Have you ever walked into a coffee shop and seen a customer say something to a barista that makes them cringe?

Here’s some common mistakes customers make at their local coffee shop.

1. They don’t read the menu.

I can’t tell you how many times a customer has asked me for a frappuccino, even though it has no place on the menu. 

Baristas are always able to help make a drink to your liking, but sometimes we don’t have the materials to make complicated drinks like frappuccinos. So make sure to read the menu before you order.

       2. Not asking questions

Oftentimes, customers will order things they don’t recognize and then will be disappointed with the drink. We are always happy to answer any questions. If you have an allergen, ask us if a drink contains it. If you don’t like coffee, you can ask us what other drinks we have. Never be afraid to ask, we would rather you ask questions and have you love your drink than not ask and be unhappy.

      3.Trying to prove your coffee knowledge

I promise you, you are not going to impress your barista because you only order coffee black, the “pure” way.  You look pretentious and we don’t appreciate you considering yourself better than other customers who may not like black coffee.

     4. Don’t take mistakes personally

I promise you, if a barista messes up your order, it’s not because we hate you. We made a mistake and will work to correct it as soon as possible. Please don’t yell at us because we gave you a drink without your syrup. We will gladly remake it.

    5. Don’t grab the wrong drink

If we call out a green tea, and you ordered a latte, please don’t grab it and then tell us it’s not your drink. We know, and now we have to remake the drink again because you didn’t listen.

Now, being a barista isn’t bad. These are some small things that happen occasionally. Most of the time it’s incredibly enjoyable and there’s nothing I enjoy more than seeing a smile on a customer’s face after they like their drink.