I have found that good local shops start with higher variance but quickly hone in on excellence. It just takes time for the baristas to learn their regulars. Ho

I have found that good local shops start with higher variance but quickly hone in on excellence. It just takes time for the baristas to learn their regulars. However, that presumes the customer has developed their own tastes... when someone's definition of "good coffee" is "sugar, fat, caffeine", the barista doesn't have a lot of information to hone in the taste.