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Original poster

My coffee order wasn’t weird?

132 replies

MeetyouatMidnight · 09/10/2024 18:34

Went to a local volunteer run cafe and a woman at the till was training someone.

I asked for a black americano with a shot of vanilla.

She looked at me like I was crazy and said “you mean a white americano”. I explained I definitely did not.

(I don’t have dairy and don’t really like any sort of milk in coffee anyway, but I like something to sweeten it. I prefer it to a sweetener.)

she said SO loudly “I’ve never seen that before! A latte or something yes, but really!”

and then the girl started to make it but was getting confused so the woman kept very loudly, in a quiet cafe, banging on about how she would be confused because it was a strange order but the customer is always right…

Am I a freak and I never realised!?!?

OP posts:
Hadalifeonce · 10/10/2024 14:53

I think it was the shot of vanilla that was the problem for her.
If it was run by volunteers, it was probably an unusual request.

NewGirlinClass · 10/10/2024 10:29

Me in MacDs: "Flat white with extra shot please"
Server: "What do you mean"?
Me: "Flat white with extra shot to make it stronger"
A flat white arrived with a little pot of Espresso.
Duh!

HaddyAbrams · 10/10/2024 10:02

SwedishEdith · 10/10/2024 09:50

I feel this needs a t shirt. 'An Americano is a black coffee'. I used to get so pissed off that the white coffee brigade had ruined a simple one word order. I've resigned myself to it being a losing/lost battle now

The touble is that most places don't serve "just" a white coffee. I don't want a flat white. I want a coffee with a dash of milk. The only way to get that is to ask for an americano with milk.

Rewis · 10/10/2024 10:00

NeverEnoughPants · 10/10/2024 09:16

Are you sure they aren't just weird because you asked for a drink that doesn't contain coffee to not contain coffee? It's my go to hot drink, and I've never received one that contains coffee.

Show quote history

This is the conversation 85% of the time
"Chai latte, please"
"Do you want it with a shot of espresso?"
"No thank you"
"Here is your chai latte WITHOUT coffee"
(Twice I've still received it with coffee)

SwedishEdith · 10/10/2024 09:50

I feel this needs a t shirt. 'An Americano is a black coffee'. I used to get so pissed off that the white coffee brigade had ruined a simple one word order. I've resigned myself to it being a losing/lost battle now

NeverEnoughPants · 10/10/2024 09:16

Rewis · 10/10/2024 07:11

Unrelated but I feel like this is the place to vent. I don't drink coffee so I often go for chai latte. In the past year I've had to start specifying that I'll have it without coffee. I understand dirty chai is a thing. But coffee in my chai (literally means tea) shouldn't be default. They bring it over and always very pointedly say "chai latte, WITHOUT coffee" as if I'm a weirdo who took an integral part of the drink away from it.

Are you sure they aren't just weird because you asked for a drink that doesn't contain coffee to not contain coffee? It's my go to hot drink, and I've never received one that contains coffee.

MattSmithsBowTie · 10/10/2024 07:59

Make coffee add syrup, what is there to get confused about?

Pumpkincozynights · 10/10/2024 07:34

If it’s on their menu I can’t see why it’s such a palaver.
Ordering something not on the menu, now that’s different.

JollyZebra · 10/10/2024 07:33

Is this really worth asking/answering???????

RampantIvy · 10/10/2024 07:32

HotDogJumpingFrogHaveACookie · 09/10/2024 19:30

I think putting syrup in black coffee is weird. But I'd just think it in my head. The woman was quite rude.

Grin Or having flavoured gin.

I prefer my coffee to taste of nothing but coffee and my gin to taste of gin.

rainfallpurevividcat · 10/10/2024 07:30

BusySittingDown · 09/10/2024 18:39

Well an Americano IS black so you just need to order an Americano with a shot of vanilla. If you want it with milk it is then that you have to specify. You said that you wanted a black Americano - she probably thought that she had misheard or that you had meant to say white but mistakenly said black.

Nope. DH has a black Americano and you need to specify black Americano or they ask if you'd like milk. Or put it straight in.

Edingril · 10/10/2024 07:26

BusySittingDown · 09/10/2024 18:39

Well an Americano IS black so you just need to order an Americano with a shot of vanilla. If you want it with milk it is then that you have to specify. You said that you wanted a black Americano - she probably thought that she had misheard or that you had meant to say white but mistakenly said black.

Wel yes an Americano is black so of course no need to mention the word black

But how can you miss hear black for white?

And why do people put milk in my coffee when I ask for an Americano? Or if they don't serve that a 'black coffee' thry still put milk in

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 10/10/2024 07:24

Ouncesnow · 10/10/2024 07:23

I ask for a black coffee with milk which sometimes gets a raised eyebrow! Maybe I need to change my order to americano with milk.

"A black coffee please...but make it white."

Yeah, I'd ask for an Americano with milk on the side if what you want is to add the milk yourself.

Ouncesnow · 10/10/2024 07:23

I ask for a black coffee with milk which sometimes gets a raised eyebrow! Maybe I need to change my order to americano with milk.

Jennyathemall · 10/10/2024 07:16

Americano plus a shot is a bit weird tbh. But the customer is always right…

Billydessert · 10/10/2024 07:16

Very normal order, I can recommend hazelnut syrup too, yum!

I also have an Americano and it usually goes as follows,

Me: I'll have a black Americano please
Server: Would you like milk with that?
Me: No black please
...server brings over Americano with a jug of milk beside it

Original poster
MeetyouatMidnight · 10/10/2024 07:13

Backfromhols · 10/10/2024 06:32

a colleague at work drinks vanilla coffee pods without adding milk and I always find it strange, don’t really know why! Just feels like it should have milk.

I love those! It’s exactly what I do at home 🤣🤣

OP posts:
Rewis · 10/10/2024 07:11

Unrelated but I feel like this is the place to vent. I don't drink coffee so I often go for chai latte. In the past year I've had to start specifying that I'll have it without coffee. I understand dirty chai is a thing. But coffee in my chai (literally means tea) shouldn't be default. They bring it over and always very pointedly say "chai latte, WITHOUT coffee" as if I'm a weirdo who took an integral part of the drink away from it.

Saschka · 10/10/2024 07:07

ForGreyKoala · 10/10/2024 03:20

I'm not in the UK, people here know what an americano is. It seems they don't in the UK.

Edited
Show quote history

I suspect the problem is that a lot of customers actually want a filter coffee with milk, but nowhere sells that, so they order a white americano as the nearest equivalent. So even good baristas are used to people wanting milk, and put it in on autopilot.

Having lived in places like the US and Canada, where filter coffee is widely available, people just order that.

daffodilandtulip · 10/10/2024 07:04

I thought americano meant black coffee 🤷🏼‍♀️. I like to try different ones when I'm out but at home I have it like the OP, black with a shot of syrup.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 10/10/2024 06:53

bluebirdholiday · 09/10/2024 19:28

I used to work in volunteer management and often (but very definitely not always) the volunteer can be there more for their own needs than the cause.

And sometimes when that is the case there can be a level of social ineptness.

I wonder if that's what was going on.

This. They wouldn't have batted an eyelid in Starbucks.

Original poster
MeetyouatMidnight · 10/10/2024 06:46

Doingmybest12 · 10/10/2024 00:42

The thing is you went to a volunteer led cafe. I imagine the volunteers are there because they have some sort of need or because the cafe has a particular ethos which is beyond serving coffee. If I wanted a really slick experience in a coffee shop ,then I would go to somewhere else.

I mean maybe in your experience but this one is actually very nice and usually fine? It’s not like I haven’t been there before. Definitely better than a chain.

OP posts:
letmego24 · 10/10/2024 06:45

Like you am dairy free and would have presumed has dairy in it

letmego24 · 10/10/2024 06:44

I always drink black Americano. I've never had a vanilla shot in it so it sounds unusual to me and like you and would have presumed it posihas milk in it. Is it nice? 🤣

Minesril · 10/10/2024 06:33

She sounds like a bully. You could've gone to town on the sarcasm: 'make a black Americano, then hold a shot glass in one hand and the vanilla bottle in the other. Now this is where it gets tricky. Pour some vanilla in the shot glass and...chuck it in the coffee!'

She'd have a field day with my husband's oat milk, decaf hazelnut latte...