How Washingtonians Drink Coffee: From PSL Obsessives to Black Coffee Purists

Once upon a time, if you wanted coffee, you got it diner-style — black, hot, and poured by someone who called you “hon.” Maybe you’d get cream or sugar if you were feeling fancy. Back then, your coffee likely came from a can with a name like Folgers, Maxwell House, or Hills Brothers — roasted in industrial ovens the size of small nations.

Then, in the 1960s, a little Bay Area shop called Peet’s Coffee decided coffee should taste like something other than burnt toast. They started roasting in small batches, becoming the “grandfather of specialty coffee.”

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By the 1970s, a few scrappy startups in Seattle — looking at you, Starbucks — were experimenting with beans, steam wands, and the concept of paying $3 for caffeine. By the 1980s and ’90s, small roasters were popping up everywhere, turning coffee into an art form and giving rise to the phrase “single-origin Ethiopian pour-over” — which your grandfather still thinks is a joke.

And then — plot twist — the big brands tried to go “artisanal” while the little guys went global. It’s a full circle… just more expensive, and served in a recyclable cup with your name spelled wrong.

So, in the state practically synonymous with coffee, how are we actually drinking it? Let’s break it down:

☕ Espresso-based drinks (lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, etc.): ~45–50%
Washingtonians love their steamed milk and espresso art. “Latte” is our most-searched coffee term, and espresso stands — especially drive-throughs — outnumber Starbucks by nearly 2 to 1 in some counties. Yes, that means there’s a barista waiting to hand you a triple-shot oat milk pumpkin mocha even on a logging road.

☕ Drip coffee with cream or sugar: ~30–35%
Still holding strong. This is the home-brew crowd — folks who grind their beans, own an Aeropress, and swear it tastes better than anything store-bought. They’re not wrong… they just get up 20 minutes earlier than the rest of us.

☕ Black coffee: ~15–20%
The purists. The stoics. The ones who look you dead in the eye and say, “I drink it for the flavor.” Sure you do, Dave. But honestly, respect — someone has to keep diner coffee alive.

☕ Cold brew / iced / alternative milk creations: ~10–15%
Growing fast, especially among younger drinkers and anyone with a TikTok account. Cold brew is coffee’s version of CrossFit — everyone who drinks it tells you about it.

What makes Washington unique

• Espresso huts: We basically invented the drive-through espresso stand, and we’re still obsessed.

• Customization culture: Dairy-free options are so normal here that asking for whole milk feels almost rebellious.

• Seattle’s shadow: The city that gave the world Starbucks also bred dozens of indie roasters who proudly say they’re not Starbucks.

• Urban vs. rural divide: In Seattle or Spokane, it’s a $6 oat milk latte. In Wenatchee or Omak, it’s a thermos of drip with half-and-half and no judgment.

If you had to picture the average Washingtonian coffee order?
It’s a latte or mocha from a drive-through espresso stand, likely with oat milk and maybe a splash of seasonal delusion — but one in five still takes it black and strong, just to remind us where it all began.