By Tomas Alonso
Co-Arts-&-Culture Editor

Back to school blues and looking for a pick me up? You’re not the only one; luckily for us, Clackamas Community College is surrounded by coffee shops.

On campus, the Cougar Café has regular drip coffee for $2.60. There are also vending machines at the Café in the event of a rush, although coffee lines can be long. The drinks are basic, affordable and just a few steps away.

Starbucks is the closest coffee shop to campus, being a 10-minute walk or a four-minute drive. Starbucks is able to provide the consistency that the chain is known for at more than 33,000 stores worldwide. The blonde roast tall, 12 ounces, is $3.76. Starbucks also has a variety of flavors, foods and specialty coffees including the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte, costing $5.55.

A venti Starbucks coffee. Photos by Tomas Alonso

Oregon-favorite Dutch Bros is located about five minutes down Beavercreek Road at the Hilltop Mall with another location 10 minutes away on Molalla Ave. The drive-thru becomes crowded at peak hours, but the walk-up window is available for quicker service. Dutch Bros has a huge variety of cold, frozen and nitro coffees and smoothies. And as undeniable as the taste and service is, prices are a bit higher than most. A classic Americano will only set you back $2, their cold brew, latte and blended frozen options average out in the $8 range.

Eight minutes from campus is Black Rock Coffee Bar. Known for its speed and wide variety of beverages, Black Rock offers coffees, teas and energy drinks. Prices are higher than some competitors but far from unreasonable. A hot Americano costs $5.55, an iced latte $7.85, and a blended mocha $8.25. Black Rock has also made a recent push towards breakfast and food items, including catered breakfast burritos, egg bites and bagels.

A medium Black Rock coffee.

For those seeking affordability, McDonald’s on Molalla Ave. offers coffee at the lowest price. A small premium roast costs $1.99, often less with app discounts. An iced French vanilla coffee costs $2.89, and pairing it with breakfast items like a hash brown or McGriddle makes for a quick stop.

A few minutes farther down Beavercreek Road is Creek Coffee, a locally owned shop with deep roots in the community. Prices run slightly higher than household-name chains, but it is known for friendly service and quality drinks.

Quick comparisons:

McDonalds, Black Rock and Starbucks ‘medium’ sized drinks.

McDonald’s offers the cheapest coffee, with medium sizes starting at $1.19 – a great deal in the low price point range.

Black Rock is moderately priced, with a medium americano at $4.60 along with many food items including catered breakfast burritos. Medium prices and good service.

Starbucks is the priciest, with many drinks in the $6 to $8 range, but the chain makes up for it with proximity to campus and very friendly service. Starbucks also has a wide variety of snacks and tasty treats.