With apologies to the iconic Coffee Crisp ad, we North Americans like our coffee in a cup. And we like it a lot.
It’s estimated that last year we drank more than two servings of the (usually) caffeinated beverage a day. While the health impact of coffee is subject to debate, current dietary guidelines support our habit. We’re allowed three to five cups a day — provided it’s without cream, milk or sugar.
As noted in a Huffington Post article, one research study suggests that most people actually do prefer to drink their coffee black. The study by ratings organization Zagat suggests that nearly half of males, or 42 percent, prefer black coffee. Women are less likely to drink it black — perhaps because they tend to opt for creamy coffee beverages. Those of both genders who haven’t moved to the dark side prefer half-and-half to skim milk.
The health impact remains controversial, but the business aspect is indisputable. The Zagat study says people pay an average of $3.28 for a coffee and are willing to pay even more if a barista prepares it. Given a two-cup-a-workday habit, that works out to at least $6.56 a day, which means we spend more than $130 a month on coffee, weekends not included.
Interestingly, different countries have different brewing preferences. More than a third of Americans participating in a Houzz.com coffee consumption survey say they prefer drip coffee. Ironically, Germans don’t, even though it was a German who invented the paper drip coffee filter; 26 percent of Germans love their espresso makers.
