Opinion: Aroma Joe’s Causes Starbuck’s Woes

Aroma Joe’s is not shy about going head-to-head with Starbucks.

Opinion: Aroma Joe’s Causes Starbuck’s Woes

Janell Walker

NO intercoms, NO attitude, NO snafus. Aroma Joe’s provides personal interaction beyond taking your money and handing you a drink which is unlike every other coffee/tea drive-thru. If you are a “regular”, it is likely the workers will know your name along with your favorite drink.

 Starbucks is not necessarily overrated but it is currently more convenient because there are Starbucks locations everywhere. Aroma Joe’s is stealing the business from Starbucks as their company continues to expand. High school students who cannot afford to spend $5 or $6 every day on a drink/snack from Starbucks usually end up at Aroma Joe’s for affordable and larger sizes, different options for food/drinks, guaranteed quick service. 

Portsmouth High’s, Aiden Aliouche expressed his thoughts on why he favors one coffee shop over the other: “I like Aromas more because of the speed, cost, and sizes. More bang for your buck which is what I look for in coffee, just the amounts of caffeine. Fancy drinks with fancy names don’t mean much to me, so Starbucks just isn’t worth my money.” With that, he brought up a valid point. In general, most high schoolers do not care how fancy their drink is or how the cup looks on the outside we really just want a caffeine boost but given Starbucks widespread of locations, most people get stuck with Starbucks. As Aroma Joe’s expands their locations,  they may gain the popular vote just like they do currently on Woodbury, Ave.

While Aroma Joe’s is the best place for some, others disagree and are avid Starbucks lovers like Portsmouth High’s senior, Liam Carmichael. “ I find Starbucks to be the most consistently high-quality coffee that’s available not just in this area but around the country, and around the world. If I go to any city on earth, I can get the same exact coffee there that I could get in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. That type of consistency and that type of quality are really important, especially when you’re paying what you are for the drinks. If I am spending $6 on a latte, I want it to be worthwhile. I feel that the only company that delivers both quality and consistency on a regular basis is Starbucks, and even if my financial situation changed I would do everything I could to keep Starbucks as a daily habit.”