm after glow of post consuption satisfaction.

With the tough economic times perhaps making it yourself is actually the best course of action. If you choose to do so why not learn a little bit about how to make a really good cup of coffee. Here is a good place to start…