How Coffee Tastes Reflect Your Lifestyle Choices

Ever wondered why your date’s music playlist—or their choice of coffee—matters more than you think? A major global coffee brand recently asked thousands of people worldwide, including 9,000 in China, how taste influences their daily decisions. The answers reveal surprising insights into how we judge others—and ourselves—based on everything from clothing to coffee preferences.

Quick answer: Nearly half of Shanghai respondents said David Beckham and Tom Cruise have the best taste, while 56% of Chinese daters consider fashion, music, art, and food preferences key factors before going on a date—with clothing topping the list.

Global Survey on Taste and Lifestyle Preferences

The global coffee chain Costa Coffee conducted a wide-reaching survey involving at least 9,000 participants. In Shanghai, nearly 50% of respondents chose David Beckham and Tom Cruise as the celebrity duo with the best taste globally. George Clooney came in second with 19% of the vote, and Victoria Beckham third with 11%. Surprisingly, high-profile figures like Kate Moss and Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty received only 7% and 3% respectively.

How Taste Influences Dating and Social Decisions

More than half (56%) of Chinese respondents said they carefully consider a potential date’s taste in clothing, music, art, and food before agreeing to meet. Out of these, clothing was the most influential factor. The survey highlights how deeply personal aesthetics and preferences affect social and romantic choices.

Cultural Differences in Taste Perception

The research also uncovered fascinating contrasts between countries. For example, 73% of Shanghai respondents said having good taste in fashion and art is more important than having good taste in music—compared to just 9% in Shanghai versus 37% in the UK who value musical taste more. Memory of childhood flavors also varied: 26% of Shanghainese associated fruit with their earliest taste memories, slightly below Beijing’s 38%, while 39% of Britons remembered milk as their first taste. These differences show how cultural context shapes our flavor preferences from an early age.

The Rise of Coffee as a Unique Flavor Experience

One of the more unexpected findings was that 1 in 4 Shanghai respondents identified coffee as the most unique flavor they’ve ever tried. This reflects coffee’s growing global—and especially Chinese—popularity. Since entering China in 2006, Costa Coffee has rapidly expanded to over 70 locations in multiple cities. As a result, nearly 42% of Chinese respondents associate coffee with the UK. Additionally, 67% link chocolate with love, and around 21% connect champagne or red wine with romance.

What This Means for Coffee Culture

“This survey shows how profoundly taste influences people—not just in food and drink, but in how we perceive others’ style, social circles, and artistic preferences,” said Costa Coffee Shanghai General Manager Qiu Zipao. “At Costa Coffee, we constantly gather customer feedback to refine our drinks, food offerings, and store environments. This data helps us better understand varying consumer needs across regions and adapt accordingly.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Which celebrities did Shanghai respondents rank as having the best taste?

Nearly half of Shanghai participants in the Costa Coffee survey chose David Beckham and Tom Cruise as the celebrity pair with the best global taste, followed by George Clooney with 19% and Victoria Beckham with 11%.

What factor matters most to Chinese daters when choosing someone?

Over 56% of Chinese respondents consider fashion, music, art, and food preferences when deciding whether to go on a date, with clothing being the most influential factor.

How do cultural tastes differ regarding music and fashion?

73% of Shanghai respondents value good taste in fashion and art more than in music, compared to 37% in the UK who prioritize musical taste—while only 9% in Shanghai feel the same.

What was the most common childhood flavor memory in different regions?

26% of Shanghai respondents associated fruit with their first taste memory, compared to 38% in Beijing and 39% in the UK, who most often remembered milk.

Why do so many people in Shanghai connect coffee with uniqueness?

One in four Shanghai respondents said coffee was the most unique flavor they’d tried, reflecting coffee’s rising global profile and its growing popularity in China.

How has Costa Coffee adapted based on this survey?

Costa Coffee uses insights from the survey to refine its drinks, menu items, and in-store experiences, aiming to better address regional taste preferences and consumer expectations.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee Lovers

Explore FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright citrus and floral notes, or Yirgacheffe for juicy berry and stone fruit layers—both ideal for tasting coffee’s unique flavor profile. For something deeper, try the PWN Golden Mandheling with its sweet caramel and mild spice. These single origins highlight the diverse tastes that make coffee so personal. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.