“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?!

When I worked in a cafe there was a couple that always asked for their cappuccino extra hot. When I saw them coming I used to fill the cups with boiling water to heat them (as you'd heat a teapot at home) so they got extra hot coffee without burnt milk. They said my coffee was the best . Also had one lady who'd always ask for "a one-shot latte in the large size cup, no froth, skimmed milk heated to 110 degrees". I was always tempted to take the milk to 115 to see if she noticed.

@KavvLar if I'm not up for a full on Espresso con Panna I go Americano with Pouring Cream on the side. They always oblige (and put the cream in its own little espresso cup) but some places just don't have it at all.

I knew the kettle of fish saying and for some reason never questioned the interpretation presented by my brain up until now...

I think this might be advertised now, but you can ask for any drink in Starbucks as a ”short”, which is smaller (and cheaper) than a Tall. Also there is a discount for bringing your own travel cup in most places.

When I was a student I shamelessly asked about student discounts in all shops barring major supermarkets. Many had them, most did not advertise it.

Gender critical material from under the counter at my local left-wing bookstore. That's where they have to keep it nowadays.

I heard someone ask for their coffee 'extra wet' the other day which baffled me but apparently that is a thing.

Her singular coffee order was longer than my arm.

A kids meal if you're a small appetite adult.

If we go for a roast on a Sunday and they only offer yorkies on the menu with the beef I always ask for one with my chicken. Never been refused. Everyone I'm with rolls their eyes and then orders exactly the same, cheeky fuckers.

Most of the Starbucks stuff can be done as a Frappuccino. I drink the eggnog like this which confuses them
White chocolate mocha Frappuccino is my fave or a java chip one

"Eggnog but as a Frappuccino please"
"We can't do that"
Second barista "yeah we can, she drinks t every year and I tried it and it's good"
Me

Extra peri peri salt in Nando's. I always ask and they always oblige.

a while back I think it was Costa doing bacon rolls with a hot drink as a deal so I got one and wanted one for my DD who is 9 but of cause they said hot chocolate wasn't included but a mocha was, so I was for me quite brave and asked for her to get a mocha and then just forget to put the coffee in, they all smiled and said we aren't supposed to tell you you can do that but it was done and she got extra marshmallows too

That's genius TEACUPDRAMA.

I remember I used to ask for chocolate frappochino at Starbucks with my sister but ask if they could do one frappachino but split it between two cups so we could share it. Almost every time they made a little bit too much for one cup so we got much more than half a cupful each and sometimes we were lucky enough to each get lots of cream and chocolate sauce on top of each of them so effectively we nearly had two drinks for the price of one, and saved calories etc by not having a full portion.

Scraps aren't a "secret" surely, they're a staple part of a chippy tea.

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

My flatmate at uni's dad catered Pakistani weddings - "home style" as they used it meant less fat, more spice. Oh my god, I have never tasted such good curry. Her mum used to send her back to uni with like a week's worth of food for her and one or two for me as well. Never ate so well in my life

Article on McDonalds secret menu

There's a lady who goes in my local chippy and asks for a piece of fish, wrapped, with just a couple of chips. She told me that she buys it for her elderly mum, and that if the paper touches the fish by the time she gets it home the batter peels away with the paper. She can't eat a full portion of chips but if the staff put three or four chips on top of the fish it keeps the paper from touching the batter. The staff don't charge her for the chips

i do the mcflurry with apple pie crumbled in but i ask for it seperate and crumble it in myself i didnt think to ask for it to be made like that. might ask for it next time.

I’m slightly baffled here, every coffee I buy is served hotter than the surface of the sun, I’ve burnt my tongue so often. I always have to wait ages for it to cool. Where is serving warm coffee?

I’m living in the US at the moment and I think I am probably the only person who doesn’t have a special coffee, everyone else is asking for something like a triple shot, decaf, skimmed grande latte with half a shot of vanilla syrup in a vente cup, extra hot while I’m having a flat white.

We were actually complimented for our decisiveness recently by the waiter when we just ordered a sharing plate and two drinks off a menu, without any questions or debate. We have a challenge whenever we eat out to place an order without incurring and supplementary questions, ordering a sandwich can result in a ten minute interrogation - type of bread, type of cheese, salad or chips, dressing on the salad, pickle....

chemenger, artisan cafes in London, IME. I guess the US might be different?

For those who like 'home style' curries:

House chicken curry recipe

House lamb curry recipe

I always ask for kids temperature latte if I've got my thermal cup with me. Takes about 3 hours to be a drinkable temp otherwise.

Often order an ice latte/blended ice latte too - most try to slip syrup or random powder in if you're not careful. Ice, milk and espresso is all I want.

When they have whole salmon on offer, I pass it to the fishmonger to chop off. Head and tail and fillet into two sides. I still have to take out the pinbones, but cooking preparation is so much easier. (Unless you want the full fish look, thats it)

My ex-FIL taught me that, but also to ask for the head, tail, and spine to be wrapped up too and ask for the rejected fish bits from the customer in front too and then you can make fish head soup with it which is nicer than it sounds

Most of my coffee purchasing has been in the UK, but not in London. Maybe warm coffee is an “authenticity” that hadn’t reached Scotland before I left last year . I hope it does. The cafes in the UK university I work in serve coffee so hot that I can buy one in one campus, drive 10 minutes to the other campus, walk to my office and have it at perfect drinking temperature when I get there.

chemenger, yes, I think I mainly come across non-hot coffee in London.