>It takes 10 fucking minutes tops to make your own coffee in the morning, yet people rack up $300 a month expenses on Starbucks alone.
They aren't going to Starbucks for the coffee, they're going for the peer acceptance and social signalling. They know subconsciously that if someone sees that they are consuming Starbucks that person will assume they are 'in' with the popular culture and be more likely to socialize with them. It's how sheep recognize other sheep and retain that feeling they are still safely within the flock.