I had the almost exact same experience the last time I had to meet someone there and got one of their slushies and it was good. Next time I might just grab a coke.

Starbucks makes Starbucks drinks and people go there because they like Starbucks drinks. Starbucks is basically just marketing. People may have looked because you didn't have a "regular order". This is marketing bullshit. You shouldn't feel bad, but that is how marketing works.

I've started to unhelpfully vent a bit. There's nothing wrong with not liking coffee and not liking Starbucks coffee is the correct opinion. Hot chocolate is delicious.

If you're really worried that someone will look down on you and you don't like coffee, maybe order a tea or a refresher. Chai lattes and matcha lattes also don't have coffee. Or just get food and a water.

As for your title question, It has literally never occurred to me to think anything about someone not drinking coffee or expressing a dislike for coffee.

Starbucks’ drip coffee is consistent and convenient. We use that place as a bathroom and for black drip coffee or cold brew while out/traveling if there are no better options.

Order what you like and ignore the side glances.

So you're working a shift at Starbucks, hundreds of customers come in a day and order all kinds of drinks. Maybe it's mostly coffee, but they're pretty popular for their non coffee drinks too.

A singular person comes in, maybe mid shift, and orders a hot chocolate. Do you honestly even give it a second thought?

I doubt anyone was looking at you because you ordered a hot chocolate.

No one cares, coming from a non coffee person as well. My wife is a teacher and gets a lot of Starbucks gift cards, neither of us drink coffee. So we just use it for road trips and hot chocolate.

Also, doesn’t bux have menu items called “cremes”? They’re the same fancy drinks, just without the espresso.

I think they also have hot apple cider with whipped cream. Fabulous.

But i felt awkward when I asked the cashier for a hot choco

Maybe people think hot cocoa is a drink for kids

But now that you mention it, I have a lot of extra coffeemate that I got for my kids coffee and no way to use it - I wonder if I can use it in hot cocoa.

I literally had a work meeting with someone I'd never met, they asked to meet at Starbucks. Then when I arrived he got up and said "where should we go for coffee?"