Why do most coffee shops use such dark roast?

Question

I've noticed that most (non-specialty) places that sell coffee tend to have very dark roasts. This includes Starbucks, any Fast Food restaurant, most nicer restaurants, and hotel coffee.

I can't tolerate anything darker than Starbucks' "Blonde Roast". All their others I'd consider to be dark roast. When I buy coffee in the store and make it myself, it's never anywhere near as dark as what you get in shops. I usually get fresh beans from The Fresh Market or Caribou brand.

Is there any reason shops tend to make their coffee so dark? Or is my taste just skewed from most people's?

CrsOystr · Accepted Answer

Roasting coffee dark may be used because it is easier to create a consistently flavored bean, with less monitoring and concern for flavor profiles. In the case of Starbucks they are shipping so much of their coffee to so many locations and creating so much coffee at once that it may be easier to create consistency. The darker you roast the less the flavor of the original bean matters, so it may also be used as a method to roast cheaper or lower quality beans.

Correct answer by CrsOystr on June 29, 2021

Ziezi · Answer

In addition to what have been said:

easier to maintain consistency as quality is lower.
longer preservation.

It could be added:

it gives more intensive taste (possibly local market demand and standards). 
allows greater dilution. 
possibly smaller dose in the shot extraction.

Why do most coffee shops use such dark roast?

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