My coffee order wasn’t weird?

[MeetyouatMidnight]

Went to a local volunteer run cafe and a woman at the till was training someone.

I asked for a black americano with a shot of vanilla.

She looked at me like I was crazy and said “you mean a white americano”. I explained I definitely did not.

(I don’t have dairy and don’t really like any sort of milk in coffee anyway, but I like something to sweeten it. I prefer it to a sweetener.)

she said SO loudly “I’ve never seen that before! A latte or something yes, but really!”

and then the girl started to make it but was getting confused so the woman kept very loudly, in a quiet cafe, banging on about how she would be confused because it was a strange order but the customer is always right…

Am I a freak and I never realised!?!?

😂

I used to work in volunteer management and often (but very definitely not always) the volunteer can be there more for their own needs than the cause.

And sometimes when that is the case there can be a level of social ineptness.

I wonder if that's what was going on.

@GeminiGiggles 😆😆
Fancy seeing Niles here on Mumsnet!

I think putting syrup in black coffee is weird. But I'd just think it in my head. The woman was quite rude.

Whatever her views on your coffee choice, it was not good customer service to comment in that way. If she thought you has misspoken in your order she xcould politely ask you to repeat your order.

But when I want a white coffee I don't want a flat white which is too milky. I want an Americano with a splash of milk.

Other than that the board is fab. I remember as a child there was a café we used to go to as a treat when we were on holiday and I was always allowed a frothy coffee. I would have said "no thank you" to a cappuccino

I’ve run a coffee shop for ten years now. It’s not an unusual order.

The americano thing is because you can guarantee if someone orders an americano and you don’t give them milk, they ask where their milk is, but if you ask someone if they want milk with their americano, you get a snarky “if I wanted it with milk I wouldn’t have asked for an americano”
Basically, us baristas, can not win. We just make your coffee and smile when you tell us the correct way is the exact opposite of what another customer says is the correct way!

Jeeeesus
I got told my coffee order sounded pretentious and overly complicated the other day.
But yours! So simple!

I think this lady's job must be too demanding and exciting for her, and she needs either a week off or a more exciting life outside work...

@BakedBeansforabrain, I love that board !
@MeetyouatMidnight I only drink black Americano but like pp I always almost get asked if I want milk with/ in it despite always ordering it black .
Depending on where I am I sometimes ask for a extra shot of espresso in it, on more that a few occasions I have been told that they can't make it / think it's to strong .
Ermm no , it's your weak coffee that needs some oomph.

I've never seen anyone have syrup without milk I admit

Yes, the white coffee drinkers have ruined the simplicity of asking for an Americano. I've given up and just ask for a black coffee and still get given milk.

I suspect this has nothing to do with your coffee order at all and everything to do with the passive aggressive "I'm in charge here" volunteer-type you sometimes get in such places.

I remember being aggressively lectured in a charity shop when I asked if I could have the bag for life from my donation back. I wouldn't mind but it only contained 2 jumpers, not and unboxed 1000 piece jigsaw!

If you'd have been in Costa, no minimum way barista would have given a shit.

Loads of people assume you want milk in americano so I'm not going to risk my coffee being ruined by not specifying a black americano even if it's not 'correct'

It's a volunteer run cafe. The person was new. There's often a reason people need work experience.

I'd have found it an unusual order. Okay it might not be in a Costa but in our local church cafe they'd probably also check.

Because a latte has milk in it.
A black latte is an espresso.

Ive not met many volunteers that are very good at Customer Service! This one sounds particularly bad.

I have a coffee shop and always ask whether people want milk in an Americano - because in my experience 75% do. In fact a lot of them ask for more milk and would have been better off ordering a flat white. But I don’t care. They can have what they like. One of my regular customers has marshmallows on her cappuccino. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I ask for an americano with milk.

lol. I own a coffee shop and literally everyone specifies black or white

Eh?

She asked for an Americano, not a latte

Maybe the quoting isn't working well. I wasn't replying to the OP, but a different post.

Someone asked "but how could you order a black latte with vanilla"
Someone responded with a "?"
I explained "Because a latte has milk in it. A black latte is an espresso."

Oh ok. Yes your comment about the latte wasn't attached to a quote so I assumed it was about the OP. Sorry!

DD is a barista and she's been asked for all sorts of weird and wonderful (and eyebrow-raising) combinations over the years.

Your order sounds easy-peasy in comparison!

I think you have to click on 'quote history' - I'm on the website, not the App.
Getting over-invested now, I'll go and have a coffee I think.....!