title_body: Why does instant coffee have a poor reputation?
upvoted_answer: Because the taste and aroma are horrible. I've been places (for instance Shanghai and Beijing) where it's hard to get a cup of coffee outside of business areas catering to foreigners. 
  
  The instant coffee is terrible. It is not a pleasure to drink. It's only palatable (to me) with a ton of evaporated milk and a lot of sugar. For someone  who usually drinks coffee black this ruins the coffee experience.
  
  To answer your question: for people who love the smell and taste of good, freshly roasted, freshly ground coffee - instant coffee simply doesn't compare. Hence the poor reputation.