FREE COFFEE? No thanks.

Recently the CUS Lounge in the Sauder School of Business started offering free coffee. Naturally I went to try it, right before COMM 296 (early classes). I would have to say, it was quite good. The coffee machine had the choice of several different types of coffee beans, as well as different types of coffee (espresso, cappuccino, etc). I was quite satisfied.

Next day, I am in line for a medium double double at Tim Hortons.

“Hold on. You’re going to pay a dollar fifty for coffee when you can have as much FREE coffee as you want? Are you crazy?”

Yup.

The fact is, I prefer the taste of something that my tastebuds is accustomed to.

My economics professor describes this phenomenon in the form of “utility,” or “total satisfaction received for consuming a good or service”. Apparently a dollar fifty is a small price to pay for a greater satisfaction received from Tim Horton’s coffee.

Little do people know, there is also some deeper underlying reasons which I will now describe to you.

1. I am lazy. In the morning, I prefer not to make my own coffee. I would rather wait in line and have another person make it for me. Sad, but true. Consumers are in all honesty, lazy in some ways. They would rather buy a prepackaged product than make their own. Why? Because it is much more convenient. I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing, just that consumers want products quickly and efficiently.

2. There are usually crowds of people at the CUS Lounge. Obviously because the CUS offers free coffee, many people will flock to get some.

3. Tim Horton’s has timbits~. A one stop shop for my donut and coffee needs.

Matt wrote on his blog that not accepting free coffee is wrong.

NOT TO ME.