Why do cafes never give you enough milk?

[nearly250parkuns]

"Inspired" by the thread earlier on about having to make your own tea.

Why is it that you go into a more traditional tea room, and they give you an enormous pot of tea that you could get 6-8 cups of tea out of, and enough milk for 2?

Does anyone work in a cafe? Can you shed light? Why do you always have to ask for more? Is there a shortage of proper-sized jugs?

My mum would also ask why she always has to ask for hot milk with coffee - in her view it should come as standard :)

I always assumed it's a waste issue. You can always ask for more, but if they give you too much in the first place and you don't use it then they can't serve it to someone else?

I find the opposite - one normal size cup of coffee and huge jug of milk. We should share!

YANBU. Annoys me every time. I also hate how many coffee shops (especially the big chains) fill the cup/mug right up to the top so you can't even add the tiny amount of milk they give you . Grrr...

I always have milk left over when I've finished my pot of tea, even if they only give me a tiny wee jug. I don't take much.

It is annoying especially if it's busy and you don't want to bother anyone but I can see it as avoiding waste when some people only add a drop. DH and I both like plenty of milk so always have to ask for a refill (sometimes twice).

I always ask for coffee with "room for the milk".

My mum always wants hot milk as well. She doesn't mind asking for it but it always comes across a bit arsey as she gets terribly concerned they won't hear her so she really over-emphasises the order.

I always want cold milk because I like my coffee about 30 degrees under where my most other people like it. It seems to annoy my mum that I feel differently about this than she does!

I drink my tea black and always say so if ordering in a cafe, but often I get a little jug of milk anyway, which goes to waste. OP - you need to team up with a black tea drinker!

Ds2 always drinks my leftover milk.

Well, they're never going to be able to get everyone's milk proportions right.

But, other than that, what Bumblebee said.

I make sure the dc have milk in their happy meals so I can top my coffee up.
Doesn't really work anywhere else though!

I always get too much.

God yes, I agree! Costa always gives us a thimble of milk for a massive coffee. On the other hand though, our local cafe has normal jugs of milk on the table that get replenished regularly throughout the day

It's a waste thing. You wouldn't believe the amount of milk that gets poured down the drain...it's easier just to deal with those who want a top up!
Anyone who wants hot milk is the devil in disguise. Or 'cosy milk' for a child. Or god forbid, the babycinno.

Peachy - I have to say, Costa is by far the worst .

I always wonder this with butter! I like a drop of milk in my tea but LOADS of butter on my toast

YANBU - I like milky tea and always have to ask for more milk.

I assume it has to.do with waste, in that they offer a amount and if you want more you ask. My local coffee shop will not reuse jam, butter, milk or cream once it goes to.the table.

I agree. I hate those silly stupid fucking little pots

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They give them out in MacDonalds and Travelodge, and I literally need about 5 or 6 for each mug of coffee.

I worked in a cafe and I can confirm it is a waste issue.

90% of the time you would give people a decent sized jug of milk and they don't use even half so it gets wasted. If you give a small amount they can always get more if they want it.

My mum would also ask why she always has to ask for hot milk with coffee - in her view it should come as standard :)

Some people like me do prefer cold milk, we usually asked people either way!

Hot milk with coffee is annoying to the staff if they arnt making a latte etc
The machines and equipment are intended to heat at least a cup full of milk, just trying to heat a teeny bit of milk with no foam is fiddly!

I find that I have the opposite problem, I like my tea with just a splash of milk, so most of the small jug that I get given would be wasted, as hopefully, they wouldn't reuse it.

I hate it when you buy a takeout coffee and they ask you "Do you want sugar?"

Er...yes and I want to do it myself!

I hate it when they think it reasonable to not supply sachets or container of sugar and want to put it in for me!

My sugar habit is bad and I don't want to say "Three sugars please but make the third one SLIGHTLY smaller than the other two"

I know the EXACT amount I need...and they don't! So bugger off with your tight sugar habits.

I always ask for more milk and always fresh milk not UHT shite. TBF these days all cafes I've been to are happy to comply.

I'd have thought that it made more sense to just give a few sachets of milk or a little jug of milk rather than assume that everyone wants loads of milk with their tea or coffee? As not everyone does.
Surely it'd be better than to go top up rather than just be given loads in the first place you might tip away!
OK, have to ask - Anyone who wants hot milk is the devil in disguise. Or 'cosy milk' for a child.
What's cosy milk?
If it's hot milk FFS just say so lol and only then if it's on the actual menu as I've never actually seen such a thing despite having two kids!

Because people waste milk.
Leave sachets out people go up asking for fresh millk so places can't win.