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European coffee culture
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Anyone who has visited Europe will have noticed what is often referred to as the coffee culture.
A good example of this is the type of cup you’re given after ordering a coffee. Order a coffee in virtually any café in America and you’re almost sure to receive that coffee in a paper cup, and perhaps rightly so. We Americans are keen on getting our Starbucks to go. Whether we are on our way to school, work, or simply taking a leisurely walk through the city, many of us are accustomed to taking our coffee with us.
Order a cup of coffee in virtually any European café and you’re sure to get that coffee in a ceramic cup with a package of sugar (and possibly a cup of water and a chocolate, depending on where you are). Getting that coffee to go isn’t even an option. Many cafés only offer paper cups for special occasions when more people than chairs are expected.
I have been in Spain for seven weeks now and I have yet to see anyone walking with a cup of coffee in hand. Why? Drinking coffee is a social activity. It’s what you do while you chat with your friends. It’s not an addiction like it is in the states where people view coffee as an end in its self.
Starbucks’ big marketing idea was to create a “home away from home.” That strategy’s obviously flawed implementation notwithstanding (I don’t have chairs that uncomfortable in my home), European culture can’t be sold in America so easily. Somewhere along the line we missed the mark. The intended social venue has given way to a marketing vessel distributing iced grande, non-fat, no whip, sugar free, one pump, vanilla lattés and Norah Jones CDs followed with a smile and a “have a nice day.” That’s not to say that people don’t sit down in coffee shops in America, but as someone who has been a coffee shop junkie for years, I can tell you that many of the people who do are meeting for business or sitting alone studying. And yet still, the vast majority of coffee shop frequenters are looking for their coffee to go. All of this is taking place, of course, where coffee has evolved beyond a breakfast supplement (my Portland readers will have to remember that not everyone in the states is as coffee-crazed as we are).
Lest my reader think an entire culture has developed around a cup of hot water poured through beans, the coffee culture transcends said beverage. More broadly, it defines the social lives of the people. Spain has a word that describes it perfectly: sobremesa. Sobremesa is defined as the part of the meal after eating where people have a cup or coffee or other beverage and talk. Mealtime is about more than eating; it is a more leisurely activity and is about visiting with friends and family.
Waiters in the states are careful to keep a close eye on their tables in the interest of providing quality service. Travelers will be surprised to find European waiters a little less attentive. If you want a bottle of ketchup or the bill, you have to flag down your waiter. It isn’t that European waiters are rude or don’t want a tip, it’s quite the opposite. They are simply giving you space to enjoy your meal and your company. We all like eating out, but the emphasis is different on either continent. We Americans tend to place a premium on good service, while Europeans tend to emphasize the social aspect of the meal.
American’s travelling in Europe will not likely be accustomed to the coffee culture as it has evolved here, but it is very easy to adjust to if you have the time. So the next time you are travelling in Europe, free some time up in your schedule and enjoy a nice meal with your travelling companion, and don’t you even think about taking that coffee with you.
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