For some reason I think of it as an older concept. Now Starbucks and coffee chains are popular.
Seinfeld on instant coffee https://youtu.be/uDrh5pujB9I?si=VdlVEREjMTNd2Bs7
Highlighting carlcook’s advice:
dissolve in cold water, ONLY THEN add hot water. The rationale behind it is that aromatics evaporate too quickly when the instant powder is infused with too/boiling hot water.
I don’t drink coffee at all but I do live outside of the US. I have noticed that in MANY places in the world, instant coffee is the norm. It’s not normal to see coffee beans in the grocery store at all really where I am now. I would have to go to a more upscale place or to a specialty spot to find whole or ground coffee.