coffee-for-less-blog
Chances are strong that your barista works at your favorite coffee shop because they love it there, too. They take pride in making a good cup of coffee, and they enjoy sharing great cups of coffee with others.
Wondering how you can build a friendly rapport with your local coffee expert? Use these tips to start building a pleasant relationship with your barista in no time at all. Soon, they’ll know your usual order and how you like it made, and they might even start going the extra mile for you with bonuses like extra whipped cream, a bonus shot, or a larger size, free of charge.
1. Greet Your Barista
Take a second to say “hello” to your barista and ask how they are doing. Put down your phone for the 30-second interaction, say please, and treat them with respect. They only want to make you a great cup of coffee. A pleasant interaction with a customer can brighten up their day of serving coffee-deprived individuals who might not be as nice as you are.
2. Be Specific
Know exactly what you want. Be precise but polite when ordering the specific drink you want, but also understand that every coffee shop is different and might make the same drink differently than another cafe. If you are extremely particular about your coffee beverage of choice, understand that they may not be able to fulfill all your requests. Making coffee is an art form, so let them make art.
3. Know Your Order
Know what you want to drink and buy before you arrive at the cash register! If you’re holding up the line because you can’t decide what to get, your barista will get irritated (as will the other customers). Don’t be that guy.
4. Tip!
Don’t forget to tip! Not only is it the right thing to do when ordering food or drinks anywhere, but it’s also an easy way to get on your barista’s good side. Your barista will definitely notice if you’re a tipper or not. If not, they probably won’t be going the extra mile for you anytime soon.
5. Don’t Pour Coffee Into the Trash
If your barista asks if you want room in your coffee, they are asking so you don’t have to pour out hot coffee into the garbage that they will inevitably have to mop up next time they take out the trash.
6. Don’t Stare
One thing you might not even be aware of is staring at your barista while they make you your drink. It happens too often and it stresses them out. The job can be stressful enough without all eyes on them, so try to let them do their thing.
7. Know What You’re Talking About
If you are particular about the way your coffee drinks are made, at least know what they are. Don’t order a cappuccino with no foam; don’t order a caramel macchiato without coffee; don’t order a mocha latte and get mad when it’s chocolatey. Also, and this one is important, it’s pronounced “es-presso”, not “ex-presso”.
8. Know Where You’re At
Remember when we said that all coffee shops are different? Part of knowing what you are ordering includes knowing which coffee shop you’re at! Don’t walk into a small coffee business and order a grande frappuccino. You will most likely get a couple of eye rolls.
9. Stick to the Basics
Don’t order off the secret menu and get upset when your barista doesn’t know how to make the drink. You probably just want to try a new, exciting drink, but you will most likely end up confusing the barista and hold up the line. If you know what goes into the specialty drink, feel free to order your custom drink (politely), but don’t expect the barista to know secret menu items off of the top of their head.
10. Mind Your Manners
Always say “thank you”! If your barista made you an exceptional drink, let them know. Bus your table, clean up after yourself, leave a generous tip, and your barista will be happy to see you the next time you come in.