Some people say that being a barista is an easy career to work for because the barista can taste or drink the coffee for free. However, in reality, it does not work as you think. There are a lot of difficulties waiting for the baristas to deal with, especially when it comes to the order. This article will let you see the wildest drink that the barista experienced in their career path Along with some tips for the baristas who shared their experience about how to deal with the so-called angry customers.
Although we already have the drinks on the menu, the customers still somehow want to make some customization on the drinks by requesting some additional foam, creams, or less sweet, and so on.
This is a normal thing to happen in a coffee shop. However, some customers tend to go extra miles from this by ordering something that is not in the system, or tend to mix the drinks that are listed on the menu. Since the customer is a king, what the baristas can do is to act accordingly as what the customer’s want.
If you know what are the drinks or the things that the barista experience in the coffee shop, then, you may no longer think this is an easy job. Below are some of the wildest customer’s order and plus with some tips.
Wildest Customer’s Orders
Latte Without Foam
Latte without foam is one of the weird things that barista experience. While some of the customer’s request for the additional foam, some customers do not want it. You will notice that the foam is already there mixed with the latte already, to meet the customer’s need, the barista needs to do the extra work of removing the foam off by hand. This takes the barista quite some time to do so.
Moreover, a latte without foam cannot be called a real latte because the foam is already integrated in the recipe.
Double Blended Drink
People believe that double blended frappuccino will offer a smoother drink. However, it does not work that way. People just confuse the concept of double blended drink. If you used to order this way, then you should not do it anymore. Double blended frappuccino will only deliver an extra-watery milkshake.
Moreover, it also takes you longer time than usual while having a less tasty drink. Thus, it is just one of the random experiences that barista have been through.
Cappuccino With A Side of Sexism
A drink that the baristas experience brewing is the Cappuccino with a side of sexism. A male customer came in and ordered Cappuccino with a side of sexism. That customer ordered grande, bone dry, six shots of ristretto, extra-whip, 2-raw sugars cappuccino.
Moreover, the order is not that wired compared to another request of his. He only liked the drink if it was made by the male barista. If not, he will not unsatisfied with the drink that he ordered. Which is a really strange thing to baristas experience.
Iced Cappuccino
It is said that the iced cappuccino is one of the wired drinks for the barista to experience. As you may know, the Iced Cappuccino shares the same recipe as the hot one. However, it does not turn out to have the same taste or quality. The problem happens when the cold foam is not specified and leads to the replacement of hot foam over the iced ones.
Besides, since the ice tends to melt really quick, the drink usually results in watery and disappoint the customers back. Then, the customers make the complaint to the barista.
Upside-down Caramel Macchiato
Actually, caramel macchiato is one of the most famous drinks you can find at Starbucks. From the baristas experience, the upside-down caramel macchiato has the same ingredients of caramel macchiato, but the brewing process is reversed.
In order to make the upside-down caramel macchiato, a barista needs to put the espresso on the bottom together with caramel drizzle. Followed by steamed milk and finally the vanilla syrup.
This type of drinks make the baristas experience the new style of drinks. Because it is really similar to the vanilla latte with caramel drizzle.
Iced Mocha Without Chocolate
As you may have known, Mocha is the combination of coffee and chocolate. Thus, when someone orders a Mocha with no chocolate, it is just the same thing as iced coffee. However, there is a case of the customer complaining about being served iced coffee.
Although the baristas tried to explain the key difference between the Iced Mocha and Iced Coffee. The customer somehow felt disappointed. But the good thing is that it is not a common thing to baristas experience at all.
Green-Tea Lattes With No Ice
Although hot green-tea latte is delicious and smooth. However, when you order with the iced green tea it is no longer an ideal drink. Just to mention, to make an iced green-tea latte, you need to add matcha with ice and milk. Then, you may shake it until it blends. However, it might cause a clumpy drink.
Meanwhile, it does not taste good either. Even you order without ice since it mostly results in a clumpy matcha latte. This happens because there are no other methods to brew the drink and make sure it is homogeneous.
Extra Hot Lattes
There is not an extravagant thing to order hot lattes in a coffee shop. Still, ordering an extra hot latte is not an ideal order. Actually, when we say hot drink, the steam milk is heated at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. And the heat will increase up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit when the customer wants the extra hot.
There is not much difference in the brewing process, yet, it is quite dangerous of the consumer. It affects your esophagus from drinking too hot beverages. Additionally, extra hot lattes do not deliver the perfect taste to the consumer but reduce the quality of the drink.
Layers on Layers
A customer came in and ordered a Venti Caramel Frappuccino with additional caramel and whipped cream. It is not a surprise to receive this kind of order and it is not difficult for the barista as well. The strange about the order is that the customer wants to have it layered. Which means Frappuccino, whip cream then caramel drizzle with the minimum of four layers.
This kind of drink requires some time for the barista to prepare unlike the ordinary Venti Caramel Frappuccino with cream and caramel.
Get The Ice Right
Unlike the previous listed order, this order can be considered as one of the strangest things to see in a coffee shop. There was a customer ordered Venti Green Tea Frappuccino with no sweetener, one scoop of vanilla bean, pump skinny mocha, 4 mocha heaping scoops, ice heaping grande scoops and make it blended on level 3 for thrice.
However, although the barista has tried his or her best to do accordingly, the customer still asked for another heaping scoops and wanted to have a perfect ice.
Drink That Needs 2 Stickers At Least
Since the customers have the right to customize their drink, sometimes it requires 2 stickers at least to note down the specific order. This happens because the customer tends to specify all the ingredients needed in the drink with a certain amount and temperature.
For instance, a customer orders Grande Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino in a venti cup. But, it does not end it here. That customer also make a request of specific temperature of 34 degrees, protein powder, extra caramel drizzle, coconut flakes, non-dairy milks and so on.
You may think this order cannot be consider as the most complicated drink. But it still requires time to make it and special attention in order not to make mistakes. Furthermore, some baristas also experienced using 4 stickers to note down one order as well.
Tips On How to Deal With Angry Customers
Working with customers directly is not easy, there will be some complaints on either your services or the drinks that you deliver. However, there are some tips from the experienced baristas to share with everyone in order to avoid having conflict with the customers.
Don’t take what your customers say when they are angry and stay positive
It is very challenging for the baristas to work with the angry customers. So what baristas are supposed to do is to not let the customer’s anger affect your self-esteem or your feelings. From the baristas experience, they have mentioned that what you can do is to figure out the reason behind the customer’s anger and provide the possible solution.
Sometimes the customers are angry because they are in a bad mood from somewhere else. So you need to stay positive and try to find a way to improve your skills, do not let that bad experience affect your confidence and career path.
Don’t yell back to the customers
Although there might be some customers yell or shout at you for some reasons, you should not yell back to your customers. You should stay calm and respond to your customers in a well-mannered manner. By doing so, it shows that you are a professional in your workplace.
Moreover, responding to your customer calmly may make them feel that you do not do anything wrong, and also make the customers feel bad to you. Thus, the customers may change the tune of the voice.
Listen to criticism
When the customer complaints about your action or services, it is suggested to the baristas to listen for improvement because some customers are also a professional in the industry. Therefore, listening to their criticism may somehow enhance your skills and techniques as well.
There is also the probability that the customers are unreasonably complaint about your services. In this case, instead of arguing with them that you are correct, you should listen to their complaint and ask for clarification about the issue, and how they would like to see next time when they are coming.
This can show that you listen to them in a good manner and want to improve the drinks and the services based on the customers’ suggestion. By doing this way, the customers might forget their disappointment and feel satisfied.
Final Thought
After reading these orders, some of you might feel surprised that the baristas received from the customers. The 11 orders above are just the most frequent orders that most of the baristas experience in their career path and there are some more than this.
Meanwhile, by reading this article, you can see that the baristas’ works are not as easy as you think. The work is really difficult, especially the barista at a popular coffee shop. The baristas need to deal with the customer’s strange order, anger, nonsense as well as their complaint.
As a coffee lover, you can enjoy the simple coffee order, the taste will still light you up. So, life is easier and better of us and the baristas as well. Because not all the customization drinks will definitely bring out the best taste as you expected.
If Baristas Were Honest By BuzzFeedVideo
Reference
- Being a Baristas: How to deal with Horrible Customers | Baristas Training Academy
- 17 Most Obnoxious Drinks You Can Order at Starbucks |Showbiz CheatSheet | Jess Bolluyt
- Starbucks baristas reveal the 10 worst drinks they’ve ever had to make |Insider| Madeline Diamond
- A former Starbucks barista shares 9 of the most annoying drink orders | PressFrom
- Starbucks Baristas Reveal the Most Absurd Orders They’ve Ever Received | Spoon University | Alex Frank
