When I was in middle school, my mom and I visited different coffee shops to change up the week. When my freshman year started, I realized I could carry this tradition on with my dad. I convinced him to drive to Scooters and pay for my drink.
Scooters is stuffed between the Wendy’s drive thru and South Boxelder Street, making the drive-in cramped. I liked the colors on the small sized building, being a mix of bold red and gentle gray shades.
Scooters offers both food and drink in various options. A large section of their cheerful ordering screen displayed fresh pastries and signature drinks.
After we placed my order of a Peanut Butter Crunch Blender through the speaker, the barista stated their signature phrase, “Scoot on up!” and we rolled up to the single window. One unique quality of the Scooter’s chain is that they require their employees to smile and chat with the customer while waiting for the order to be made. They even coach their employees in how to smile, and it’s evident they take it seriously.
Aster Harrison was our barista and she came across as very bright and spirited. While waiting for our order, I asked about their most popular drink. “I would say our most signature drink is the Caramelicious, and we always serve it with a smile,” said Harrison. After we received my Peanut Butter Crunch Blender, I enjoyed the first sip of overpaid sugary joyness. The drink had a very unique taste to it, being partially syrups, coffee, and blended ice.
If you don’t have enough time or energy to visit a coffee shop, NC has their own coffee shop too, located just inside the main entrance. This store is easily accessible to groggy students just stumbling off the buses. “The ability to come in and get like small sips and like a drink whenever you need it, and the convenience of having one in the building,” said Oceanyanna Middleton, when asked what makes the Mustang Market special.
The coffee shop recently started accepting credit cards as a form of payment, due to cash becoming scarce among students. “The fact that not many people nowadays carry around a lot of cash, they all just have it on a card,” said Middleton when asked about the switch.
According to Torey Berdan, a teacher that works with student baristas, the ability to charge on a card makes the ordering process much easier.
NC also has its own coffee station in the cafeteria. With the convenience of being in the same area, some students opt for it. Students can choose either chocolate or regular lactose-free milk based coffees, with their choice of flavored syrups, caramel being their most popular. “A coffee costs $1.10, and kids can replace it with their milk for free too,” said Building Food Service Manager Lindsey Parker. Parker and her team are always there to provide food and drink to students with a happy spirit.
With the rise of coffee shops, students have something to look forward to for a tasty treat. Coffee can be an encouragement for some to wake up, and can serve as a reward for a hard day’s work. Whether served dark and strong, or iced and blended, there are plenty of choices around.
