Starbucks Collecting Coffee for Deployed Marines and Sailors

Starbucks locations in Oceanside, Carlsbad and Encinitas are doing their part to keep Marines and sailors in Afghanistan alert.

Until Sunday they will be collecting coffee at their coastal North County locations to send to Camps Leatherneck and Stone by Memorial Day.

And while the there’s a lot of coffee to choose from, Marines tend to like plain Via Instant Coffee, which requires little more than a canteen and hot water.

“They can make it instantly out there in the field,” said Jonathan West, a barista at the in Oceanside.

“If we sent them a pound of coffee they have to go through all the trouble of processing the coffee,” he said.

Working near Camp Pendleton, West has seen a number of customers who’ll pay for coffee for Marines.

There’s just a strong connection between the community here and the military,” he said.