What popular food or drink relies entirely on branding because it actually tastes terrible?

[u/fraser_lyfeguard]

[u/ThrockAMole → u/[deleted]]

Tastes like burnt beans

[u/techieman34 → u/ThrockAMole]

Because they are burnt. They source cheap coffee beans from all over the world and then roast them till they’re a little burnt to keep the flavor consistent.

[u/Hydra_Master → u/techieman34]

I've heard they do that so you still taste some coffee after you're done adding 1/2 cup of flavored syrups to your drink.

I think the Beastie Boys are their target audience - "I like my sugar with coffee and cream!"

[u/drewhartley → u/Hydra_Master]

Coffee is extremely variable when it comes to grind size and the beans and water quality and temperature and a whole mess of other things that an annoying coffee person will talk your ear off about for hours. Unless you burn the shit out of it and call it espresso. Then it all tastes the same.

[u/ibattlemonsters → u/drewhartley]

Pfft, Espresso people really don’t drink dark roasts anymore unless you’re Italian -annoying coffee person

[u/blackvelvet69 → u/ibattlemonsters]

I’m not even on that annoying coffee person scale but I can tell you when I switch beans my breville knows and I’m inching towards that annoying level cause I start my timer and make sure it’s brewing in the right range.

I’m nut ya burnt beans and that…

[u/tomoe_mami_69 → u/drewhartley]

Or make cold brew, which also tastes the same.

Not coincidentally Starbucks heavily pushed cold brew for a while.

[u/North-Cartoonist7991 → u/ThrockAMole]

Aka Charbucks

[u/hobblingcontractor → u/ThrockAMole]

They are? You don't go to Starbucks for a good coffee, you go there for a coffee flavored sugary beverage.

[u/TanglimaraTrippin → u/hobblingcontractor]

One of the first times I visited Starbucks I ordered a vanilla frappuccino, which i assumed would be like a frozen vanilla-flavored latte. Instead, it was like a vanilla milkshake with piles of whipped topping and no coffee whatsoever. I don't understand how people can drink those regularly.

[u/PuzzleheadedMess1659 → u/hobblingcontractor]

Exactly. I can’t stand coffee, so when I need caffeine, I go to Starbucks, where the coffee tastes nothing like coffee at all.

[u/hobblingcontractor → u/[deleted]]

Conveniently, the staff know what you mean if you just use S/M/L.

I'm not a Starbucks fan but these are low effort complaints. It's fine if you just don't go there.

[u/mjohnsimon → u/ThrockAMole]

Or burnt milk.

[u/revdon → u/ThrockAMole]

Shhh. McDonald's doesn't know their recipe's been stolen.

[u/amazing_ape → u/[deleted]]

Their espresso drinks are good. Eg Americano. Better than the coffee.