Most of my friends know I have an avid Starbucks addiction. There are weeks I have it every day, sometimes multiple times a day. I probably spend hundreds of dollars on it, but I still enjoy it. Yet, there are days when it becomes unappetizing, when I need something to switch it up. I am a severely indecisive person, and I have wasted hours trying to decide where to go. To save you the brainstorming step, here are my top three places to go other than Starbucks for a fun drink.
1: Seven Brew Coffee.
I had Seven Brew for the first time last summer. My friends and I were on our way home from Traverse City and decided to take a detour to try it. Needless to say, I was hooked. The menu is gigantic, with energy options, coffees, fizzes, smoothies, and more. They also have hundreds of flavors and can be easily customized to whatever fits your fancy. Seven Brews are usually drive-through only, but it does not lose any of the appeal. Now, I go out of my way to get it as often as I can. And because of all the different combinations, there’s always something new to try, or you can stick to what you like.
2: Scooter’s Coffee.
Scooters is similar to Seven Brew in that it is primarily a drive-through service. Their menu is not quite as diverse as Seven Brew’s, but it has coffees, matchas, Red Bull infusions, and much more. They also have food items available, such as cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, and more. Scooters are a great alternative that gives similar types of items.
3: Local coffee shops.
Sometimes I get the best coffee or even refresher drinks from the random coffee shops I decide to try. In the Florida Keys, my mom and I found one of our favorite coffee shops, Georgie’s Coffee Shop, by just driving down the road from our hotel and stopping at the first one we saw. Not only does it switch up your options, but it also supports smaller, more local businesses. For example, in Grand Rapids, I love The Pantry in Ada, and Sweetlands in Rockford and Plainfield. Both are cute locations, and also bring unique things to the table. Sweetlands is actually a candy store, with tons of options of homemade candies and assortments to add a sweet treat to your coffee or smoothie.
There are so many other places, like Dunkin, Dutch Bros, Swig, Biggby, and more, to substitute the classic Starbucks, and they may just become your new favorite drink location. Even fast food locations like McDonald’s are now adapting to the rising interest in fun, unique drinks and enhancing their menus. If you are in a money-saving mood, it’s always an option to make your favorite drinks at home. Simply going on social media or even Googling a recipe can provide you with a near-identical replica of your favorite drinks at a considerably lower price, and you may not even need to leave your house. Nevertheless, I will still always rate Starbucks as my number one choice, closely followed by Seven Brew.
