When SBux fiddled with their rewards program, I felt marginalized and switched to DD. And I was pretty happy until they up-charged me sixty cents for the almond milk in my free beverage. I have decided that half the time I am buying coffee just to earn points (sound familiar FTers?) and not because I want/need one. I have about $15 combined on both cards and haven't been to either in a month. Like Horse, I'll keep a balance on each for travel but no longer make a special trip at lunch or stop in on the weekends unless I simply must have a coffee. I love DD iced coffee and don't think there is a better chain version. But my loyalty was answered with disdain so I have a Keurig in my office and the company stocks k-cups in the break room and that's where most of what I drink comes from.

And don't get me started on drive-throughs. I won't go through one unless a passenger insists. My knees are shot but they still work well enough to get me from the car to the counter and back.

Oh yeah, I have no idea what independents exist in the DFW area but look for one. Almost always better than the chains until I moved here. We have a couple. One refuses to sell dark roast so I won't patronize, The other is excellent but usually crammed with diners and more of a sit-down breakfast place even though "Coffee Shop" is part of the name. Great coffee though. I wish you better luck.