On April 6, the first 7 Brew in Manhattan officially opened its doors. At 1008 Limey Place, the newest coffee sensation sits right across Tuttle Creek Blvd from the previous coffee shop craze, 151 Coffee. 

7 Brew premiered its products by offering free small drinks for the first five days and giving away t-shirts with the purchase of a large drink. The drive-thru line wrapped around the store each day, making 151 a ghost town across the street. 

Although the two businesses have similar menus, students have strong opinions on which they prefer. Shanti Cornejo, junior in accounting, drinks coffee daily, and took advantage of 7 Brew’s opening week. 

“Since it opened, I’ve probably been there like five times, and they opened, like, last week,” Cornejo said. “I’m obsessed.” 

7 Brew’s opening week was Cornejo’s first time experiencing the coffee chain, and it made a lasting impression on her. Cornejo expressed that she has had overall better experiences at 7 Brew than she has at 151, and that the accessibility of the menu was an important reason why she favors the brand new coffee shop.

“Last week I had free drinks, so that was awesome,” Cornejo said. “I got to try a bunch of different drinks, and they also are cheaper, I think, and I got all kinds of inclusions and added a bunch of syrups and everything. And you can actually look up their menu online, versus 151, you have to be there and scan a QR code to get that menu.” 

While Cornejo prioritizes the overall experience of the coffee shops, other customers focus primarily on taste. Hannah Benoit, freshman in social work, prefers 7 Brew over 151 and believes adding the coffee shop to Manhattan was absolutely necessary. 

“I don’t drink coffee,” Benoit said. “I drink more sodas, waters and teas. Whenever I get a fizz drink from 151, there’s like no flavoring in it, so 7 Brew just has more flavor.” 

Other students struggle to decide which coffee place has their loyalty. Emma Nangle, junior in communication sciences and disorders, noticed strengths and weaknesses at each establishment. 

“7 Brew has better energy drinks, and then 151 probably has better sugar-free options,” Nangle said. “I mean, the dirty sodas at 151 are insanely good.”

Although Nangle appreciates many products from 151, she had more praise for 7 Brew’s reward system. Members receive a free drink of any size after purchasing 10 drinks at 7 Brew. Nangle has gotten at least 10 free drinks from 7 Brew because of the loyalty program.

“I’m a 7 Brew-er at heart,” Nangle said. “But I do love 151, I feel like it’s a really close tie. I feel like the only reason is just because of loyalty, because I’ve just been a 7 Brew-er for so long and I’ve gotten so many free drinks from 7 brew.”

On the other side of the spectrum, some students plan to stay loyal to the preceding coffee shop, 151. Yalena Sanchez, sophomore in music education, is a big coffee fan and often chooses to buy it rather than make it herself. 

Sanchez said her experiences at 7 Brew have been overwhelming and complicated compared to her trips to 151. 

“7 Brew is just way too loud and overstimulating for me,” Sanchez said. “151 is very low key, very chill. The people are nice, the vibes are chill. At 7 Brew, the two times I’ve went, they were bouncing off the walls. And that’s just not my vibe. That’s not my energy.”

Sanchez thinks 151 has a more calming atmosphere compared to the environment at 7 Brew.

“They were like, rushing us. They’re like, you gotta pull forward. You gotta pull forward. I was like, dude, what if we hit the girl taking our order, you know? But at 151, they’re like, take your time, dude. Like, no rush, kumbaya.” 

Sanchez finds the physical aesthetic of 7 Brew too distracting and extreme. 

“I could see those LED lights from Sonic, like they’re bright, bright blue, and I just don’t mess with it,” said Sanchez. “They’re blinding people. I’m blinded. My corneas are not the same.”

With the semester winding down and finals approaching quickly, these two rivals become a convenience for worn-out K-State students, whether they pick the new and exciting 7 Brew or the classic and consistent 151 Coffee. As both establishments keep busy, it’s clear that in a college town like Manhattan, there’s no such thing as too much caffeine.