The same reason smokers don't just wear nicotine patches.
There's much more to the ritual. The caffeine may be part of it, but pulling in the other senses: the flavor, the smell, the warm mug in your hands, all add up to much more than a dose of caffeine.
I thought about that but two things. 1) nicotine patches don't give you the same amount afaik. 2) There are more addicting things in cigarettes, people that switch to vaping (same nicotine) say it doesn't hit as much. 3) also why I said for the caffeine instead of who enjoy coffee.
nicotine patches and lozenges are actually similarly great. Just low level nicotine for hours. If I don't have enough water or am too tired to start with then they will cause low-grade nausea though.
it's like drinking alcohol - you can go to a bar/pub for the social scene or you can pregame in the parking lot with a bottle of cheap vodka to get fucking wrecked first.