For many, coffee and college go hand in hand. Like Thelma and Louise or SpongeBob and Patrick, they are made for each other. And if you’re anything like me, less than two cups a day is borderline offensive. Many students need that caffeine fuelled lift just to get out their front door.
With that being said, there is a dark-side of the coffee world. Despite the fact that college students stop at their local coffee joint almost daily, many of them just don’t know how to order. It’s a sad fact of life that not only makes your baristas sad, but also your fellow coffee-goers. It holds up the line, and it may lead to a bad cup o’joe. And when you’re paying upwards of 4 dollars for the fancy drinks, nobody wants that.
But collegiettes, no worries, your HC staff barista expert is here to fill you in on the best, most efficient way to order your morning fuel.
1. Know Your Menu – First time at a coffee place? Just take a second. Slow down, breath in the smell of glorious coffee beans, and just relax. Now I get it, there are about three Starbucks to every person in this world, and it may be what you are used to. Unfortunately, coffee places (especially your local joints, like Athens’ own Donkey Coffee) are nothing like Starbucks. Did you know that a Carmel Macchiato is a drink exclusive to the mermaid? Everywhere else in the world, if you order a macchiato, you will get a shot of espresso with a little bit of milk (macchiato literally means to mark in Italian, so a mark of milk is all you will get). Every coffee place is different. So take a second and just read the menu. Learn about the different drinks they serve and study it well. It will make you and your barista’s experience much easier. Maybe they have something similar to a Carmel Macchiato on their menu, but you will never know if you don’t read, and you may be very disappointed if not.
2. Know Your Lingo – Now, this rule goes hand-in-hand with knowing the menu. Once again, tall, grande, and venti (and the intimidating trenta) are Starbucks words, usually reserved for their stores. So, know how the drink sizes go: small, medium, large, or maybe just regular and large size. Know beforehand so as not to confuse your barista. You would be surprised how many times someone has asked for a tall drink meaning they want a large and vice versa, so learn the lingo by simply looking at the menu. Most places even have displays with their sizes. This rule applies for drink ordering as well. This is especially true with the dreaded Frappuccino. Frappuccino is a trademarked word, as well as McDonald’s frappes; you do not see those names used legally in any other coffee places. Nothing will drive a barista more insane then you ordering a Frappuccino when they are not a Starbucks. They may have a similar drink, just check the menu for frozen, blended or milkshake coffee drinks. Just know your lingo going in, because most coffee places are not Starbucks, and if you order a Frappuccino they will be happy to point you in the direction of a green apron.
3. BE SPECIFIC!! – Sorry to break your heart, but we are baristas, not mind readers. When ordering your drink, give as many details as possible. Start with the drink size, always. It’s the way we have been trained, to always need the drink size before anything else, and a lot of registers require that you choose a size before you even hit the drink button. So, if you have a drink with a lot of modifications, say the size first, so we can get everything else down correctly. Have milk specifications, or want/don’t want whipped cream on top, just let us know, we will be happy to help you, but it’s hard to change a drink after we have started it. Going in that direction, does a drink you want come in both hot and iced forms? For the love of God, please tell us what kind you want when you order. Yes, we get that it is warm out but we are wired to assume you want that drink hot unless told otherwise. So when we hand you that vanilla latte and you say “oh I wanted that iced,” like we could read your mind, don’t be mad if we give you a very dirty look. It’s better than our natural urge to throw the drink in your face and say, “Deal with it, you didn’t say otherwise.” So save your favorite shirt and our job, and just be as specific as possible, pretty please.
4. Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions – I won’t bite, I promise, and most other baristas won’t either (we have coffee as a career, and we are thrilled about it). If you have a question, just ask. We are trained to know our drinks, our menu, and to know what is good. We would rather have someone come up and ask me about our sizes or if we have a blended drink then to have someone assume they know what they are doing and order a tall java chip Frappuccino. We have none of those things, but you would have known that if you asked. So, if reading the menu or my article confuses you more than helps, just ask your friendly barista. We get paid to be the experts, so don’t worry, you’re in good hands.
5. Be Polite – This should go without saying, but you would be surprised. We are working for pay and are not your personal servants you can kick around. First and foremost, please and thank yous are key. A smile and a thank you goes a long way, trust me. Sometimes, we are very busy, so if we don’t take your order the millisecond you approach my counter, we will within five seconds, I promise. And please wait for a greeting; don’t just start barking your order out, it is irritating and rude. The biggest tip I can give for this is get off your cell phone before you approach the counter. There is nothing ruder than greeting someone, being hushed, then they quickly yell out their order. Your phone conversation can wait, I promise, please give us the courtesy we give you. I’m not chatting on the phone while you’re trying to order your coffee, and it’s a two way street. Please end your conversation beforehand, or I will make it a point to talk as loud as humanly possible when taking your order. Sorry I’m not sorry.
6. Tip Your Barista – Many college students are too cheap to tip. Shocking, I know. But us baristas work hard to make the perfect drink and to hopefully make your day a little bit better. So all we ask in return is a nickel or a dime or anything in our tip jar for our hard work (pennies need not apply).
So, next time you are off getting yourself a cup of coffee from your lovely barista, remember these rules. I bet it will make your experience a whole lot better. Happy caffeinating!
Be on the lookout for more dos and don’ts from Her Campus OhioU! Coming soon, dos and don’ts of ordering drinks at the bars.
Photos courtesy of toxel.com, blog.bigtimewireless.com, dudelol.com, pophangover.com, ristrettocafe.bogspot.com