I have made a recent change in my morning coffee routine. I’ve quit Starbucks. Now, before everyone thinks I sold out to begin with, let me explain.

I prefer to brew my own fresh ground cup in the morning using recently roasted beans and a French press. But as mornings go, I had developed the habit of stopping at a Starbucks and getting a regular coffee. The staff was pretty friendly and a few even got to know what I wanted and have my cup ready by the time I got to the counter.

Then Dutch Bros opened just up the road. As I have stated, I found their coffee to be really good. I would stop usually on weekends. So what happened that I now stop for coffee just about every morning at Dutch Bros?

Customer service! (or the lack thereof)

I’m pretty easy to please. I understand the business and how things can happen. But about a week ago I had finally had it. On occasion when going into the Starbucks, the half-and-half would be near empty or completely empty. I would politely take it to the counter and ask it they could replace it when they got a chance. If this was happening every now and again, I could accept it. But it became an every day problem! I am not making this up.

This became so common, I would start picking up the canister when I entered so I could give it to them before I ordered my coffee. After literally a period of 7 days in a row of this happening, I made the change. The last morning I placed the canister on the counter, the woman kind of looked at it and said she would take care of it. Well, that didn’t happen. She proceeded to take two more orders as I stood there with my cup of coffee.

By the way, I ALWAYS left a dollar tip every day for my $2.00 cup of coffee, so it wasn’t like they thought I was cheap.

Like staying in a bad relationship longer than you should, I put up with Starbucks longer than I should have and finally made the move. I now stop at the drive-thru Dutch Bros coffee kiosk. They know my order as well and often have it as I pull to the window. And every 10 cups they buy the 11th one. I mentioned in my first Dutch Bros post that the coffee is always made to order. I found out that their cup orders are actually made Americano style, a style of coffee prepared by adding espresso to hot water.

Dutch Bros is doing it right — coffee and service.

Do you have a Dutch Bros Coffee near you?