I was on a long weekend trip to Chios. The weather was cold and rainy, but the food was delicious, and the locals were extremely friendly. We had a great time in Chios. On the whole, I found that restaurant prices were lower than in the rest of Europe, but the price of a cup of coffee more than doubled. Two months ago in Spain and three months ago in Portugal, the average cost of espresso was €1.5. In Chios, a cup of coffee costs about €3.5. I looked up prices in Italy online and found that the average is €1.5. I wondered why coffee in Greece is more expensive than in other countries. In order to better understand this topic, I read some articles. The answer was intriguing.

Greece has its own unique approach to the coffee-drinking experience. Think about Italy. There are a lot of espresso bars in Italy. Cafés aren't the kind of places where you hang out with your pals. When you've finished your espresso or cappuccino, you step out of the bar or cafe. It literally takes minutes to go from making coffee to drinking it. It's pretty much the same in every other country. You have to pay extra if you want to sit down and eat or drink something. Some brands, like Starbucks, charge more for their coffee and don't care how long you sit there. After ordering coffee in Greece, you can expect to stay at the table for at least an hour, and oftentimes much longer. While sipping coffee, you and your friends catch up on the latest news and political happenings and enjoy the day. In a Greek cafe, you will not feel rushed, and you will not feel lonely. The coffee culture is built on people getting together and having a good time.

There is a cultural expectation that consuming a single cup of coffee will take several hours. Coffee costs €1.5 in Greece. Cafes, on the other hand, charge you €3.5 for the entire time you sit in their chair. The high price of coffee is not because of the quality of the drink but because of the cultural expectation of taking your time and enjoying a cup of coffee with friends. It's a tradition, a way of life, and a great way to get a glimpse into the culture of Greece.

As I mentioned before, culture shapes the world. Greek coffee is an excellent example of how culture affects how people act and how businesses market to them.