America is a nation encompassed by Starbucks. Now, the proper name for the 20th century should be the Starbucks era, which will eventually result in the Starbucks depression.

Junior Rylee Goodwin has been working at Starbucks for around five months.

“It is definitely a hard job. You are constantly running around and trying to make everything clean as you still make drinks,” Goodwin said.

Although it is a physically taxing job to have, Kevin Jang, Starbucks customer, has a new view as to why Starbucks is such a fad.

“Though I believe that Starbucks does have some standards for their products, I believe they are quantity over quality. It is still corporate America and what drives that most is making money. Starbucks makes the money from quantity and visibility that comes with quantity,” Jang said. “That is why in a city I used to live in, the downtown core had three Starbucks in one intersection. [They flooded] the market with their product and squashed the competition. I believe they have enough quality standards to avoid complaints and to keep people satisfied.”

Satisfaction is part of the reason why Starbucks is prominent, although many teens seem to lean toward the caffeine aspect of their drinks.

“Teens buying Starbucks, I believe, is due to the caffeine. Maybe the taste too. I also believe that if the parents are coffee drinkers then the teens are more likely to become coffee drinkers as well. I believe that many teens turn to coffee to get themselves going in the morning, then it becomes a routine because they like how they can feel the energy from it. Holding the cup for the social aspect is probably a minority reason for buying Starbucks,” Jang said.

Goodwin agrees that teens look for the iconic red cup in order to strive for a high level of energy.

“Teens are getting more and more addicted to caffeine every day,” Goodwin said.

Although teens look for caffeine consumption, Jang has his own opinions on why Starbucks is a choice product over other companies.

“Starbucks is my preferred choice but I still venture off to other brands as well. I am not what you would call a hardcore coffee connoisseur, so I just want a roast and a blend that suits my palette. Starbucks is the [brand] I’m most familiar with so I stick with their line mostly,” Jang said. “Starbucks in general to me is a yay with some nays sprinkled in. It depends on which one you go to. The staff makes the difference. I work in a store with a Starbucks and the staff we have is great. When I venture out to other locations, I always wonder if I’m going to get a good drink or if it will made right or not. But I like Starbucks overall even with the nays.”

Now that teens are consuming more coffee, one can notice how orders differ between the age gaps.

“The older generation is polite and mainly orders dark coffee drinks while the younger generations order more frappes and are extremely rude,” Goodwin said.

Senior Keigan Dravis, who volunteers at Thr3e Coffee, counters the pro Starbucks side with the negatives of their product.

“I’m on the fence. Their service is lovely, the drinks are usually nice and the atmosphere is inviting. However, they tend to overcharge and their drinks don’t always taste like the cup of love that they should,” Dravis said.

Instead of teens looking for a burst of energy from Starbucks products, Dravis believes that the reason for Starbucks among teens is for the social aspect.

“I think it is predominately the social aspect of Starbucks that attracts teens. It’s a great gathering location and good for low-key, chill hang out sessions,” Dravis said.

Now that Starbucks is taking over the teen world, the surface question lies of whether Starbucks is a preferred product over local companies.

“I prefer Bigfoot Java or Thr3e over Starbucks. It seems either over priced for small quantity and delicious or tastes odd and is in a 24 oz. cup, you choose. I’d rather have 24 oz. cup of deliciousness for a decent price, rather than a brand name,” Dravis said.

All three coffee shops are local, yet Jang works in a Starbucks-centered area.

“Starbucks is everywhere. They do have good coffee for my palette. They offer some other products on top of coffee. The pastries are good, yet the price is going up and inconsistent baristas leads to inconsistent drinks being produced. They have flooded the market with their brand resulting in less competitors out there,” Jang said. “In the end I support them because friends work there and they are convenient being in the store I work in. If there was another coffee shop with coffee that suited my palette, I would not hesitate to go elsewhere. I like to support the small businesses as opposed to the giants.”

A Starbucks lies on nearly every corner in Washington and will frequently turn up in other cities around the nation. They are a prominent part of the American lifestyle and will continue to prosper as coffee sales rise.

“I’ve volunteered and worked in a coffee shop and just seeing the joy that gathering together to drink a cup of joe brings is exciting. Although Starbucks has many good qualities, I think that any coffee-shop-like setting would be just as nice, minus the arm and a leg cost,” Dravis said.