From my personal blog:

http://19k.blogspot.com/2007/06/why-is-it-so-hard-to-buy-coffee.html

HAHAHA

My favorite diagram is the last one, showing the path of the "Crazy Sugar People".

Now, can you do a John Madden impression whilst drawing the "Chalk Talk" Lines on the screen that show what everyone is doing?

Good Stuff!

OK, here is my two cents worth: Buy a coffee maker with a timer to turn itself on 'bout ten minutes before your alarm goes off at oh dark thirty. Buy a large insulated coffee mug with lid (more about that later). Fill mug with coffee and whatever you like in it (altho to taste like coffee it should have nothing in it but coffee). Right before you walk out the door, put mug of coffee in microwave (make sure it is a plastic mug, no metal allowed) for 'bout 60 seconds. Drink your own coffee on the way to work, bypassing Fivebucks and the messy do-it-yourself coffee joints. Worked for me for about 30 years, and still does when we take a road trip or something.

Cute diagrams by the way...

You've over-estimated the ability of a convenience store manager to comprehend or care. It's probably beyond his control anyway. Some dude at corporate who does things differently designed the station so you'll need to get to him to make any changes (BTW, he doesn't care either). What you've described though is a situation that you don't control and how you'd fix it if you were the minimum wage employee in charge of the coffee station.

Personally I wouldn't drink coffee from 7-11, WaWa (don't have those here) or a bus terminal. Why not bypass the coffee station entirely and brew your own at home? When I was into coffee I ground my own beans and filtered the water to get rid of any chlorine taste and metals that come with tap water (I made a great cup of coffee). Then you can get one of the many stainless steel 16 oz coffee travel mugs and take it with you instead of adding to the waste by crushing yet another styrofoam cup (which adds its own chemicals to the brew). Think of the stainless mug as a piece of kit

BTW, I used honey in my coffee, mellower flavor, doesn't give the same sugar spike.

I'm guilty of doing the "sugar shaking" move..but I do it with 3 packets at a time(I only use 3 packets btw), thus cutting down my coffee prep time.

Martin,
1st let me say that I always brew my own coffee to take with me to work. I start out with at SS commuter mug that I got as a gift (Starbucks model) that has a really nice tight lid and keeps coffee hot/warm for quite a while. Remainder of fresh brewed coffee goes into my thermos for my drinking pleasure throughout the day.
2nd as for cream/milk/half & half and or sugar/fake sugar never, ever have I had any in my coffee. I like my coffee large, hot and black thank you very much. No blonde sweeties for me.
3rd living in the Delaware Valley like you do I have the same options for "stroe bought" coffee. Tried them all and if I do buy one it's only from Wawa. Not perfect coffee but better than the rest.
As a BIG time coffee drinker I'd probably spend $20-30 per week if I went the "store bought" route. I'm way to cheap for that and make better coffee than they do anyway.
As for your commute I used to work in Queens and would commute from South Jersey every Monday returning on Friday. I feel you pain.

Two words: Dunkin Donuts

Take Rt. 22 through P-burg and stop at the one on the westbound side, not the eastbound. Don't take the drive through, park on the side farthest from the door. Tell them that "Mr. Medium w/ just cream sent you" and they will surely give you the royal treatment.

P.S. When I do stop at Quick Check, I like to put in the half & half first, before the coffee. That way the turbulence from the coffee being poured in mixes it better.

Thanks Martin! That made my day. I can remember the many times I stood in line and watched the antics of the "sugar people". You are spot on! Nice blog BTW.

kmat

I'm with OBG, but one step further. Braun and a few others now make coffee makers with built in grinders. The night before: load beans, cold water, set timer. I tend to alternate between catatonic and homicidal before the morning caffeine infusion.

M

I like my coffee like my women.



Dark and bitter.

That is why I don't bother with coffee. If I need a refill, I just grab my carbonated, caffinated, nuke green sugar water out of the cooler. Unless they have some on the shelf. Hmm... Warm Dew...

I used to have a minimart gig in college, the coffee stands were the only thing that rivaled the hot dog thing for scary. Hot dogs that have been grilling for six hours, not much can top that.

I didn;t read your blog yet Martin...sorry.

A few months back, there was some buzz about a "coffee war" brewing between Starbucks and McDonalds. Now, when I first heard it, I thought "They're not even in the same league! McDonalds makes COFFEE. Starbucks makes high-dollar...uhm....something".

Sure enough, they did an on-the-street survey. Who came out way on top? McDonalds. They make probably the best coffee that you can buy (convenience store wise) in my opinion. The only thing that'll ruin the McDonald's cup of coffee is if they breakaway and start trying to compete with Starbucks with all their brands.

I drive 70 miles one-way to work too. Problem is, putitng coffee in a "thermos" style cup somehow imparts a taste I don;t like. I take a ceramic mug....the same one I drank the other two cups out of *before* leaving the house.

It's very funny to read the story. Even if you are like me one of the crazy suger people.

Curious, what is WaWa. Is that a real store name or nickname?

I spent almost every other week in Newport (Jersey City) between August and January and about 1 week a month before that between June and August but don't remember anything with that name or that could be shortened to that -- but then life was a two block walk up Washington Ave. at 8:00 am and back down to the hotel at 9:00 pm.


Maybe it is something I should recognize but I have been up all night and my mind is not quite as sharp as it should be at this point.

Michael

From WaWa.com:

http://wawa.com/wawaprofile/pro-whatsname.asp

You are dead on ! I've seen this pandemonium before and have elected to avoid it altogether rather than wade into the fracus. And the corrective action suggested is clearly a do-able way of solving the problem.
Of course, getting any store to do that mean they gotta give a crap. I've tried similar things in other arenas of concern and found that few people that possess the logic required to see this problem and design a solution actually run a business. Their focus seems to always be in a hundred other places. But with enough care and nurturing it could be accomplished ... though I'd bet once "the help" cleaned it up they'd put it back the way it had been for years unless there was some cut-outs in the counter or marks indicating where everything was suppose to go. After all, it is hard to get good help.
Sure you could make your own coffee at home.... and I do sometimes. But this problem exists everywhere I've ever been to one degree or another. And I always figured these people just scheduled 20 minutes in the daily routine to execute a task that should only take3 if you have to wait in line to pay !
Oh ...and love the visual aids too !

Haven't you heard? McDonalds coffee may be hot! You could scald yourself if you spill it in your lap. Starbucks sounds safer.

I'm old enough and have been in this area long enough to remember when Wawa was just a dairy down the road from the Franklin MInt.

I thought you were referring to Wawa, Ontario. :-)

Harrkev!!! Don;t get me started!!! I want to sue McDOnald's for making me read their warnings!

(((:D)))

I'm glad I don't drink coffee! I try to stay away from caffeen, due to what it does to my BP!

why-o-why has no one mentioned the superb layout of the new WaWa's? . . . with the creamer and sugars in a seperate island and the wall o'coffee far enough away to allow efficient movement, truly a masterpiece of morning-irritation-avoidance design.


as your opinions have been well stated regarding "Crazy Sugar People" . . .what is your stance on those of us (i shudder to admit it in public) who much prefer the International Delights, flavored creamers? (mmmm hazlenut). . . generally my track is one of speed and efficiency: coffee, 2 girly-creamers, lid, OUT! . . .i clean up after myself to boot! i hate to think that i (as Ashton Kutcher and you so well expounded upon) could somehow impede someones morning commute and cause a butterfly effect...

What's wrong with a thermos, filled at home and a travel mug? The coffee pot can be plugged into a timer so it starts before you get up and will be done when you want to put it into the thermos and fill your cup before you leave the house. That way you A) don't have to deal with the sugar junkies, B) have more than you may want to share with another poor soul, C) save the time at the "stop and rob". Just my oppinion.

Take Care and Stay Safe

I guess I'm lucky, I can't stand the smell of coffee so I don't have to deal with the whole mess, it just smells like burning beans to me

I like coffee ice cream

Actually, the most optimal way to do it is cream and sugar first, then coffee like the brits do with tea. This is so the poured coffee mixes and dissolves the sugar without having spend time stirring with those wussy plastic sticks. ALso, you are less likely to get too much coffee, that overflows after you put in the creamer and sugar. I've seen idiots get a full cup and then put the cream and sugar in, like you think it's not going to take up more room?
The best thing is espresso, 1 1/2 oz, straight shot with or without sugar, drink it in 20 seconds and out the door. Almost as much caffeine as a regular cup..

I like espresso, but it isn;t necessarily about "the caffeine". For coffee drinkers, it's about "the coffee".

Well, speed isn't why i drink it either, but the OP was about the most effective path through a coffee shop. Espresso is also hard to make properly and the machine takes a while to heat up, so maybe not the best at home.

We don't mention "International Delights flavored creamers" except in same way a doctor might discuss problems with your urethra - it's not a topic for broad discussion - we try to avoid even mentioning "International Delights flavored creamers" and I'm sorry I had to mention it here. We're all adults, I guess we can handle it.

THAT made my day!


Martin, maybe you should treat yourself to one of those high-end coffee makers that grind the beans and have all the bells and whistles. Imagine the time you'd shave off your commute, in addition to the decrease in waste. The coffee will probably taste better, too.

Ah, what you need is a "Coffee in 60 secs or it's TEWOTWAWKI time" look. I have that look when I get to work. For some reason no one, but no one gets between me and the coffee. Dunno why.......





New motto: Give Me Caffeine - Or Give Me Death!