Horatio Jones wrote:
I'm American and I have always hated walking around with coffee. I've trained my girlfriend now that if we get coffee we have to sit down and drink the whole thing or else I'll get snarky
Wow, tips on how to get girlfriend?
On a more serious note the reason why I as a individual walk around with coffee is as the following:
1. Got sh!t to do and I need coffee in my belly.
It’s too embarrassing to hang around the cafe after the barista rejects your advances.
Drink then go wrote:
Question for the Americans - why do so many of you walk around with a giant coffee in your hand all day? It looks rather odd.
I was in the lobby of a biotech company last week, waiting for my host to collect me. While I was waiting, a party of 3 guys arrived and each of them had a damn Starbucks in one hand and a briefcase in the other. When they had to sign in, they were fumbling around trying to find places to put their coffees. A couple of minutes later, their host arrived in the lobby and I swear to God he had a fvcking coffee in one hand as well. The switching of coffee from one hand to another and the putting down of briefcases to permit a handshake was about the funniest pantomime I think I've seen.
So, my question is - WTF?
American's always have to pretend that they are busy. They can't just sit down for a coffee.
The problem is, they actually just pretend. Everything is so inefficient, it is unbelievable.
For example Restaurants:
You have to wait to get seated, they start cleaning that table, you get seated, somebody brings water, somebody get the drink order, somebody else get the meal order. All it involves 3 to 5 people and it is super slow.
In Europe you just find a table and sit down, your waiter comes and cleans the table if he didn't get to it before. And then he takes your order. Usually there is just one person involved. (You can get a similar experience here at a Mexican Restaurant.)
America, the land of the busy.
anapaix wrote:
Instead of just bashing Americans, as most of this thread is, how about offering some actual reason ? Here's one: after living in France, Spain, and Germany, I've noticed that they often drink coffee after a meal. So it would make sense that since you're already sitting, of course you continue to sit and drink your coffee. But in the USA, coffee is mostly drunk before work or just when one gets up. Hence then, it makes sense to take it with you as you go. It is more efficient, and will allow you to get an extra 15-20 minutes of sleep, or do something else in that time.
Some things are just cultural differences between countries, and that doesn't mean one way is right or wrong. It's perfectly fine how it's done in Europe. It's perfectly fine how it's done in America. Choose whichever way you want to.
Is it really that difficult ?
What?
Europeans drink coffee in the morning too. Usually at home. But this "to go" culture is creeping into Europe as well, like any other bad US habit.
I'm murca to the core, but euro does coffee better. A lot better. Not even close. We could learn a thing or two on the subject. And this is an important subject, no joke.
It's Multitasking Nation. This is why we're slipping in productivity relative to economic rivals. We have increasingly shorter attention spans and stick to that comfort zone, glued to apps that trade on that and rob us further and we don't risk being successful if we don't really try while giving the appearance of being busy doing things. I can't tell you how many nicely-dressed tools I've seen walking around in stores while jabbering away on speaker phone, same deal. Meanwhile, the people who can focus well are achieving true productivity and actually finding happiness in enjoying value in life.
red glare wrote:
It's Multitasking Nation. This is why we're slipping in productivity relative to economic rivals. We have increasingly shorter attention spans and stick to that comfort zone, glued to apps that trade on that and rob us further and we don't risk being successful if we don't really try while giving the appearance of being busy doing things. I can't tell you how many nicely-dressed tools I've seen walking around in stores while jabbering away on speaker phone, same deal. Meanwhile, the people who can focus well are achieving true productivity and actually finding happiness in enjoying value in life.
Multi-tasking is the devil.
Other countries have their own efficiency problems, but multi-taking is the devil.
“When walking, walk. When eating, eat.”
I never finish mine. I freely admit it’s a handsy habit. If Starbucks went out of business I’d probably start chewing pencils.
zz.cvxnz.,xn.xcn.x wrote:
Bad Wigins wrote:
I don't even drink coffee. It's bitter and disgusting. If you need caffeine you can get it cheap from a generic bottle of soda or caffeine pills. You don't need expensive muddy high-pH water.
The reason other people drink it is sheer force of habit.
It's an acquired taste. And once you like it, you like it. You probably don't like raw oysters or grapefruit or unsweetened tea either because most people don't like those things at first taste either.
It's not an acquired taste. I really liked coffee when I was a kid when my parents let me have it, even without sweetener.
Some people like coffee and some don't. If you don't like it why would you try and "acquire" a taste for it?
Just to clarify, any drink starting with "frap" is not coffee; any drink starting with "cap" is not coffee; any drink starting with "lat" is not coffee; any drink starting with "moc" is not coffee; and any drink starting with "esp" is not coffee. Dammit, coffee is coffee and anyone walking around with some frapresso skim non-dairy non-soy coconut steamed chai is definitely not walking around with coffee!!!
I'm guessing you don't travel much. American "third-wave" coffee (think Vivace, Vita, Intelligentsia, Blue Bottle, Stumptown, etc...though some of those have declined as of late) are consistently better than anything I've come across in Europe or Asia or even Melbourne (the supposed coffee capital of Oz). And, yes, I have lived in both Europe and Asia for a combined total of 18 years and have travelled pretty much everywhere.
John Utah wrote:
I'm murca to the core, but euro does coffee better. A lot better. Not even close. We could learn a thing or two on the subject. And this is an important subject, no joke.
"More than any other culture"?? Really? Have you ever been to Asia? Japan and Korea especially come to mind, but I'd include Singapore and China among others as cultures that are hugely trend-following.
Tommy2Nuttz wrote:
Apparently its cool and hip to be seen with an Sbux cup in hand as you rush around. Notice you will never see any of them stop and take as sip. And they never carry their own mugs, its always a disposable.
More than any other culture the US is big on trends and the changes that you see are always funny. Watch how women dress in summer or fall, its like they have a uniform.
BTW have you caught the latest phrase being used with much frequency? Its, "No worries". At least in these parts. Where do things like this start from? Ive always been curious.
Joe Fourpack wrote:
Just to clarify, any drink starting with "frap" is not coffee; any drink starting with "cap" is not coffee; any drink starting with "lat" is not coffee; any drink starting with "moc" is not coffee; and any drink starting with "esp" is not coffee.
True but those things are all disgusting too. People just feel special drinking silly but chic Italian products. Which brings up a good question to the long-gone European OP, why do Euros always invent such weird stuff.
If someone bumped this old thread just to try to nitpick with me about coffee pH again, be advised I'm the only one in the world to have solved the infamous crocodile problem without using calculus, and I did it right here on these boards, so don't be starting no smart contest.
Drink then go wrote:
Question for the Americans - why do so many of you walk around with a giant coffee in your hand all day? It looks rather odd.
I was in the lobby of a biotech company last week, waiting for my host to collect me. While I was waiting, a party of 3 guys arrived and each of them had a damn Starbucks in one hand and a briefcase in the other. When they had to sign in, they were fumbling around trying to find places to put their coffees. A couple of minutes later, their host arrived in the lobby and I swear to God he had a fvcking coffee in one hand as well. The switching of coffee from one hand to another and the putting down of briefcases to permit a handshake was about the funniest pantomime I think I've seen.
So, my question is - WTF?
Did you happen to notice there are a lot of coffee shops in America? And Americans like coffee, so logically frequent said coffee shops. When they do that, they have to carry the coffee with them to where they are going?
I mean, maybe in your country you have people carry your coffee for you when you go to a Starbucks or whatever coffee shop, but in America, we do that ourselves. It's the reason why we rock the world.
Your welcome.
Coffee is delicious>it's good to have delicious things at hand>therefore we carry coffee.
Bad Wigins wrote:
Joe Fourpack wrote:
Just to clarify, any drink starting with "frap" is not coffee; any drink starting with "cap" is not coffee; any drink starting with "lat" is not coffee; any drink starting with "moc" is not coffee; and any drink starting with "esp" is not coffee.
True but those things are all disgusting too. People just feel special drinking silly but chic Italian products. Which brings up a good question to the long-gone European OP, why do Euros always invent such weird stuff.
If someone bumped this old thread just to try to nitpick with me about coffee pH again, be advised I'm the only one in the world to have solved the infamous crocodile problem without using calculus, and I did it right here on these boards, so don't be starting no smart contest.
Smart and being clever with words I'd consider separate categories.
What's actually important is if you don't drink coffee then what the hell do you use as your prop? Nothing? That would be absurd.
First time in ever I'm drinking coffee in a cafe, AMA.
Cause we need the energy to save you from Germany twice and all the terrorists now
Label on cup = status symbol
