[theFletch]

I drink black coffee, usually an Americano, drip or even cold brew, and what I've realized is that I am NOT in the majority. It's real hard to hide a bad cup without milk and sugar to cover it up. I love mom-n-pop shops, but I get some of the worst cups of coffee sometimes from these places. At least Starbucks is fairly consistent. I still avoid then when I can though.

[JohnFen]

Yes, one of the core things that Starbucks (and McDonald's and so forth) sells is consistency. Their products may not be great, but you can go to one anywhere and know exactly what you're going to get.

Mom-and-pop places don't have that certainty. There are both great and terrible ones.

If you're in an unfamiliar place and just want a coffee, Starbucks can be just the ticket. It's not a gamble. And if you enjoy coffee and want something above "adequate", you'll also be keeping an eye out for promising mom-and-pop places to switch to.