A warm spring morning, the long walk into first block, a feeling of sleepiness, boredom. But suddenly, a friend appears, arms full of drinks with the iconic AJ’s logo and green straw, with the first sip a dopamine rush, excitement for the day, happiness even, all from an AJ’s drink.
Students of the PCDS community have become obsessed with AJ’s drinks. But why?
AJ’s Fine Foods is a local grocery store chain with eleven locations around the valley. Formerly known as AJ’s Bayless, the company filed for bankruptcy in the late 1980s; since then, Bashas’ has acquired it. Now, AJ’s takes pride in its gourmet foods and high-quality produce. But why, of all things, are their drinks the item that has consistently brought PCDS students in?
It comes down to three things: speed, affordability, and proximity to school. Sophomore Charly Scott said, “It’s fast and affordable.” Sophomore Mary Bartolino also commented, “It’s cheaper and closer to school.”
The closest AJ’s Fine Foods to PCDS is located at 4430 E Camelback Road. It is only four minutes away by car, making it an easy stop for many students on their way to school.
It takes an AJ’s worker only two minutes to make an Arnold Palmer (half tea, half lemonade) with syrup. This speed is essential to the accessibility of AJ’s drinks for PCDS students, as even in a time crunch before school, a student can still get a sweet drink without being too late.
Finally, an AJ’s iced tea costs $2.25 for 32 ounces. Meanwhile, competitors such as Starbucks prices a simple black iced tea at $5.28 for 30 ounces, and Hava Java prices their Hava Tea at $3.75 for 20 ounces.
The price difference is obvious, and by doing this, AJ’s gives PCDS students a way to grab a drink without breaking the bank.
So, speed, affordability, and proximity to school are obvious reasons why AJ’s is popular with PCDS students. But what is the “it” factor that brings AJ’s to a PCDS obsession?
Sugary drinks have become a habit with students. But it’s not just a trend; it’s a biological fact that sugary drinks are addictive. They give students that dopamine rush that everyone needs to get their day going on a sleepy morning at PCDS.
The need for a sugary drink is evident in the very words of fellow PCDS students.
Sophomore Lauren Bryant commented, “I need some sort of drink to start my morning. I think getting AJs in the morning really sets me up for a good day. If I have a nice drink in the morning, then I’m just in a better mood.”
For Bryant, AJ’s is an easy way to get motivated in the morning; the better mood she’s referring to is a dopamine rush. But that dopamine can become addictive.
Junior Isa Galá stated, “I’m actually addicted to AJ’s. Over the summer, I would get headaches when I didn’t get AJ’s. I just think that it makes me so happy to get my little sweet treat. And I can’t stop getting them. It’s just this part of my routine that I really love.”
For Galá, a harmless sweet treat has turned into an addiction.
But it’s well known that sugary drinks are unhealthy. So why is AJ’s still so popular?
There’s another factor. Hype.
Consumerism often creates “hype” around products, such as the popularity of squishy dumplings, Nee Dohs, or certain clothing brands. But, the constant consumerism tactic is to “treat yourself.” For some people, it’s ice cream or candy, but for students at PCDS, it has become an AJ’s drink.
But consumerism cannot work without consumers “hyping up” the product.
PCDS students have become AJ’s consumers. They “hype up” AJ’s drinks to their friends, thereby giving AJ’s more business.
Junior Camila Acharya jokingly commented, “I definitely think AJ’s gets a lot of revenue from PCDS students.” But it’s true.
The reason AJ’s has become so popular at PCDS is that it’s become a trend. It’s been hyped up so much that it’s become a staple of PCDS high school culture.
So the question remains: do AJ’s drinks benefit the PCDS community or destroy it?
Acharya commented, “I think it’s totally normal, okay, for high school students to have that nice treat throughout the day.”
Gala said, “I just love how we have this place that we can bond over.”
