I've figured out what it is--well, one of the many reasons actually--that keeps me unfailingly patronizing Starbucks as opposed to non-corporate monoliths: consistency. It is without a doubt that I can be sipping on the same quality tall vanilla nonfat latte at any Starbucks between here and Timbuktu (and I'm sure there is a Starbucks in Timbuktu) with the same amounts of flavoring, sugar and espresso and all at the same temperature. Sure, that's really terrifying if you look at it from a corporate globalization point-of-view but I was strikingly disappointed with my chai from Amer's this afternoon. Amer's hands down has better chai than Starbucks, it's just that I know I'm playing a caffeinated version of Russian roulette depending on who happens to be making my drink any given day when I hop over to the famous Ann Arbor joint. Some days it knocks my socks off (did I just write that?) and other days I get a cup full of frothy milk. Although I'd like nothing more than to support an independent, fair-trade coffee shop every time I need a fix, who wants to pay $2 for warm milk?

xoxox