Who Are These People?

I am certain that Starbucks puts crack or some other addictive chemical in my trenta passion tea/lemonaid to get me to come by many mornings and sit like a fool in the drive thru.

LMAO @ the single guy comment, that was my first thought EXACTLY.

My 2 close girl friends and I used to skip first period and go to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. There was the same group of 4 little oooooold men who had breakfast there at the same time every day without fail. Sometime's they've buy us coffee, sometime's we'd pick up their tab. Out of the blue, one day, one of the old geezers looks at me and asks in a whisper 'What color bloomers ya wearing there, sweet young thing?' OMFG! BLOOMERS?! REALLY?! Creeeeep!

We never went back. Lesson learned.

I LOVE DD coffee. I brew it at home too, but it's just better when they make it, so some mornings I treat myself. I also enjoy talking to the employees. I've gotten to know them over the years. They make me smile. If the line is too long, I'll park and go in. It goes pretty quickly though at my DD.

Wait. Hold the phone.

They got out of BED, showered, dressed, got into a car, DROVE....

All without having coffee first???

That's the craziest thing I've ever heard!!!

Without coffee...I can barely MAKE a decent cup of coffee...let alone leave my house. I'm filing this under "F" for fairy tale. People don't really do this. I'm sure of it. ;-)

((Also, I am a coffee snob, like, a really bad coffee snob...(shhhh...don't tell) and mc-coffee makes me want to cry.))

Having worked in fast food for a number of years, I can tell you that although you are counting ten cars every day, in all likelihood only 1 of them is there every morning. Fast food places do get there regulars, and for them it's mostly because they need routine. But the majority of people that we would see during our rush hours are not there every morning, there just people wanting food for whatever reason and then they go about there business. Also, for most fast food places ten cars will clear the drive-thru in 5 minutes. So it's not like there spending a half hour waiting in line. If I run out of coffee I'll swing through McD's to get a cup. So my car could be one of ten, but I'm certainly not doing it daily, and it takes less time then going to the store and then going back home and then making coffee.

Hahaha!!! When my kids were younger I would drop them off at school and head right to McDonalds for my Diet Coke. Of course this was with a van full of daycare kids since I had a family daycare at the time. Now the McDonalds was not out of the way so I was not driving kids all over the place for my diet coke and all the parents knew. It was my addiction. When I stopped driving my children to school there were a few parents of the kids I cared for who knew about my addiction and wanted the best for their children, so every morning they would walk in with a large diet coke in their hands for me. :)

Theresa:

Some people don't see it that way.

They see this - waiting in line for food - a CONVENIENCE. Simple as that. I don't. There have been times when I've gone to McD's for breakfast - if there was a line? I didn't wait. I came home.

basically - these are the people that complain about being broke, but don't realize they are spending $50 a week at McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts or some other place...Subway....

I don't know. I don't see it as a convenience. I don't see it as healthy. I don't drink coffee - so I don't know how substandard it is. Next time - stop and ask them!!! Say - hey - I'm conducting a survey - what's your reason that you wait 10 minutes for this? Is it worth it?!?!?!

I had a friend in grad school who shared an office with me who was seriously addicted to fast food. She had it for 2 out of 3 meals daily! She really craved it. She was very overweight. She was the nicest person and I never felt it was right to say anything to her about it. I worried about her though. I wish I had known her better but she was only around my last year and I was so busy finishing up. We went to a conference together in Hawaii right when I was finishing up and we shared a condo with some other students. I would want to get some fresh fish or Hawaiaan food for lunch and she would beg to go to Jack in the Box. She would go on and on and on about how good such and such thing was. We ate there for one lunch and I got the thing she raved about and I thought it tasted terrible. I guess because I was not used to eating fast food. She would stop at a drive through every morning. So...people like her would do this. It had nothing to do with being in a hurry. She WANTED that fast food breakfast bc to her it was so yummy. I think about her now and then and boy I hope she changed her eating habits.

I would never stop if there were more than a couple of cars, but I used to be one of those people! I had 75 minute commute (one way) and an infant so I was seriously sleep deprived. I would make coffee at home but it would be gone in half an hour so I would stop and get some to hold me over until I could get to the coffee maker at work. Absolutely ridiculous!

Um, I don’t think there is any rhyme or reason to it, I simply think that’s how it is. Some people have their routine, which includes going to Dunkin' Donuts before work. Maybe they want time to sit in the car and have a moment to themselves before they start their work day. Maybe they really like the coffee. I have lived in many places and in every single town I've lived in the DD's line is wrapped clear around the block every morning, especially when you live in an over populated area like Northern NJ, it's bound to happen. It's like that on the weekend too. Sometimes you'll find yourself sitting in line waiting to get gas. Where I live hurry up and wait is a way of life.

I know during the winter I would sit in that line. I'd rather sit in my warm car than scramble around on an icy parking lot, with a gale of cold wind in my face all at 7:00 a.m.

I dont know, because anytime I have run in anywhere to get coffee, it was disgusting! I certainly wouldnt wait in line for it.
The eating thing, I eat a granola bar every morning for breakfast while I am making the kids breakfast.
I dont know how they have time to sit in line. But, I guess they are figuring they can eat on the way to work and that would save time?
Nothing like a greasy breakfast to get you going!

I used to do this once a week, but I did not wait in line for it. Had I left the house with the "extra" time on Friday and there was NO line (maybe one car ordering) I would go to either Sonic or Taco Bueno for breakfast to change it up. I made my own coffee and breakfast each morning but I would skip that once a week to purchase something, now if there was a line then at my office I had yogurt in the fridge and oatmeal in my desk or I could eat from their cafeteria options (typically slim pickins by the time I got there) but typically I just ate my stuff. My MIL is one of those that gets in line EVERY morning, but I think she is in line before there is a line, like 5am. So, I do not know why anyone would actually wait in line like that.

I had to agree with EPHIE, more then wonder why pay more I wonder how they make it to the door?
First thing I do when I wake up in the morning is:
Take 3 cups out, one with coffee for me one with milk for my 3 year old, one with orange juice for my 13 (well this last is a glass).
=*)
Now my daughter by this time has already take a shower, getting ready watch The Big Bang Theory on demand!!

Some people are just that weird. (JK)

For some people it is probably laziness (don't want to deal with cleaning out the coffee pot, ya know?) Or the hassle of carrying it out of the house in one hand, while juggling a briefcase/coat/etc in the other?
For some, maybe there were running late and had to have their coffee and DIDN'T allow time for the line, but are stuck in it anyway.

My husband goes thru every once in a while--when I accidentally run out of half/half or coffee beans and there isn't any to make without a late night trip to the store to buy it.
Had one instance last fall, when the spring thingee on the bottom of the drip machine sprung and broke, and the coffee pot wouldn't work then. Didn't have time to get a new one before the next morning.
Stuff happens, ya know?

Now, if it is the SAME 10 cars every morning.. then I guess they just LIKE that stuff. LOL Do they like to eat a fresh donut with the coffee? The fresh ones from Dunkin are way better than anything from a box at home.... ;)

I don't drink coffee, but from what I hear, you really can't brew coffee as good as Dunks at home. Even if you use their beans, it's just not the same. And iced coffees are almost as popular as hot, year round. Iced coffee at home is a giant PITA to make.

I don't think that even if I drank coffee I would stop for one every day (too cheap and too rushed) but during the summer, I do like to treat myself to a DD Iced Tea once a week and I don't mind the wait.

The people you see probably budget the time and money to do this. For many, it's probably a nice little way to start the day.

When I worked I did this regularly. It was always a biscuit and coke from Hardee's. I didn't rush around so I could get it, but I would stop if I had time to spare.

Like if I made great time on the way to daycare, my daughter was super easy to drop off, and I made good time to work. It's like my own little reward for making such good time. :)

They just opened a DD close to our house, same thing, TONS of cars in drive thru. Hubby and I have only gone once, to grab a donut and coffee for a road trip we were going on. This morning I took the kids to QT to get lunchables and a bag of chips for their field trip I forgot about and didn't have anything to make them for lunch (they buy lunch every day) AND they bought a pack of donuts and a gatorade for breakfast. It was $19. I almost fainted. But there were TONS of people in there doing the same thing. I like to think its just a fluke, like me, they just happen to be there today, they don't *really* go every single day, do they???? I mean, how could they even afford it??? I don't get all the Starbucks people either. But then, hubby and I go to the movies every single weekend that we have the kids and the weekends we don't. So some might think "WTH" are we doing??? To each his own I guess, but I agree with you. =)

hee! i'm coming at it from the other side, and scratching my head at all the coffee purists who are just SOOOOOOOOO sure that anyone who buys chain store coffee is lazy, unmotivated, stupid and totally lacking in palate!
:D
i buy awesome organic free trade dark roast coffee and make a mean cup at home. but it's an hour drive to the college where i teach, and one of the carrots i use to lure myself into the classroom to bounce and sparkle and enthuse is a 'treat coffee.' and i can't make a caramel latte that's fresh, hot and in my hand when i walk in. so i stop at dunkin' and buy one, and i love the drive-through IF there's no line. if there is i go inside, and yes, huff and puff if there's a wait cuz i'm a chronically late person and always flying around by the seat of my pants. :)
unfortunately for me i'm cutting way back on dairy and don't care for soy, and the only coffee shop i know of that uses almond or coconut milk is nowhere near work. so i AM making my own and using one of starbuck's miracle insulate travel mugs, which does keep it nice and warm til i get there. but i still miss my mass-produced whole milk sugar-riddled caramel latte treats on teaching days.
:) khairete
S.

Since I work at home, I HAVE to drink my own coffee...unless one of my mom's treats me...and let me tell you what a treat it is! I LOVE coffee shop coffee...but it is pricey, IMO, so I only get it when I have a gift card (got 3 for Christmas!) or just feel the need for a treat (not very often!)

For those who do every morning or multiple times a day (yes, I know some that do that!) I can't imagine what they are spending! I'm kinda cheap, so like I said...TREAT! HAHA!

Nothing against those that do though...I'm a lil jealous! :)

My husband does that. I don't know why! I buy him coffee at the grocery store that we can grind up at home, creamer, and sugar and he still buys it at 7-11. He says it's only $1.25...but still! He goes through spurts. Drink it at home for a couple of weeks go to 7-11 for a couple of weeks. It certainly doesn't make sense to me.
L.

I think the SAME exact way as you. If you have time to sit in that line you would have time to fry and egg in a skillet while the coffee is brewing.

I drink my coffee on the way to work (made from home) and often I bring a bagel or muffin (or oatmeal) with me and toast it once I am at work. I always get to work at least 15 mins early for my "ahhhhh" time before I start into the work day.

Crazy! I'd rather stay in bed longer! And frankly, the coffee pot is my first pit stop of the morning. But I'm also cognizant of the fact that anything I make at home is going to be healthier for me than anything I'd buy through a drive through. It's funny, my girlfriends will comment sometimes "How come you always stay the same weight? You never gain weight!" Welllllll, I don't do fast food or sodas.

I can't abide drive through coffee, so I can't fathom the motivation. :)

I used to be one of those that was in line at DD (3 times a day!!!!!!) I love their coffee.. but it no longer loves me.. no coffee does.. but ohhhh now I want an iced.. great... lol.. tea it will be from home instead.. I personally now dont have the extra funds to do it, I did then. I also walk my kids the 1/2 mile to school EVERY day (unless I am lucky enough to have MY truck to run errands for him) I dont try to car pool unless I have 2 classes of cupcakes to carry. I understand why, but dont want to think about how much I spent away on that coffee and cigarettes... soooo sad... but hey.. to each their own..

I never get fast food, I can't stand it and would rather not even eat than digest that garbage. I'm totally with you on that one.

When I was commuting to work I would bring my coffee from home (and breakfast). I am a very picky coffee drinker so it is better that I make it at home and I have always had the preset option on my coffee makers. The downside was that my commute was anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour long so by the time I got there I was headed right to the ladies room (thank God I made it every day and never peed in my pants, lol). I like DD's coffee once in a while, but I would not sit in a line waiting for it.

I don't get it either why most people rush out the door, wait in line for coffee or crappy food and then drive like total nuts to get to where they are going. And you know they are the ones that complain all day about how long it took to get to work or how much traffic there was.

I don't really know what these people are doing, I see them too. But I can tell you that my husband is a police sergeant for the NYPD and he is one of those people waiting on line.....for a large diet coke! 5 times a day. It's horrible. But it keeps him going through the long hours.

Not all of them are single guys. Most of the cars in line at the fast food places on the way to our school are moms and their own kids on the way to school. I know because alot of the cars are friends and neighbors of mine. This is totally a judgement call but the regulars in line are usually the moms who stay up late, get up late and so are too lazy to plan breakfast (again, these are friends of mine so I know their schedules).

I don't drink DD coffee (I do have a weakness for Starbucks though) and I work from home so to go out every am and buy coffee is something I just don't do. However, I have two good friends that do the DD drive through daily as you mention. They both just love that coffee. I don't think they ever buy food there. They think it is the BEST coffee and stop and buy it on their way to work every day. To them, its worth it and better than their home brew.

When I was on assignment (years ago), this was me. I was living out of hotel rooms. And Dunkin Donuts has hotel coffee beat by a mile. McD's would have been about the best breakfast that per diem would allow.

If I'd been local to these assignments, it might still have been me. I was DIRTY by the end of the day and had to be at work in the wee hours, so I'd stumble out of bed, pull on my clothes, and go. Showers were a before-bed ritual. In the morning, we'd be drinking coffee in our cars and stuffing our food in our mouths because making time for breakfast would have meant getting up even earlier.

I've been in an office now for years...and it's just different. My guess is that these are all people who work at dirty jobs and have to be on-site very early.

best to you,
e