Chapter 14 - The consumption of experiences in specialty coffee shops

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to reflect on gourmet coffee shops from the third wave of coffee consumption, understanding not only the consumption of the beverage consumed but also the actual experience of frequenting these spaces. We examined coffee shops from this consumption wave in the city of São Paulo (Brazil), but it was also necessary to historicize coffee and coffee shops, to clarify what the three waves of coffee consumption are, to understand what specialty coffees are, and to exemplify that this is all related to a global phenomenon. Concomitantly, it is necessary to explain that consumption is different from consumerism and to conceptualize experience, experiential marketing, and the consumption of experiences. The methodology employed was a form of ethnography called flânerie. The results show that the coffees served in this type of retail establishment are more than a commodity for people who consume the experiences afforded by these coffee shops.