It’s 2:45 p.m. on a Thursday, and the Starbucks at Tech’s Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons is packed with students jostling for their afternoon caffeine fix. A green-shirted employee with a notepad and a headset relays orders from the snaking line to the counter with the precision of an air-traffic controller; all around, students knock back lattes and slurp Frappucinos, studying and gossiping as the scent of espresso hangs heavy in the air.
At the edge of the chaos sits Rich Steele, ChE 85, Tech’s senior director of auxiliary services, who oversees everything from laundry facilities to dining halls, as well as the Institute’s many cafes. And even though Tech campus without coffee seems like a night without stars, he remembers a time before this current java-fueled frenzy.
“Coffee’s been a relatively recent evolution,” Steele says. “When I was in college, it certainly wasn’t a lifestyle—[the coffee shop] wasn’t a ‘third place’ like it is now.”
Instead, study groups often conferred over pizza and beer, and night owls chugged Mountain Dew for emergency pick-me-ups. On-campus coffee options were limited to dismal coin-operated machines in classroom buildings, the library and the Student Center.
All that changed in the late 1990s as Starbucks began to sweep the nation. Tech’s first foray into coffee-centric foodservice was the Cyber Cafe, which opened in the Student Center in 1997. In 2003, Tech Square became home to the first fully licensed Starbucks in a Barnes & Noble college bookstore; it’s been the busiest cafe in any Barnes & Noble campus outpost since it opened.
These days, students have upward of a dozen coffee choices on campus, from the multiple Starbucks locations to the student center’s Dunkin Donuts to the Lab Cafe in the lobby of the Petit Bioengineering & Bioscience building.
Coin-op coffee machines are even making a comeback, their menus expanded to suit more discerning modern palates. And this spring, Highland Bakery became the newest buzz-pusher on campus. Snacks and beverages from the popular Atlanta eatery have been available on campus food stands for a while now, but the new spot, housed in the old Junior’s Grill location, offers full breakfast, brunch and lunch menus, plus a coffee bar featuring beans from Atlanta-based Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a story about Georgia Tech without some cutting-edge innovation on the horizon. Amidst Clough Commons’ afternoon hubbub, Steele says his team is looking into ways to make coffee even more accessible to hard-working Wrecks, including a smartphone app to let students pre-order their Starbucks on the way to class.
“I wish we could find a way to just email their coffee to them. Sounds a little Star Trek-ish—‘I’m going to beam you up a soy chai latte,’” he says. “But that might get a little messy.”
Campus Coffee: A Student Speaks
Eric Hamilton, a second-year computational media major and Alumni Magazine student assistant, dishes on the coffee at Tech.
Coffee machine, Library
The quickest and cheapest option, but your taste buds will regret it long after the caffeine wears off.
Starbucks, Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons
One of the better and most popular choices on campus, it packs a punch in flavor and on your wallet.
Starbucks, Tech Square Barnes & Noble
Great for management students, boasting shorter lines and an overall better brew.
The Lab, Petit Bioengineering & Bioscience Building
A well-kept secret on campus, it’s frequented by BioMed students looking for a great-tasting pick-me-up.
Dunkin Donuts, Stamps Student Center
Proof that a delicious cup of coffee doesn’t have to break the bank.
Galloway Café, College of Architecture
A central location on campus and moderate prices make this a great stop for a cup of Joe between classes.
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Love the article! However, how can you forget one of the best cafes the Georgia Tech library had for many years? Jazzman’s cafe was there when I was a freshman (now a senior) and my friends and I miss it dearly! I went there so often, some employees knew my name and what I liked to drink!
Long nights studying in the library were always accompanied by a sweet Mocha Blast or hot coffee from this cafe. Sometimes more coffee cups covered our study desks than textbooks and notes! My friends would agree with me in saying that many of our freshman college experiences would not be the same had Jazzman’s cafe not been there!
We miss you Jazzman’s!!!
When I was an undergraduate student in 1994 we lobbied for and got a coffee cart in the CoC basement floor. This was a major breakthrough to us as we could get our coffee, cappuccinos and some limited baked goods any time throughout the day. It was not Starbucks but it was good.
PLEASE make the Starbucks ordering app a reality Mr. Steele - we students would be eternally grateful!
I am glad to see that ideas from the Dining & Retail Services Advisory Council are being pursued. The smartphone app idea came from a meeting between students and Steele/other staff members at the advisory council. I am looking forward to using the app before I graduate!
The coffee in Galloway cafe (COA) is quite delicious and I probably have their scones (made by highland bakery) most days of the week. Having a coffeeshop just downstairs is really life changing.