What is it about coffee that makes it so widely drunk throughout the world?

In London or in any city I visit, my favourite way to start the morning is to visit a local coffee shop without any time pressure. The more the coffee shop is part of the daily lives of the locals, the more charming and interesting it is to observe when waiting for the coffee order. There is a certain appeal in seeing people grab a coffee on their way to work, seeing students settle in and typing away on their laptops, seeing friends catching up, and hearing baristas conversing with their regular customers like old friends. Usually, the coffee goers are minding their own business, focusing on making their orders, eyes glued to their phones while waiting for their cup of coffee to be made and completely unaware of their surroundings.

Coffee Seeks Its Own Level by Allan Wexler. Image copyright Allan Wexler.

What is it about coffee that makes it so widely drunk throughout the world? Is it the actual taste or the caffeine content in the coffee that is being craved? Or is there more to the various coffee cultures in the world that have formed a part of life? They say that when in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Italy, the coffee shops, particularly those in small Italian towns are an absolutely enjoyable sight into the daily lives of the nonno. These men stand at the coffee counters striking up conversations with other coffee goers who probably visit just as regularly. Sometimes they chat amongst themselves or with the barista, and sometimes, they read a newspaper. As local and foreign newspapers can be easily found or bought, this makes the coffee shop a perfect gathering place to discuss the latest world affairs.

Looking back in history, coffee culture dates back as far as the 16th century in Turkey. Until today, coffee in Turkey still plays a key role in the showcase of friendship and hospitality. Small acts such as serving coffee to special guests in more elaborately made coffee cups are, for example, a sweet gesture. In the late 17th and 18th century, coffee spots in London were also meeting spots for artists, writers, politicians etc, making connections with people from different walks of life. More recently, data shows that in the past decade, London has seen a rise of 700% independent specialty coffee shops. Other cities in Europe have also experienced this rise in independent coffee shops. While the small neighbourhood coffee shop vibes do get drowned out when a coffee shop achieves stardom or makes it into some kind of must-visit list, that phenomenon and the slight annoyance you can sense in the regular locals in itself is also something I enjoy observing during my leisurely mornings in coffee shops. All of a sudden, the barista and the servers are inundated with more clients and new clients. Occasionally, the level of service drops, but hopefully the coffee served is maintained just as well. Does one try to find the next local coffee spot or embrace the change that is happening within the city? Are you loyal to your local coffee spot?

On the commercial end of the coffee shop, perhaps a brand that is most recognisable throughout the world is Starbucks. In my opinion, the arrival of a Starbucks coffee shop has a symbolic function for a city. A Starbucks coffee shop versus an independent coffee shop opening around the corner holds different weights, each coming with its pros and cons. While the Starbucks coffee shop typically does not have a reputation for serving the best cup of coffee, it does serve a consistent taste and provides a moment of pause if needed when running around the city, particularly in an unfamiliar city. When one sees the opening of a Starbucks, the word gentrification comes to mind. In the United States, a Harvard study actually made findings by utilising the Yelp business directory service. Through Yelp, the study shows that each Starbucks opening in any ZIP code is positively correlated to a 0.5% increase in housing prices within the ZIP code within a one year period. In some ways, the presence of this particular coffee giant has a much wider impact on the place than serving beverages to the people in the area.

Back at my local coffee spot in London, as they receive more recognition and people seem to travel to have their coffee, I feel a sense of joy for the baristas and owners. Unless I give myself ample time on a weekday morning, I would not consider it a grad-and-go spot but on Sunday mornings, when I have all the time in the world, my 5 minutes stroll coupled with the 15-minute wait when I sit outdoors in the fresh air, usually people watching unless I brought a book along, are enjoyable ways to spend a quiet morning.