Lattes Lead the Charge as Drip Coffee and Cold Brew Lose Ground
The coffee landscape is shifting. A new report from Toast reveals U.S. consumers are abandoning staples like drip coffee and cold brew for milk-based espresso drinks, energy drinks, and other caffeinated alternatives. The data, spanning 164,000 locations on Toast’s platform, shows lattes, espresso shots, and americanos growing while traditional brews and teas decline. This isn’t just a trend—it’s a redefinition of what defines a coffee moment. The numbers tell a clear story. Lattes saw a 4% year-over-year surge, outpacing even the modest gains in espresso shots (+3.3%) and americanos (+1.4%). Meanwhile, drip coffee and cold brew plummeted, with the latter…