AIBU to think takeaway iced coffee at interviews is unprofessional?

[MasterBeth]

Apparently, the world is debating this topic. Let's join in:

Is it unprofessional to bring a takeaway iced coffee into a job interview?

The answer to me is blindingly obvious, but not to everyone, it seems.

Feel free to add your age and industry, in case that matters.

Should be a nice cuppa.

I wouldn't personally do it, I'd end up needing a wee. At my last interview I was offered coffee and declined for this reason.
I do have to say though, if I was interviewing someone I wouldn't care in the slightest. Unless they were rattling the ice cubes and making a racket it's just a drink.

I assume you’re addressing the OP, not me that you quoted, as I agree with you - support workers are amazing!

"basic rituals of a professional workplace" what a load of wank.

20’s, abso-fucking-lutely not!

I would also judge slightly if they had one - not sure why! I’m just imagining the plastic cup dripping with condensation on the outside, and a pool of water underneath haha

They would usually offer a drink anyway.

ETA: Actually, if I was interviewing I wouldn’t even question it haha
Oh, and corporate in a city

Coming in late with an iced coffee that they’d stopped to purchase instead of arriving on time might count against them! If they’d bought a drink along I don’t think it would particularly register. At my workplace we would usually offer a candidate a drink (hot or cold) to help put them at ease so logically it would make no difference whether we’d made it or they’d brought it. In fact it would save us a job!

I’m late 40s, work in a management role for a local authority.

Walking into an interview with a breast or a penis peeping out may not impact on a candidates ability to perform a role, nor does checking their phone during an interview or bringing in a takeaway drink (that appears to prioritise comfort and convenience over presentation).

But I'd still think any one of those candidates shows a lack of situational judgement and a failure to calibrate - or even care about - the importance of the occasion.

Mid 50's, financial services.

I think it's 2026 and if candidates want to bring in a drink to their interview, that is absolutely fine with me.

What is so offensive about an iced beverage (or any beverage), can I ask?

Sorry I’m a proper old school Luddite. I think hanging your knickers out on the line that is the world of LinkedIn is a debased way to go about seeking employment so turning up slurping ice coffee through a straw during the interview is definitely a no from me.

Oh and I'm mid-30s, law.

Well it's the erosion of standards over time. Much like the kids in school today. Selfish and not very bright. So the workplace is only going to get worse.

Unprofessional.

Legal, early 50s

Precisely. Someone who doesn’t understand this is likely to not understand other more important rules in a workplace.

I assumed some sort of social care type role?

I’d probably be a bit taken aback of an interviewee walked on with an iced coffee. Bottle of water is fine, but anything else just feels a bit less professional. Though it’s hard to explain why! It wouldn’t stop me employing someone of they did the best interview. It would give me a preconceived idea about the type of person they were.

But that’s good manners towards any guest ( which includes interviewees). People bringing drinks just for themselves is always rude but especially in a formal setting.

I hire all the time for office roles and I wouldn’t think twice about this nor remember it afterwards. A giant frappucino with whipped cream would be rather odd. Really wouldn’t care about someone bringing in a coffee instead of a water bottle.

Would I do it myself? Probably not, but more because I would be worried about spilling.

I interviewed today for someone who needs to run a £500m cost cutting portfolio, deal with stakeholders from the companies owner to shareholders to the board to operational managers to divisional FDs to international customers, for 220k pa

do you seriously imagine I’d dismiss someone who was a great candidate for that job because they were drinking a take out coffee?!

And I can’t believe this thread has posts from people who are unashamedly saying that they don’t know what a “support worker” or an “iced coffee” is. Weird!

Christ, some of this analysis is way beyond controlling. What next - see how the interviewee crosses their legs? You can see who gets off on power trips by some of these posts.

The basic rituals of YOUR workplace. We wouldn’t bat an eyelid.
In my 50’s now self employed but was in media.

Yes, I've heard of IT support workers, customer support workers, technical support workers, mental health support workers, personal support workers etc. All very different jobs.

I started work in 1986 so have been around the block. No embarrassment here. Then again, wank things like iced coffee really isn't on my radar.

They were driving a coffee? What?

typo- drinking a take out coffee