When my co-worker recently announced, "I'm never going to Starbucks again," (a pledge which wore off when his sister gifted him a drink-enabling stored value card), we had to find a place to get properly made, inexpensive Americano drinks.
Luckily for us, Jitters (on Factoria Blvd in Bellevue - other locations as well) fills the bill nicely. The cheerful associates didn't mind when we pulled up to the drive-through window on foot, and promptly made the required drink (with Splenda added) in almost no time flat. Total cost? Not much. Tall Americanos go for under $2 there, which is much better than you can say for almost any hot drink at your local global coffee conglomerate.
Add to the cheap cost the ability to speak to a human who doesn't spout rote cheerfulness from a script and you have the recipe for a coffee joint to visit when you're in a hurry for a java jolt.
The only con? No place to sit. But the sidewalk works too.
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