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.

Nope, if anyone wants non dairy milk, it needs to be specifically asked for, obviously, since any dairy could make you ill, it’s your responsibility to make sure you’ve ordered correctly. Out of thirty-odd flavours of syrups people can choose from, how are the poverty wage labourers meant to psychically detect you mean ‘milk’, not syrup if you don’t use your words? Say what you mean.

I often order a hazelnut flat white or hazelnut macchiato, I expect and get dairy with syrup. If I'm ordering for vegan PIL I often say do you have almond milk/coconut milk and then ok two almond milk lattes (I've drawn attention to the fact I don't want dairy. I also order oat milk mochas (delicious) sometimes but oat isn't a syrup flavour so it's clear even if misheard as oat mocha. The vast majority of coffees ordered will be dairy, and in my experience chain coffee shops in particular are not great at getting orders exactly right, so if you want something different be really clear about it or order ahead on an app.

I would expect almond latte to be as you described, and a latte with almond syrup to be just that. But if I wasn't a regular at my local coffee shop where they already knew my order (etc), or wanted to be 100% sure, I would say latte with almond milk.

@ShadowTiger Haven’t read entire thread but please also check your almond milk if you’re vegan! (I assume you are because of what you said about cakes). In the country where I live now (not UK) the almond milk of a famous international coffee chain contains pork 🤢
Just why???

I think anytime you are ask for a coffee with milk other than dairy it would be latte/cappuccino with almond/soy/oat milk.

It's how I always ask and have always heard it ordered by others.

I can understand the mistake occurring but very poor customer service to expect you to pay for another. Especially seeing as this could potentially have been a serious allergy issue. They should have apologised and made another drink.

Almond Latte, Caramel Latte, Vanilla Latte, Hazelnut Latte - all ‘standard’ cow’s milk Lattes with added flavoured syrup.

Almond Milk Latte - a Latte made with Almond milk.

Terrible customer service. It was a miscommunication, no need to prove who was arc"fault" they should have just replaced the drink with the one you wanted.

@ShadowTiger

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?

I'm guessing those with a nut allergy won't be asking for almond or hazelnut anything.

For what it's worth, they are being unreasonable. They should have accepted it was their mistake.

I tend to use costa and when they got things wrong in the past, they accept it and rectify is straight away.

As did I when I worked in a coffee shop 1000 years ago.

I have a dairy allergy.

I would always say “a latte made with almond milk”
And then double check when given it “ this is almond milk and not dairy, yes?”

But it’s regularly something that is ‘misheard’ or mistake, it’s why I don’t order milky coffees anymore, fortunately I prefer it black anyway.