5 Things Baristas Hate And 5 Things We Don't

5 Things Baristas Hate And 5 Things We Don't

Some things I have come to learn that most baristas hate or love over the last year.
Morgan Thomas
Morgan Thomas Jan 8, 2018
244
views

I have been a barista for almost a year now and I have worked in two different coffee shops each with a very different group of customers. Over the past year, I have seen a couple of customer behaviors that seem to get on the nerves of everyone I have worked with. I have also seen some behaviors that we really appreciate. Here are my top five of each.

Barista's usually hate it when...

#1 A Customer is on Their Phone While Ordering:

Now we don't mind if you excuse yourself from your phone conversation, put your phone down and order. But I have had people literally whisper their order to me so they wouldn't interrupt their phone conversation. If your phone conversation is that important please step out of line or wait until you are done on the phone before getting in line.

#2 Watch Them Make Your Drink:

I have had people watch my coworkers make their drinks and then tell them it is wrong as soon as it is handed to them. Standing at the end of the counter waiting for your drink is one thing but leaning on the counter staring at us as we make your drink is really distracting to us. Trust me we know what we are doing and how to make the drinks.

#3 You Order An Unfamiliar Drink and then Complain About It:

I cannot stand it when someone orders a drink they have never had before and then complains about how it tastes and then demand a refund or a replacement. I am more than happy to answer any questions about drinks that you may have and if you end up not liking it, politely ask for something else. So before you order something new, make sure you ask questions to see if it is going to be something you might like.

#4 Customers Try to Trick Us

I have had multiple instances where a customer has come back multiple times to complain about food that they have already half eaten, a drink that is half gone or told me something completely ridiculous, just to get a free replacement. Sometimes they will even come up to complain about the food or drink while still eating it. One woman came back with a banana that was 3/4 gone and told me that it was rotten, which it was not, and she wanted something else after she already taken a few bites out of a brownie that she felt was half-baked, again false. If there is something legitimately wrong with your order we are more than happy to do what we can to fix it.

#5 Customers Get Impatient:

Espresso drinks take a few minutes to make, coffee takes a few minutes to brew. We understand that you are in a rush and we are making your drink as fast as we can without making a mistake. We want to give you a good quality product for the money you paid and that may take a few minutes.

And now for the things baristas love

Baristas love it when customers:

#1 Are Friendly:

Chances are we have been standing in the same tiny bar for a few hours so when a customer is kind and polite to us it can really make our day.

#2 Get to Know Us:


We have a lot of regular customers that come in every day. After a while, you get to know them and their order. I love when a customer strikes up a conversation about something that's going on in the world or asks how my day has been. If you are nice to your barista, they are more likely to take extra care with your drink and make sure it is perfect.

#3 Are Understanding:


Sometimes mistakes happen, we use the wrong milk or hear the order wrong and make an entirely wrong drink. These mistakes usually happen during a rush when we are trying to make five drinks at once. When customers understand that sometimes the coffee bar gets a bit hectic and we are only human, that makes a stressful situation a lot easier to handle.

#4 Have Their Order Ready To Go:

Being prepared to order when it is your turn is courteous to everyone around you. It makes the barista's job easier, makes the line go faster, and causes less potential for an awkward situation. Trust me I am guilty of doing this too. There are times when I just stare at the menu while in line and still have no idea what I want by the time I get to the register. So this is a little more understandable.

#5 Are Just Generally Considerate to Those Around Them:

The number of rude people that come through a coffee shop, unfortunately, outnumbers the polite people. So when we do get a polite customer it brightens up our day a bit. Being a nice person doesn't cost you anything.

All in all being a barista is a pretty great job, especially when you love coffee as much as I do.

Cover Image Credit: Pexels
Morgan Thomas
Morgan Thomas Jan 8, 2018
At Eastern University

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​An Open Letter To The People Who Don’t Tip Their Servers

This one's for you.
Hailea Shallock
Hailea Shallock May 11, 2017
1502075
views

Dear Person Who Has No Idea How Much The 0 In The “Tip:" Line Matters,

I want to by asking you a simple question: Why?

Is it because you can't afford it? Is it because you are blind to the fact that the tip you leave is how the waiter/waitress serving you is making their living? Is it because you're just lazy and you “don't feel like it"?

Is it because you think that, while taking care of not only your table but at least three to five others, they took too long bringing you that side of ranch dressing? Or is it just because you're unaware that as a server these people make $2.85 an hour plus TIPS?

The average waiter/waitress is only supposed to be paid $2.13 an hour plus tips according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

That then leaves the waiter/waitress with a paycheck with the numbers **$0.00** and the words “Not a real paycheck." stamped on it. Therefore these men and women completely rely on the tips they make during the week to pay their bills.

So, with that being said, I have a few words for those of you who are ignorant enough to leave without leaving a few dollars in the “tip:" line.

Imagine if you go to work, the night starts off slow, then almost like a bomb went off the entire workplace is chaotic and you can't seem to find a minute to stop and breathe, let alone think about what to do next.

Imagine that you are helping a total of six different groups of people at one time, with each group containing two to 10 people.

Imagine that you are working your ass off to make sure that these customers have the best experience possible. Then you cash them out, you hand them a pen and a receipt, say “Thank you so much! It was a pleasure serving you, have a great day!"

Imagine you walk away to attempt to start one of the 17 other things you need to complete, watch as the group you just thanked leaves, and maybe even wave goodbye.

Imagine you are cleaning up the mess that they have so kindly left behind, you look down at the receipt and realize there's a sad face on the tip line of a $24.83 bill.

Imagine how devastated you feel knowing that you helped these people as much as you could just to have them throw water on the fire you need to complete the night.

Now, realize that whenever you decide not to tip your waitress, this is nine out of 10 times what they go through. I cannot stress enough how important it is for people to realize that this is someone's profession — whether they are a college student, a single mother working their second job of the day, a new dad who needs to pay off the loan he needed to take out to get a safer car for his child, your friend, your mom, your dad, your sister, your brother, you.

If you cannot afford to tip, do not come out to eat. If you cannot afford the three alcoholic drinks you gulped down, plus your food and a tip do not come out to eat.

If you cannot afford the $10 wings that become half-off on Tuesdays plus that water you asked for, do not come out to eat.

If you cannot see that the person in front of you is working their best to accommodate you, while trying to do the same for the other five tables around you, do not come out to eat. If you cannot realize that the man or woman in front of you is a real person, with their own personal lives and problems and that maybe these problems have led them to be the reason they are standing in front of you, then do not come out to eat.

As a server myself, it kills me to see the people around me being deprived of the money that they were supposed to earn. It kills me to see the three dollars you left on a $40 bill. It kills me that you cannot stand to put yourself in our shoes — as if you're better than us. I wonder if you realize that you single-handedly ruined part of our nights.

I wonder if maybe one day you will be in our shoes, and I hope to God no one treats you how you have treated us. But if they do, then maybe you'll realize how we felt when you left no tip after we gave you our time.

Cover Image Credit: Hailea Shallock
Hailea Shallock
Hailea Shallock May 11, 2017
At West Chester University

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My Strange Obsession: Bibibop Addition

I am obsessed with Bibibop.

Kayla Kingston
Kayla Kingston Apr 23, 2019
180
views

I am obsessed with Bibibop.

Sounds strange, right? But it's true.

For those of you who have never had the opportunity to experience Bibibop, Bibibop is an Asian Grill set up similar to Chipotle. You're able to go down the line of food, choosing a base (always go with the purple rice), hot toppings (they all slap), protein (the tofu is to die for), some cold toppings (a great way to try kale for the first time), and a sauce (if you don't get the Yum Yum sauce, you're weird.)

And, let me tell you, the final product is always delicious.

I hadn't been introduced to Bibibop until this past year, but once I tried it for the first time, I never looked back. Now I am constantly craving the taste of the Yum Yum sauce. I usually hit up Bibibop once every two weeks, but if I was rich, I would probably eat it every other day.

Though, admittedly, the prices are pretty good. And they celebrate meatless Mondays with 20% off to anyone who doesn't get meat in their bowl.

Plus, it's pretty healthy. Unlike most restaurants, like Chipotle, where your somewhat healthy meal can instantly become bad for you with the addition of something on the menu, Bibibop's entire menu provides nutritional value and offers gluten-free and vegan options.

Basically, Bibibop is the most underrated and most delicious restaurant in the world, which is why my obsession with it runs so deep. Although I would usually admit that obsessions are unhealthy, I think this one might be okay.

Kayla Kingston
Kayla Kingston Apr 23, 2019
At University of Dayton

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