What is an almond latte?

[ShadowTiger]

If you went for a takeaway coffee and asked for an almond latte, what would you expect to get? Assuming both options are available.

YABU: Dairy latte with almond syrup
YANBU: Almond milk latte

I asked for almond milk latte and (because of the screen and mask) the barista just heard almond latte. So she made a dairy latte with almond syrup. After one mouthful I realised it was dairy but it was already too late.

If dairy was an issue to me I would be explicit in my order to avoid confusion

Certainly I’d want an almond milk latte.
Why was it too late, because you’d had dairy/ sugar or because it was too late to order another?

To me, an "almond latte" is an ordinary latte with almond syrup and an "almond milk latte" is one made with almond milk.

Almond milk latte

Before I read the post, I assumed it would be almond milk latte, but actually without the word 'milk' it's ambiguous. Maybe say "I'm vegan, can I have a dairy free almond milk latte" to really over-egg the point? (Sorry for dairy based slang, can't think of an alternative!)

I’d take that to mean almond milk but I would always specify just in case.

I always ask for a ‘latte made with oat milk’ and would do the same for almond/soya to try to avoid being misheard. It os usual to ask for a hazelnut latte/gingerbread latte or whatever and mean dairy with syrup so the same could be assumed with almond.

I'd think almond milk but double check anyway. I always order decaff then check again before I take it and later get the shakes!

I would assume an almond latte was one flavoured with almond.

An almond milk latte is unambigous, but if being misheard is a risk then I'd reword as dairy free with almond milk.

I wouldn’t know what it meant and I’d ask before I ordered, particularly if there was a reason that I couldn’t drink dairy.

Personally I would expect both “almond latte” and “almond milk latte” to be a latte made with almond milk. A latte with syrup would be “latte with almond syrup”. Just wondering if I’m in the wrong here, because I thought “almond milk latte” was fairly clear.

A 'caramel latte' is a coffee made with cows' milk and caramel syrup, so I would assume that an 'almond latte' would be a coffee made with cows' milk and almond syrup.

I think you should have specified 'a latte made with almond milk'.

I would assume 'almond latte' would be a dairy latte with syrup.
But you did ask for an almond milk latte, mistakes are easy to make with masks on everyone.

I would hope that they replaced it for you without fuss.

I don't know, I ordered a hazelnut latte the other day and got a dairy coffee with syrup.
I agree almond could be misconstrued and you should have made clear exactly what you wanted.

Nah people don’t ask for a 'latte with hazelnut syrup', they say 'hazelnut latte'.

I think the barista just misheard you.

Almond latte is woth syrup. Almond MILK latte is with almond milk.

Caramel latte, gingerbreadlatte, hazelnut latte and so on are with syrup. So almond would have same logic

Why was it too late, because you’d had dairy/ sugar or because it was too late to order another?
I’d already swallowed it before I realised. The store insisted I asked for almond latte (I didn’t, I asked for almond milk latte). But either way I’d expect almond milk unless I specifically asked for syrup. They expected me to queue and pay again because they said it was my fault.

In a broader sense this made made me also wonder about hazelnut latte/hazelnut milk latte, coconut latte/coconut milk latte, etc. Dairy and nuts can kill people, surely it’s just a matter of time until this happens?

"Almond latte" is very clearly dairy with almond syrup. In the same way that a "gingerbread latte" is not made with milk from gingerbreads and a "caramel latte" is not made with milk from caramels.

"Almond milk latte" is very clearly made with almond milk; but as PP have said, if I were ordering that I'd be careful to be very specific as I can see the potential for mis-hearing it. That said - I'd have gone back & said, I asked for x and you've given me y, please re-make it...

Personally I would expect both “almond latte” and “almond milk latte” to be a latte made with almond milk. A latte with syrup would be “latte with almond syrup”.

What would you expect from a gingerbread latte though? It's always just "flavour" latte for a drink with flavoured syrup.

You did specify an almond milk latter though which is clear enough (although apparently easy to mishear!)

As a pp said, a caramel or hazelnut latte is the usual dairy milk with syrup, so I don't think anyone is unreasonable to presume almond latte means the same.

I get bubble tea quite a lot and don't drink dairum I also don't like sweet coffee. So I'm quite alert to this. Because I get bubble tea a lot and is often flavoured with syrup I've realise almond tea or almond latte is with the syrup and you need to explicitly check its almond milk.

I would not expect them to be the same thing.

I would have checked what you wanted.

But I think you do need to specify almond MILK latte because a cinnamon cappuccino, caramel latte, mint mocha etc all refer to the syrup and not the milk used. Almond latte could be easily misconstrued for a latte with almond syrup not milk.

If you have allergies or intolerances (as I do) or are passionately vegan then you need to be very clear about what you want. “Ie I’m lactose intolerant please can I have a latte made with almond milk” or “I’m vegan, can you make my latte with almond milk please” rather than just “almond latte please”.

I agree op! It's worth making a big deal out of it, letter of complaint etc, because it's a health issue.

If my sons had dairy they'd have had days of diarrhoea. Another child and it could be more serious.

Latte made with almond milk instead of cows milk

I think if the situation is so serious (dairy allergy or similar) that a mouthful is too much, then you really need to be v specific when ordering, and order a ‘latte made with almond milk’.