Mayor's Soda Ban to Wreak Havoc on Coffee Culture

Mayor Mike's ban on large sugary drinks goes into effect on Tuesday, at which point any restaurant with a letter grade will not be able to serve sodas and other sweet drinks over 16 ounces. This will change bottle service and pizza parties forever, but how will the ban affect the coffee drinkers of New York? The Times is on it.

The short version: Not much. The ban won't have any effect on regular coffees over 16 ounces, but baristas can't add more than three to five packets of sugar for customers, depending on the size of the drink. Starbucks interprets it completely differently, arguing that their baristas can add however much they want as long as the customer asks first. The chain won't really comply with the ban anyway.

At Dunkin' Donuts, larger drinks and the Coolattas are getting either downsized or going without sugar. The company's been distributing flyers about the coming changes and teaching their employees how to better console harried coffee drinkers. The coming ban is apparently leaving customers feeling "shocked" and "dismayed." "They go through all the stages of grief," says one guy in Bed-Stuy. And the extraordinarily unhealthy double-extra-venti mocha whatever-cinos with whipped cream and extra syrup? They're immune from the ban because they're "mostly" milk.
· New Sugary Drink Rules Complicate Coffee Orders [NYT]
· All Coverage of the Soda Ban [~ENY~]