A cup of economical brew

Due to the economic downturn, I have downgraded my coffee hood from Spinelli to McCafe.

For the discerning coffee drinkers, this may sound like an undignified move. The Frou might as well just give up drinking coffee altogether. What is the point of consuming coffee at all if I am going down to Mackers level?

I live with it because I wake up a monster without caffeine. Any caffeine is fine with me, even the ones in my cigarettes except I don’t smoke during the day so that is not a source for me. I tried tea as an alternative source of caffeine but it tastes too “decent” in the morning. You can’t transform a monster to a lady instantly.

I also don’t like local kopitiam coffee which you can get for less than a dollar. They taste like kerosene if you do not add sugar, or worse still, condense milk. I am not a fan of sugar in my cuppa.

When I first started going to McCafe, what shock me most (besides the fact that it takes forever to get your order) is the fact that their baristas are trained to make one and only one type of coffee. If you ask for a latte, it comes foamed with chocolate sprinkling. If you ask for a flat white, it comes foamed with chocolate sprinkling. If you ask for a cappuccino, you get what you ask for.

I started ordering cappuccinos because at least I know what I am getting. But over time, I realize it’s a bad idea. Maybe it is due to the consumer-based preference around my office area but everyone here seems to get off from lots of chocolate, sugar or fat milk in their coffee. Which resulted in my McCafe baristas heaping on the useless calories in my morning cuppa as a routine. I literally have to yell from the other end of the counter, “NO CHOCOLATE….PLEASEEEE!”. Usually I am late to stop the pollution because I am not fully awake at that point hence still a non-caffeinated confused gremlin.

So I started ordering an extra shot of expresso so that I can at least mask the taste of any chocolate or fat milk if so accidentally ended up in my cup. But that is not economical because with the additional costs, I can get a decent brew at Spin’s. Also, I get slightly too hyper at work afterwards which is not good considering my job is best done in a sedentary state of mind. (You don’t want to be overzealous when giving legal advice, really.)

So now I only go to McCafe whenever my favorite barista is on duty. She is fabulous, and has gotten my preference down pat. She makes my perfect cup of flat white: no nonsense sugary sprinkling and 30% less (skinny only) milk for a stronger brew. And I don’t even need to say anything to place an order. She starts the machine straightaway when she sees me walking (in a zig-zag zombified manner) her way in the mornings. Brilliant!

And the damage? A mere $2 after ‘office tenant’ discount which was offered recently to help the working minions cope with the credit crunch.

Thank you, Mcdonalds!