Most office coffee exists purely to keep people awake. It’s not always terrible, but it’s not something anyone would post about on Instagram either. On the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got specialty coffee: high quality and well sourced beans, intricate roasts, complex tasting notes, and higher prices.
But somewhere in the middle is a sweet spot where coffee is affordable and actually enjoyable.
People can taste the difference
ven if someone isn’t a card-carrying coffee geek, they can still tell when their cup is better than average. In fact, studies show that high-quality coffee holds its flavor longer as it cools, while lower-quality coffee tends to reveal its flaws quickly (Serious Eats). And as one coffee farmer put it, “Anybody can taste the difference, if they’re drinking it black” (The New Yorker).
This means even if most of your office crew is adding cream and sugar, there’s still an underlying quality shift they’ll notice.
Better office coffee changes the mood
Providing coffee that’s even just a bit better than the usual breakroom brew sends a subtle but powerful message: we care about you enough to make your daily grind taste good. Thoughtful workplace coffee has been shown to help build a sense of culture and connection, which improves employee retention.
Why does that matter? Because companies with engaged employees tend to perform better and retain people longer—and yes, even small “soft perks” like coffee play a role.
It doesn’t have to be fancy—just good
The middle ground isn’t about serving single-origin beans with tasting notes of bacon infused pineapple. It’s about:
- A fresh, well-crafted blend that’s noticeably better than the bargain bin
- Consistent quality, so work mornings don’t feel like punishment
- A price point that isn’t too high
When you land in this “better than basic” zone, people notice, they enjoy it, and they come back for more.
Bottom line: A tiny step up in coffee quality can have a huge ripple effect in how people feel about their workday. And in the office coffee world, that makes a very good return on investment.
Contact Noted to find out more about our business coffee offerings.