I used to work as a barista in a famous coffee shop here in the Philippines. Me and my colleagues always gossip about customers that we REALLY hate.
So for you to not be a burden at your local coffee shop, here are my tips so that your barista will LOOOOOOVE you!
1. BE NICE....
That's the whole list. Bye!!
hahaha
I can't believe I am still putting this in the list though, but some people still needs to be reminded. You don't know the horrors you will experience if you will be a rude customer.
Be nice to the people who handle your food and beverages, kids. Don't believe me? Ask Ryan Reynolds.
Waiting (2005)
2. APPRECIATE THEIR WORK
Many baristas are passionate about making beverages. Whether its coffee or milk tea, they will prepare it with love.
So make sure to appreciate their work if it was prepared excellently. Maybe it has latte art, or maybe there are layers of colors in the drink or maybe it just tastes really good, thank them for it. Show them some love! It will really brighten up their day and make them strive to work excellently even more.
3. TIPS
Unfortunately, baristas or people in the food industry are just earning minimum wage. So some people rely on tips to earn extra income. They will really appreciate you blessing them with any amount. It's also a way for them to think that they are doing a great job in serving you.
But if the person doesn't deserve the tip because of bad service, give them a very small tip or none! hahahaha
4. BE FAIR
Okay, I know we've done this thing, wherein we order 1 cup of coffee in the morning and stay for hours and hours until their closing time. I'm also guilty of that.
This is not fair for the shop though, we gotta understand they need to pay some bills, for rent, for products, for equipment, for their employees and for the WIFI we are using. They can't pay for those things if we are not letting other customers sit and enjoy the shop too. No other customers, no money/sales coming in.
Now, I'm not saying, buy coffee and get out of the shop immediately. That would be stupid and you wont enjoy the benefits of being at a coffee shop.
I know it's fun studying or even just enjoying the atmosphere inside a coffee shop.
My suggestion for this to be fair, is to maybe buy separate items through out your stay, so that the shop is not losing money, yet you are still enjoying your stay. it's a win-win situation.
Just be mindful of the shop's behind the scenes because at the end of the day, it's still a business. So let's be a blessing.
5. CLEAN AS YOU GO
Make sure to clean the tables or just make it easier for the barista to clean the tables. Treat the coffee shop like your house, so that we can be a blessing to the next person. If everyone will do this, I'm sure you will also be welcomed with a neat table on your next stay because the previous customer will keep it neat as well.
With all this things, I'm sure the baristas will love you and in return they will give an extraordinary service! We will surely enjoy our stay in any coffee shops.
Now, who wants coffee??
