Starbucks popularized medium roasted coffee.
Starbucks . Starbucks is considered the main representative of `` second wave coffee '' , initially distinguishing itself from other coffee-serving venues in the US by taste , quality , and customer experience while popularizing darkly roasted coffee . Since the 2000s , third wave coffee makers have targeted quality-minded coffee drinkers with hand-made coffee based on lighter roasts , while Starbucks nowadays uses automated espresso machines for efficiency and safety reasons .