AIBU to think takeaway iced coffee at interviews is unprofessional?

I once took a mug of lemsip into an interview. Got a dirty look but to be fair I felt very ill and really needed it, and I got called in early (someone else let me use the kettle and a mug, I'd stopped at boots en route). It was a hard interview and I felt like death. Got the position. This was pre COVID when staying home sick was seen as a moral weakness rather than the polite thing to do.

Why is what’s good for the Goose not good for Gander

oh bringing my bottle of water in hasn’t prevented me from ever getting a job

I would never take a coffee in myself, as a candidate. I have been interviewing this year but it's all been online. I actually don't think it would automatically turn me against a candidate if they were just taking a sip every now and then. (We have strict criteria so couldn't penalise them anyway). If they were focused and able to answer questions well, they could still do well. We are fairly informal. Obviously, if they are shaking the cup around and rattling the ice, drinking noisily through the straw, this would be harder to ignore!

in my 50s and I don’t really see the issue here. I always take a bottle of water to interviews, so what’s the difference?

Im interested in their skills and experience. Life is hard enough without judging someone for bringing a bloody drink to an interview that they’ve prepped for, taken time off work, probably incured expense to get there.

I think it’s weird to have any food or drink during an interview apart from water

I misread that you’d downed the cider during the interview and assumed you were joining The Wurzels.

No shade, I’m from Somerset and The Wurzels are a beautiful thing.

Ok, being old I'm afraid its completely beyond me why anyone needs to be walking around drinking coffee all the time. Down the street, in the supermarket, even while driving. Can't people just wait until meal times or tea or coffee breaks? Don't bother answering, I don't want to know.

Why shouldn't you take coffee into an interview? Because you're having an interview, not having a coffee break. Smacks of a casual, unprofessional attitude IMO. It's half an hour of your day.

@WalterMittysPuppet
”walking into an interview with a penis peeping out”

This is a huge leap in etiquette from simply holding a cup of coffee!

I wouldn’t do it in either position. As an interviewer I’d think it was odd and not professional (NHS)

It wouldn't bother me at all. If I'm interviewing people it tends to be online though and less formal anyway.

I’ve never worked in corporate settings and have only had a couple of interviews in my life (I’m nearly 50). I work in fitness now, where I’ve never had to have an interview. But nonetheless, if I needed to go to a formal interview, no, I wouldn’t take a beverage with me- looks a bit too casual and relaxed I imagine.

Totally agree Unkess the interviewer offered a hot drink and was having one themselves.

The interviewer should offer the interviewee a drink.

I think it's unprofessional to take in your own.

as no one knows me here I’m going to let you into a secret I’ve just landed an amazing job in a very prestigious company and I downed a can of cider before the interview. I know it’s not the done thing but for some reason I am absolutely terrible at interviews. I prep, I know all the answers as soon as someone asks me a question I go blank.
Before anyone asks, I’m not an alcoholic. I literally drink a couple of times a year. I’m more than capable of performing in meetings at high-level but interviews are my weakness

Exactly. In a job where we do all sorts from wiping bums to facilitating medical appointments there isn't a lot of time to worry about coffee. Iced or not!

I wouldn’t do it but I do question why it is unprofessional? People drink iced coffee and will continue to do so in their employment.

I don't think you should carry any drink with you into interviews. I'd take a small bottle of water in my bag just in case it wasn't available and I needed it for a dry mouth/throat. But normally there would be.

On the other hand, I don't actually think it really matters, and wouldn't hold it against someone.

I’ve never interviewed but I don’t think it would immediately put me off. It would depend on many other factors. If they’re sitting too causally playing with the straw etc then I probably would notice and be put off but if it’s just sitting there and they’re fully engaged in the interview then it’s not drawing my attention as an issue. I probably would think it was a stupid idea to bring it but maybe their order was delayed and they never got time to finish it or something. If they’re a good fit it wouldn’t be a deal breaker.

I do think we’ve become more causal around the rules with drink and food. I think it’s an influence from the USA.

I don’t think this would bother me. And I used to interview people a fair bit

They’d not get the job.

The woman whose TikTok started this heated iced debate was specifically talking as someone who recruits for Fortune 500 'super buttoned up corporations'. So people can think it's a silly bit of advice all they want, but why put yourself at a disadvantage from the get-go?