The author spends an awful lot of time talking about coffee, but he seems to really be talking about coffee. This is certainly true for brewed coffee, but falls flat for any kind of espresso drink. I don't have any reason to leave my house for brewed coffee though. If I'm paying $3+ dollars for my coffee, it's because I can't afford to buy a real espresso machine. And even then, the only reason I care about the skill of the barista making my cappuccino is the milk. Maybe it's just because so much effort has been put into pulling the perfect shot at this point, but I feel like the coffee is the least important part of a good milk & espresso drink. The process of foaming milk is still incredibly manual and easy to fuck up....good beans, roasted well, and prepared with a modicum of care, is all that’s ever been needed.
You missed how the author is not only pushing his brand, he's linking to his own press and talking about the book he's writing. Sorry, $1 coffee is not a fucking revolution. It's been on the Value Menu of every fast food restaurant that makes coffee. I can also say from experience that of the five roasters in LA I tried, four are shit.
Normally, the highest profit margin in a restaurant.....brewed Iced tea. Would be coffee if everyone didn't add sugar and cream and use a disposable stir stick etc. Grabted, one doesn't take GP margin to the bank, you take GP dollars and therefore, it's kinda moot, but still an interesting tidbit.