I usually just carry around my Thermos with black Folger’s in it. Living in the land of Starbucks I am an outcast. I recall when I first moved out to New Jersey and bought a cup of coffee at a diner (to go). The gal asked “Regular”? and I replied “yeah”.
She handed it to me in a to-go cup with a lid. I took a sip and almost gagged and spit it out. I turned around and said “I wanted regular - this has cream and sugar in it!”
She looked at me funny and said “That IS Regular”!
I said no - I want just plain, regular, black coffee.
“Well, here in New Jersey regular has cream and sugar.”
I don’t recall if I had to pay for my black coffee or not!
LOL. I live in Buffalo where the local coffee fix is usually a Tim Horton’s, and if you said regular they would ask what you meant. The usual here is a “double, double” which is double sugar and double cream. I always say people have to order it that way to overcome the horrible taste of the actual coffee. I like my coffee with a little cream, no sugar. I never have black coffee probably because of my experience in the AF and the terrible coffee served in the mess halls.
Thanks for the story.
I think I was in upstate New York years ago when I first encountered "regular" coffee and was quite surprised.