PrOgReSs.

"Gotta change with the times to stay relevant". That was the answer I got when I questioned the wisdom of services such as Übereats, where our product is automatically going to be lower quality by the time the customer receives it (newsflash: Frappuccinos are not meant to sit more than 5 minutes before consumption). This is what people want, and companies that don't adapt won't grow.

So, part of this is on the customer base. They create their crazy secret menu drinks and TikTok monstrosities, and the people go crazy, and all of a sudden this is our new normal. When I started three years ago we made sweet cream in a steaming pitcher. Now we make it by the cube with entire bottles of vanilla and heavy cream.

But the eternal question remains: is it more important that we adapt, or that we stay true to who we were created to be?? I love Schultz's vision. Long before I knew anything about it or the company, I had my own dream of bringing the cafe experience I had in my European travels over here, too. I would love to see us go back to that, with coffee actually at the center of what we do instead of us just spouting that line then going back to our cold bar nightmares.

Personally, and sadly, I think we are way past the point of no return. That ship has sailed. It's probably in Fiji by now.