My caffeine addiction is not even an addiction anymore; it’s part of my personality. It’s something I’ve happily consented to because I absolutely love a cup of coffee. I love trying out new beans, learning new methods, and especially love visiting a new coffee shop. I hear the same from my matcha-loving friends, how their days don’t hit the same without a sip, so a visit to a matcha cafe is almost an essential ritual. Adding to the allure is the cafe’s aesthetics—grabbing a cup isn’t enough, the place needs to be pleasing to the eye. Because then, and only then, I can get my Insta-worthy shot. Otherwise, what even is the point?
Is It Just Me?
I know I’m not the only one dependent on a fun drink to get through my day. Social media, our brain’s de facto companion, has plenty of videos that spotlight a fun drink. Day In My Life vlogs all start with grabbing a latte, GRWMs will have iced matcha on the table next to the makeup, and with autumn rolling round, it’s only a matter of time before we start hearing the words “Pumpkin Spice”. Real life is no different—going out for a coffee or matcha is usually the first suggestion for a first date, or a catch-up. That’s what I did when a friend was visiting town. I took her to a spot I knew through Instagram. I saw warm light, an open, inviting space, and plenty of glowing reviews on how “this is the coolest coffee shop in all of Dubai!” But when we got there, we got a crowd of people engrossed in their cameras, those without cameras were posing instead, and every conversation began with, “Excuse me, can you move out of the way? You’re in my shot.” After all this, the coffee that we came for wasn’t even that good!
Leaving 25 Dirhams poorer, I realised how much aesthetics trumps all. If the daily vlogs don’t start with a cafe with cool interiors, then what’s there to aspire to? If the date is at a dingy spot no one’s ever heard of, do they even like you? Taste is hardly factored, if it ever is, and we completely ignore price if we can help it. The practicalities of enjoying a cup of coffee or matcha every day are ignored because we have normalised visiting cafes for their interiors over the actual quality of their services.
Is It Worth It?
In an ideal setting, it should. A warm cup of coffee paired with cosy interiors can easily uplift a dull mood. But grabbing a cup every day or going just for the ‘gram symbolises something else entirely. If a picture online is all that matters, then visiting cafes is less about enjoying the space but craving what it represents—friendship, community, an identity. It’s less about the coffee or matcha but what the person drinking at these places represents: someone who is cool, who can carve out time every day to visit, and someone who can easily afford this lifestyle where an overpriced drink doesn’t make them sweat.
When we put these realisations together, we have to ask ourselves again if it’s all worth it. A coffee or a matcha might look like a small purchase, but over time it can add up, causing a bigger financial problem. And for the middle-class folk, or those who are students or part-time workers, this is a habit created out of aspiration, a need to belong to the symbol it represents. And they are going broke trying to fit in and never truly belonging because their finances were drained in the attempts.
So Then, What’s the Solution?
This isn’t an avocado toast situation; you should absolutely get a coffee or matcha every day if it makes you happy. Isn’t that what life is all about? What is the point of working so hard if we can’t enjoy the daily pleasures?
The solution is finding the middle ground. Forget the aesthetics for a moment and get the drink for your own enjoyment. Be aware of cafes that charge overpriced rates, and be aware of where your daily spending is going, so you can be more conscious of your finances.
And if aesthetics are truly what you’re after, then why not recreate that in your own space? If possible, set up your own coffee bar or matcha corner—in the long run, it’s the more affordable option. As an iced latte lover, I created my own corner with the Philips LatteGo. There’s no fuss with pods, or ground coffee, or major clean-up, and I get to experiment with different coffee beans to my heart’s content.
The same can be said with matcha. With plenty of matcha kits online, you can choose one at your own price point and practice the ritual the traditional way. Sure, you’ll miss out on saying that you were at XYZ place, but on the bright side, you’ll avoid crowds and cameras in your face and at the end, will still have a fun drink that’s guaranteed to uplift your mood.
