Hacker News Reader

Comment by duxup | Hacker News Reader

>They’re selling a lifestyle.

People eat up "lifestyle" brand stuff like crazy. I suspect people just want something special in their daily lives. I get that.

I assume it's appealing to sellers too because it inspires some potential level of loyalty and uniqueness when it comes to their products where otherwise it is "just coffee".

Granted I say that while I sip my Kirkland coffee here at my desk, amused that what was once a sort of semi generic store brand, Kirkland now has it's own apparel with its brand on it and Costco fans love it.

I guess we can find something special everywhere.

View on HN

I was on a coffee shop kick for...15 years?

And then I just quit. I'm not sure if was the price, waiting in line, or the quality going down since so many places popped up or what. But I just have zero interest in buying a coffee. I drink generic stuff I make at home. Or I just go without.

Oddly around the same time I quit drinking sodas.

I am kind of the same. I will support local coffee shops frequently but I am not good enough to notice the super fine flavor profiles or remember them. They all taste “yummy” including the stuff I grind and brew at home or from Costco.

Yep it’s all about justifying $6-8 or more for a freaking cup of coffee. Even McDonald’s got in on it. Used to pay about $1 for a drip-brewed cup of coffee, now it’s “McCafe” and closer to $5.

I drink Folgers and that’s good enough.

Just out of curiosity, is there nothing that you have preferences about? Because I think it's easy to look at someone else's hobby and reflexively say that they're overpaying for something.

For example, I can't personally fathom paying 4k for a gaming PC. 60 vs 40 frames per second doesn't "matter" to me in any meaningful sense.

That being said, I totally get why other people care. If gaming is the thing you really enjoy, I can see why you might want the faster framerate. If you exclusively play super demanding games, I can see wanting decreased loading times and better graphics.

I guess the point I'm making is it's totally fine to drink your Folgers and be fine with that. I do also think that there are "overpriced" coffee places that aren't offering meaningfully better quality and are surviving based on branding. But I think it's okay to spend more for things that you like more. If might be "just a cup of coffee" to you, but reflect and consider what your "cup of coffee" is.

In my opinion, life is more fun when we can enjoy the variety that it has to offer and let others do the same.

Oh sure, I have no objection to people doing it, enough people like Starbucks coffee to keep them in business and employing people and paying taxes so it's all good in that sense. I just don't partake.

Also if I like something (e.g. Whiskey) I try to find the bargain values that are still good (e.g. Evan Williams White Label 100 Proof) rather than spending a lot more on a bottle that's marginally (if at all) better but has a name with more cachet.

McDonald’s in my area still has $1 coffee, and it’s actually very good. I am a big fan of the fancier light roasts at my local roaster, but McD has good and cheap coffee.

I see a medium coffee in the McDonald’s app for $1.79. What does it cost near you?

Interesting, last time I was at Mc Donald’s brewed coffee didn’t seem to be on the menu. I had an Americano which was the closest thing to what I really wanted. I very rarely eat there anymore so not sure I’ll have a chance to verify.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com