The Usual

I fear it's possible that my generation, and those of generations younger than mine, will find the need for communities and neighborhoods secondary thanks to the ever shrinking world. With the Internet, social networks, cell phones, and online games, I sometimes wonder if we're all drawing away from each other. Are we refusing to put down roots and invest in any sort of community in favor of the cold connections that photo tagging and commenting provide? Are we using Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to fool ourselves into thinking we're more connected to our friends than we really are?

I don't think these questions are too unbelievable or extreme. Hopefully future generations will turn back and realize how important neighborhoods, communities, and personal connections are to this country. Strong communities build trust, promote safety, and spur good business practices. And while this is certainly an issue that requires much more elaboration and discussion, I must digress to perhaps one of the better side effects of rooting oneself in a community: The Usual.

One of the keystones to a good business is to treat your customers well (obviously). After habitually visiting a local business, the owners learn who you are, and remember what you like. Sometimes it starts slow, with just a casual "Good to see you again!" and blossoms into employees remembering your name or occupation.

This is especially true in the food service industry--and by food service industry, I'm specifically referring to coffee shops. Be they small, independent coffee shops or locally-owned franchises of national companies (because those are okay too), if you visit enough times you might develop what I affectionately call "The Usual." When this happens, you enter the cafe and are casually asked "Hey [name], can I get you the usual?" In which you reply yes. Or no. It doesn't matter. It just matters that you developed The Usual. And don't think that you can assign yourself a usual and expect it to stick. That's like giving yourself a nickname--it's lame.

The Usual isn't grown out of bland repetition or mindless ordering, but out of a customer-business connection. The various clerks or owners (depending on how big the cafe or restaurant is) see you a lot, talk to you, and recognize that you're someone who enjoys tradition and normalcy. Once you develop The Usual--be it a small cup of the house blend or a bagel with cream cheese and a pinch of salt--you are able to break it, keep it, whatever. The point is that you made that community connection. It's reassuring. It let's you know that even if you're at a coffee shop or a diner by your lonesome, you have at least someone there that knows you--and knows that you like to get a shot of espresso in your coffee for that extra kick in the gut.

It's a small, seemingly insignificant aspect of daily life, sure, but it's also the sign of a good business and at least a desire for a strong community. The kids may be moving away from caring about such things, but I've seen first-hand how a caring small business--the kind that remembers your name--can inspire a positive change in a neighborhood. For as trendy as Facebook and Twitter may be at present, they are still merely a fad. Perhaps appreciation for this sort of minor event in one's day only comes with growing up; regardless, The Usual is an occurrence that should remind us of the value found in community and the importance of small business. Plus it just makes ordering easier.