Everyone knows that annoying customer in the line at Starbucks. But could it actually be you? These are the things that are driving your barista crazy — and something that's not — according to Reddit, where Starbucks baristas don't hold back their honest opinions.
It's annoying when you . . .
- Say there's too much ice in your drink without asking for light ice [1].
- Ask for extra in a separate cup. Some drinks, like Frappuccinos, tend to leave leftovers in the bottom of the blender. But your barista is probably annoyed if you ask for extra in a separate cup. One confessed, "When people ask for extra [2] in a separate cup I usually ignore them."
- Ask for extra ice and extra milk. One barista explained the frustration with one particular customer who would always order an iced tall nonfat caramel macchiato [3] "with extra ice and extra milk," and the barista would always tell her that's essentially impossible.
- Order a cappuccino with no foam. Foam is what makes a cappuccino a cappuccino! Yet people still order Starbucks cappuccinos with no foam [4].
- Pour your hot coffee in the trash can. Be sure to ask for room in your coffee instead of pouring out extra in the garbage [5]. If it's hot enough, it can melt the plastic trash bag.
- Order espresso over ice and then fill your cup with milk from the bar. Starbucks baristas have a name for this: the "Hobo Latte." [6] Baristas see right through you when you order iced espresso in a Venti cup and then fill the rest of your cup with free milk. Just order a latte, they ask, since that's what you're making anyway.
- Order a third of a pump of syrup. Half pumps of syrup [7] are OK, but if you get more precise than that, there's a good chance your pump will be rounded up or down.
- Call it a "Frappe." It's a Frappuccino [8], and your barista might cringe if you call it a Frappe [9].
It's not annoying when you . . .
- Stay all day! Starbucks was founded on the idea of being the "third place" between work and home, and the employees still uphold that promise. If you're someone who spends all day at Starbucks [11] after ordering one drink and staying for hours to study or chill, you shouldn't feel like you're overstaying your welcome. One barista's response to a customer's question about this was, "You're good. Just clean up after yourself on the way out and your baristas should basically love you." Another barista let us in on a pro tip: "If you haven't already, get a gold card and you'll be able to get free refills on that coffee for the entirety of your stay."