Has COVID-19 Killed the Coffee Shop?
Since early 2020, COVID-19 has completely taken control of the world, and with it our conveniences, habits, and hobbies.
Lounging inside of coffee shops seems like a distant pastime from an era that no longer exists. Maybe the strangest part is having lived through that era and feeling the wake of its transition.
Of course, the era I’m referring to is life before COVID-19 when coffee lovers could cozy themselves into giant leather armchairs and people-watch from the window. Basically, 2019 and prior.
But is it really so bad now? Has COVID-19 really killed coffee culture? Do we need a coffee shop to get good coffee in the first place? Maybe most importantly: do we need to people-watch from coffee shop windows?
Pumpkin Spice Lattes Aren’t the Only Things Fall Is Bringing to Coffee Shops
Coffee shops were open over the summer in some cities, though most were limited to outdoor seating.
Now that the days are shortening, the rain is coming down, and the air is filled with slightly-too-cool breezes, things are changing for coffee shops. Less physical customers, less drive to maintain outdoor seating and possibly more mobile orders.
Pumpkin spice lattes are in full swing—they’ll be the last thing COVID-19 takes away from coffee shops. But their impact has changed.
People no longer have that skip in their step when opening up the front door to Starbucks. It’s been replaced with fear and uncertainty and the dreadful thought of “will they have pumpkin spice today”.
Due to COVID-19, People Are Realizing What’s Important in Life
People have been slow to realize the severity of COVID-19 in their regular lives as well as coffee shop culture and other conveniences that’ve been taken away.
All this boils down to people realizing what’s important in their lives. Unfortunately for coffee shops, that means a lot of people have discovered the joy of brewing coffee from the comfort of their own homes.
Think about it. You can people-watch from your own window (depending on where you live). You can make the water as hot as you want without a badgering barista breathing down your neck. You can make your own pumpkin spice latte.
Post-COVID-19 Culture: Coffee Close, Family Closer
Instead of letting major coffee shop chains put the skip in your step, you’re putting that skip in your own step. It’s post-COVID-19 culture, and it’s one that coffee shops should be fearful of.
Brewing coffee from home and avoiding coffee shops are definitely not the only important things people have realized in the past year.
Keeping family close now equates to staying home, avoiding the risk of exposure that somehow feels inevitable when visiting places like a coffee shop.
A good cup of coffee can be made from home. And an even better, more valuable experience can be gained from it instead of going to the shop. People are realizing this, and us at Coffee Bonus are totally on board.
Maybe it’s time to ditch coffee shop culture and head straight for 2021 with arms open, embracing home coffee culture for COVID-19 and beyond.
