“Grand, Vain-ti, Trent(I)”

We completely understand that sizes are relatively stupid, but the words are written on the menu board so there is no reason for the pronunciation to be wrong.

“Soy Skinny Latte”

Usually, when a customer says the word “skinny” when ordering a drink, it is followed by a syrup because the word “skinny” actually implies that you are wanting sugar free syrup, nonfat milk, and for some drinks, no whipped cream. The word skinny next to a simple latte means absolutely nothing to your barista.

“Just a regular size”

A regular size could mean different things to different people. If I assumed that a grande is considered the regular size, how can I be certain that the grande size is too little or too much for the customer?

“Is this my drink?”

This mostly is a pain during our morning peak hours. Especially for those working at a drive-thru location, behind the counter can be pretty hectic mostly for the person that is responsible for making drinks. Usually, time is moving so quickly that we don’t remember every last drink that came across our bar which is why it is imperative that you listen for your name to be called.

Talking on the phone

Not only is this extremely rude, but it puts the barista in an uncomfortable situation. We don’t want to be rude and interrupt your conversation, but we are trying to have a good customer service attitude along with accuracy with your drink. It becomes difficult when you’re not only talking to us but also someone else at the same time.

Asking the barista at the hand off plane for water

As I already discussed, usually during peak hours the barista is doing about a million and one things. So, asking for a cup of water forces the barista to immediately stop what they are doing, wait for the lagging water to fill the cup, and give it to you at the hand-off plane which increases the wait time on all of the other drinks. In turn, this could cause other people to get frustrated. It’s just a vicious cycle.

My name is Mike “M-I-K-E”

Nothing makes us more cringed to hear a customer spell out the most standard names. Yes, we do know how to spell your overly simple name. In fact, the vast majority of us are in college. So it’s safe to say that we are pretty educated, and perfectly capable of spelling.

“Gimme a coffee EXTRA HOT”

There is literally no way for a barista to make your brewed coffee hotter than the temperature of the brewer pot.