Coffee Culture and Enjoying Your Routine

As I walk home from class at University Pompeu Fabra, I pass cafes nestled at every corner. Inside, their tables are filled with consumers of all ages and outside, small tables and chairs are scattered about. At all times of the day, they are full. 

While it is no shock that consumerism is alive in Europe and people here enjoy a cup of coffee, what is more shocking to me is the cultural ethos around what I see. 

My journey into coffee consumption began in high school. It started with a Panera Bread membership that cost $3.99 a month for unlimited iced coffees. My senior year, I worked at a Starbucks in Dallas. Our battleground? The drive-through window, especially during the manic rush hours of 7-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.  

Making a humble $10 an hour, I would pass out several $10-12 orders during my shifts. My objective was to make small talk and get customers out of the window as quickly as possible to prevent angry customers at the back of the line. The store averaged about $6,000-$7,000 in daily revenue or $45,000-50,000 a week. Situated on Renner Road, our Starbucks was just one of three within a mere three-minute drive of each other, each boasting similar earnings. Within a one-mile radius along this singular thoroughfare, three Starbucks locations average about $147,000 in earnings each week. Notably, a substantial 70 percent of these earnings came from our enemy, the drive-through window.  

Starbucks focused primarily on earnings, getting as many customers as possible and incentivizing purchases with rewards and stars. We had a timer by the window and would try to keep each customer there for no longer than one minute. Anything past 60 seconds would make the timer turn red. The entire experience is more geared towards the consumeristic and capitalistic experience. In contrast, the structure of coffee shops in Spain truly does adhere to a customer (dare I say human) experience. 

While I wish I could share the revenues of the coffee shops in Barcelona as an anecdote to what I believe differentiates the culture here and there, I will just share with you what I’ve noticed. 

There is a rush hour, but it is not the same. 

People are always at the shops. From when they open, before lunch, during lunch, after lunch, 3 p.m. and right before dinner when they usually close, there are people seated at tables. 

People are seated. 

There are hundreds of tables and chairs scattering the streets of Barcelona. You see groups of elderly ladies, bikers, men with cigarettes and cards, teenagers, college students and modern renaissance scenes of humanity seated on small collapsable chairs. In Dallas, our tables were often empty. My boss would sit in the cafe because it was quieter than his office near the window, because people rarely came inside.  

“Para llevar?” 

When we first arrived in Barcelona, my roommates and I went to our first coffee shop. It was right before our first days of school and we were in a rush. Each of us ordered coffee and asked for them to go. But, at most stores, this is not an option. We got our cappuccinos, chugged them and rushed off. It was probably a dead giveaway that we were American– the rest of the store was seated with backpacks, briefcases and strollers. Surely they too had places to go, but they had made time to experience their drink and not chug it.

“Are you ready for the bill?” 

“Are you ready for the bill?” is a phrase that I have never heard in Spain. We are not rushed out of our seats and are often only checked on if we raise our hands or for the initial round of ordering. Aside from that, we are left to eat or enjoy our menu items. 

Un Cafesito 

Un cafesito is my favorite word to hear in class. Because, in fact, we have a coffee break in between our two-hour classes for 10-15 minutes. With the smaller drink portion sizes (perhaps comparable to a “tall” Starbucks order) and the multiple breaks in the day for coffee, it is evident that coffee is meant to be shared multiple times a day.  

My teachers sit outside with us and ask about our weekend plans, give suggestions about where and where not to go, talk about their families, etc. My classmates and I will have a cappuccino while discussing trips, home, our countries and more. Another takeaway is that coffee is meant to be shared in the community with others. 

“Seria un euro (that will be one euro).” 

Perhaps one of the best features of a European cup of coffee is its price. For one to three (if you are fancy) euros, you will enjoy a warm cappuccino with premium espresso. Ordering water is more expensive. In every restaurant, most grocery stores and even McDonalds have fancy espresso machines and you will receive a decadent drink with latte art in a porcelain mug.  

The experience behind your one euro would be valued at $7-12 in the U.S. but is standardized here to be accessible to all. As I sit here, amidst a diverse tapestry of patrons — students, construction workers, professors — I’m reminded that the European approach to coffee isn’t just a luxury; it’s a way of life. It’s about slowing down, embracing the moment and savoring life’s simple pleasures. It’s a philosophy that resonates deeply, prompting me to reevaluate my own hurried routines back in the United States. 

With these takeaways in mind, a bigger picture of the European lifestyle can be illustrated. I remind myself that when traveling, the grass is always greener and there are elements to my life in America that our European counterparts also marvel at, and it’s interesting to note the differences. There is less of a rush here, our meals are double the time and we don’t take things to go. Food and coffee are meant to be enjoyed. You don’t see grab-and-go boxes often– if you order something it is assumed that you will sit down and appreciate it. 

Going to new countries and experiencing a change in pace is always exciting and easy to romanticize. Especially amongst my American classmates, I hear so often that life is “just better here.” Maybe it is, or maybe it is just something we are not used to.  

Regardless, with coffee culture as my anecdote, there are ways of life all over the world that can be applied to our own to amplify life back in the United States. Here, it is maximizing your routine. In the U.S I always had a cup of coffee, but I usually had it in a to-go cup as I hurriedly walked to class. I meal-prepped and would eat in my bed as I did my homework at The University of Texas at Austin.  

As I reflect on these observations, I’m reminded of the enduring value of family dinners, a practice strongly enforced by my mom and family back home. What I am picking up in Spain is that if I am going to do something like have a cup of coffee, I may as well enjoy it. Life is too short to not enjoy your food and drinks. 

This post was contributed by Juliana Stanford, a Global Ambassador for Spring 2024. Juliana is a junior public relations studies major studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain.