“Secret” things you ask for in shops

[PantTwizzler]

I realised today in Clarks (while buying shoes for DD who had bare feet necessitating asking for their pop socks) that there are some things you can ask for in shops that aren’t advertised but are available. Pop socks is a boring example because they’d probably offer anyway, but there’s also
— garlic oil in Pizza Express
— getting your cappuccino “extra hot”

Ok it’s a short list. Is there anything else?!

Extra hot? How do they do that if it’s out of the machine?

Dunno but my friend asked for it and the barista nodded sagely. I was impressed

How is it a secret? If you like your beverage piping hot you just ask don’t you?

Oh you can ask for your cappuccino 'dry' as well. More foam than milk. That's a thing.

It didn’t occur to me to ask until I heard my friend ask. Ok I’m easily impressed.

You can ask the fishmonger to cook your lobsters for you.

I didn’t know extra hot was an option until my friend asked for his hot chocolate to be extra hot. I thought it just came at the temperature it comes at and there you go,

Flat Fanta in McDonald’s. Hangover heaven as a student but my local one doesn’t do it unfortunately.

Full fat milk in Starbucks.

If they're using a proper coffee machine with the steam wand, you can heat it up as much as you like - the normal temp is usually about 160 deg F. Baristas sometimes have a wee thermometer that you put in the milk jug to check how hot it is as you steam it, although once you're experienced you can kind of go by the sound of the steam in the milk as it changes when it gets to temperature...

They may nod sagely, but inside they’ll be thinking why do that to a nice coffee. Unless it’s somewhere where the coffee is secondary. Extra hot is like a well done steak. It’s totally possible but why?

Because normal coffee temp in chain coffee shops is lukewarm and lasts 30 seconds before it's cold and undrinkable.

I think my friend was asking bc it was a cold day and she wanted it to keep hot for longer outside. Maybe.

I’ve got another one. Free hire of fish kettles from Waitrose. Natch.

My former SIL used to ask for curry “home style” but I don’t know what that meant.

I don't even no what a fish kettle is. I'm scared to google it.

www.glamour.com/story/best-drinks-from-the-starbucks-secret-menu

I always ask for a mocha Frappuccino in Starbucks and only just noticed it isn't actually on the menu. Nobody seems to bat an eyelid.

Yep, I always ask for my cappuccino half strength and extra hot.

I think home style means hot!

Not really a secret, more of a DIY but in Nando's, a garlic, hummous and haloumi burger. Basically their side of halloumi, the hummous off the nibbles and the garlic bread and get it made into a burger. Add some peri peri and it's gorgeous.

I sometimes order off menu - for instance asking in an italian for a rocket and parmesan salad when its not on the menu. When I stayed in California with my pal who works in the film industry she was always ordering off menu or asking for changes to how things were served 9Hold the mayo, sauce on the side, soy milk, hold the cheese) - like in the movies. It was hilarious!

Real milk from a cafe, not a packet of UHT

Isn’t “home-style” what the staff are eating from the kitchen? So more genuine.

But asking for an extra hot milky drink is essentially saying ‘I would like some scalded milk, here is £3’. Judging. Judging you all.