the zeitgeist report

A Starbucks chantico was probably the best non-alcoholic drink on the planet. I was entirely shocked by it's discontinuation. I had gone into a few Portland area Starbucks and was being told that they were being discontinued. This tiny, overpriced, insanely rich and chocolatey beverage was one of the great pleasures of my life. It was a genuine extravagent treat. Were people not drinking them? Why were they not drinking them?

People stopped ordering them because they couldn't "customize" them:

In the end, that limitation irked customers who are used to dictating not only the size of their lattes and cappuccinos, but also whether they want regular or decaf coffee, non-fat, whole or soy milk, sugar-free or regular flavor shots, and even extras like whipped cream and caramel.

"It was something that customers did like, but they wanted to be able to do something else with it," Hilowitz said. "We wanted to go back and give customers what they are looking for."

So, what a fascinating little piece of sociology. People enjoy going into an establishment, barking out a bunch of customizing instructions and overpaying for the trouble. It was one size and one flavor. If something is just insanely rich, sweet and delicious, that is not a reason enough to go into a Starbucks.

You could, of course, make your own at home and customize away!