'So annoying' : Barista shares 11 things customers must stop doing in cafes

“It makes us uncomfortable,” the hospitality worker shared. Are you guilty of this?

Laura Jackel

3 min read

June 25, 2024 - 7:33PM

"If you don't discipline your kids, don't bring them to a cafe"

Lifestyle

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Ordering a freshly-made coffee from a favourite cafe might just be the best part of the day for many caffeine-loving Aussies.

But one barista has some wise words for us coffee-guzzling consumers to ensure the experience is a good one for both the customer, and the staff.

Because while the much disputed saying goes, ‘the customer is always right’, it doesn’t say anything about whether the customer is always nice.

And really, how hard is it to simply be nice when ordering and waiting for a delicious barista-made brew?

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Image: Supplied / iStock

"Use basic manners"

According to this fed-up barista it seems that while many of their customers are awesome, many others are not, leading them to put together a master list of how we can improve our cafe etiquette.

The barista, who has chosen to remain anonymous, listed 11 key things that annoy cafe employees the most, starting with the obvious - general friendly and polite behaviour.

“To have a good experience in a cafe it is important to use basic manners,” the barista begins.

“I promise they are both important for you and us. So please respond when greeted and say please and thank you (we want you to feel welcome, and we want to feel appreciated).

"If you are in a hurry, thanks will go a lot smoother for you and the staff if you do either of these things.”

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"It makes us uncomfortable"

The rest of the ten points in the anonymous written message reads like this:

"1. Either know what you want or be able to articulate what your preferences are so that staff can assist you in deciding.

2. Please don’t stare at the barista, it makes us incredibly uncomfortable. If you’re curious about the process, you can ask questions! If you’re a person that stares into space on occasion why not take a peek out the window?

3. Understand that sometimes good things take time, we are most likely working as fast as we can. However, if you do have a concern that we have missed you, we welcome your polite queries.

4. Similarly, please kindly tell us if we have made a mistake. We want you to have the best experience, but we humans can make mistakes sometimes.

5. While we absolutely appreciate jokes and banter, if we are busy, please save this for a quieter period, your fellow customers will appreciate it!

"Leave home earlier?"

The list continues:

6. In fact, when ordering a coffee when it’s busy, don’t then ask how long it will be, because you’re in a hurry and can’t wait. Maybe just leave home earlier?

7. Please don’t order a coffee half full cream half skim ( yes people ask all the time).

8. When we call out a takeaway coffee for Rachel don’t ask, “did you say Sarah?”, no I actually said Rachel quite clearly and I am aware you are waiting for yours so please don’t steal someone else's.

9. Please do not order and pay for a takeaway coffee but then dine in and drink it.

10. Finally, I might literally be walking out the door to close the shop and people still ask me if it’s too late to get a coffee. It is absolutely too late."

"Do not steal Sarah's coffee"

Friends, you know what to do next time you order a coffee; be polite, look away from the barista and do not under any circumstances steal Sarah's coffee.

These dodgy habits could mean the difference between a good coffee and start to your day, and a very bad one.

Most importantly, look after your barista and local cafe; us caffeine-addicts cannot live without them.