The Customized Drink Is Out of Control
The New York Times
As cafes grant us the power to cobble together ultra-personalized beverages filled with syrups, powders, fruit chunks, boba and plenty of caffeine, we’re all soda jerks now.
On a recent morning in Fort Worth, Cally Smoke faced a crisis of choice. She scrolled through the litany of drinks on an ordering kiosk at CosMc’s, a new beverage chain from McDonald’s. Most of the options had names she neither recognized nor understood: Sprite Moonsplash. Popping Pear Slush. Beach Protein Frappé.
She settled on the Chai Frappé Burst, a frozen, blended concoction with whipped cream, boba and cinnamon sugar sprinkles.
“You have to be an individual,” said Ms. Smoke, a 40-year-old saleswoman, as she sipped her beverage. “You can’t just get black coffee.”
Here, elaborate drinks are the draw — and customers are encouraged to complicate them further. The kiosks pitch a number of add-on possibilities: Could that S’mores Cold Brew benefit from a splash of Coca-Cola? How about adding caffeine syrup to your Berry Hibiscus Sour-ade?
A very American need for instant energy, coupled with a very American desire for self-expression, has inspired an ever-mutating ecosystem of tricked-out drinks whose made-to-order possibilities have created a nation of soda jerks.
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
Social media exploded in a celebration after the news that a Chinese start-up had made an artificial intelligence tool that was more efficient than any in the United States.
One doctor is showing nurses, teachers and parents how to spot eye problems, many of which can be easily treated. Surgery, and even just glasses, can be life-changing, and keep kids in school.
Participants at this year’s Joint Mathematics Meetings explored everything from the role of A.I. to the hyperbolic design of a patchwork denim skirt.
PEPFAR’s computer systems also are being taken offline, a sign that the program may not return, as Republican critics had hoped.
Tiny mites seem capable of relying on the power of static cling to hop into hummingbird nostrils and move between flowers.
Hurricane Helene’s floods have wreaked lasting damage on a tourist town whose nationally recognized restaurants are especially vulnerable to disasters.
A pandemic is not inevitable, scientists say. But the outbreak has passed worrisome milestones in recent weeks, including cattle that may have been reinfected.
Gaming is a big part of the billionaire’s public persona. But other players are questioning whether he has the time or the skill to be as accomplished as he claims.
In Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington and other cities, chefs and owners are worried for their workers and their businesses.
A museum curator with a ladder showed that birds that build cavity-style nests are able to protect their eggs with the skin shed by snakes.
Italian scientists have drawn from thermodynamic principles to prevent a famous pasta from turning into a gooey mess.
The federal law banning TikTok has revealed a major schism among American tech companies: Some are willing to flout the law — and some, including Apple and Google, are not.
R.F.K. Jr. and others have blamed the ingredient for allergies and other illnesses. Scientists say it actually bolsters the immune response.
Inspired by a beloved childhood dessert, the gooey, crunchy “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” chocolate bar is a global sensation.
The research could further complicate the polarized politics of abortion because the drug in the study is the key ingredient in a pill used for emergency contraception.
Scientists think a small rock discovered near Earth last August was hurled into space by an ancient impact on the lunar surface.
Some posts related to obtaining abortion pills were recently hidden on Instagram and Facebook and some accounts were suspended, before being later restored.
A large study found that men lost seven years of life expectancy and women lost nine years, compared with counterparts without the disorder.