A lot of you have probably heard that Swedes are known to be big coffee drinkers. They actually drink an average of 3,2 cups per day, which makes them the second biggest coffee drinkers in the world, right behind Finland*. Having coffee with friends and family is a big part of culture and something almost everyone does from a pretty young age. You’re probably thinking to yourself “oh, she means Fika**”, but no, I’ll come back to that later. Today I just want to talk about actual coffee habits.
Back in Sweden I can’t think of a single person I know, that doesn’t have a coffee maker at home. To make your own coffee at home in the morning, afternoon and sometimes even in the evening after dinner (crazy right?) is a natural part of everyday life weather you are alone or with friends. Shortly said, coffee is the answer in every sort of situation. It is social, relaxing and practical. Of course Swedes also go to coffee shops to buy coffee and meet with people, but that is usually in addition to having coffee at home.
Now to the main difference I have experienced. In the US, it is much more common to always go to a coffee shop for your coffee. Currently I work at the Minnesotan company Caribou Coffee. It is basically Starbucks, Minnesota style. Every day, hundreds of people come in to the shop and get their morning cup of coffee. We have a lot of regulars that come in every single morning and get the exact same drink. Instead of brewing your own coffee at home, people tend to stop at the coffee shop on their way to work. I’m not saying Swedes don’t do this too, because believe me, they definitely do, but in the US there seems to be many people who do this exclusively.
To end this post I thought I would share an interesting cultural difference I have experienced at work: the using of names. When we have a customer come in, we are supposed to always ask for their name. Throughout the sale and time they wait for their drink, we have to address them by their first name as much as possible. “Will that be all for you Jeff” “Anything else with that Jeff” “Here’s your latte Jeff” “Have a wonderful day Jeff”! Anyone else that feels this is a little creepy? It’s not like we know each other? This very personalized service is in my experience also very American. As a Swede, I prefer to stay as anonymous as possible. Of course a lot of places ask for a name for the order for practical reasons, but that’s where the using of names stop.
So that’s a little about coffee culture in Sweden vs America, I hope you enjoyed it. Don’t forget this is all based on my personal opinions and experiences, as well as stereotypes. One culture is never only one way. (:
-K
*https://hejsweden.com/en/drink-strong-coffee-in-sweden/
**http://www.swedishfood.com/fika
Swede&Sour 