How to get the best service at a coffee shop

How to get the best service at a coffee shop

3 Noteworthy Cafés in the Borough of Brooklyn, N.Y.

We explore three standout Brooklyn cafés: drip, BKG, and Coffee Project New York. BY EMILY MENESES BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Cover photo by Nelson Ndongala via Unsplash Whether you’re a New York local or planning your next NYC trip, you won’t want to miss out on Brooklyn’s vibrant (and constantly evolving) coffee scene. Today, we’re exploring […]


Weekly Coffee News: Grounds for Health Week + Iconic SF Shop Closes

Welcome to DCN’s Weekly Coffee News. Keep up with all the latest coffee industry stories and career opportunities by subscribing to DCN’s newsletter. Tell our editors about your news here. Registration Opens for Inaugural…


Understanding the Process: Double Fermentation

Continuing our series on coffee processing, we learn about double fermentation, a term that can refer to several different processes. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Cafe Imports Editor’s note: Check out other entries in our “Understanding the Process“ series here. When exploring the wonderful world of high-quality coffee, you’ll discover that no […]


10 Minutes With Keith Hawkins of the Color of Coffee Collective

We dive into everything you need to know about the Color of Coffee Collective’s mission, initiatives, and the upcoming second edition of the Symposium Experience.  BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Keith Hawkins  Today at Barista Magazine Online, we sit down for a chat with Keith Hawkins, a passionate entrepreneur and advocate for […]

How to get the best service at a coffee shop

PRF El Salvador announces speakers and panellists

Following a call for applications in October 2022, Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) has announced its first speakers and panellists for PRF El Salvador. The two-day forum will be held on 16 and 17 March 2023 at the Salamanca Exhibition Centre in San Salvador. The event is set to return to El Salvador after it […]


New AFCA Director Gilbert Gatali on the 20th African Fine Coffees Conference

As the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) prepares for the 20th iteration of its flagship event, the African Fine Coffees Conference and Exhibition, the group is operating under new executive…


Ethos Agriculture’s Journey from Vision to Impact in Coffee Sustainability: Part Two

In the second half of this article, we discover how the Coffee Barometer attempts to bridge the gap between discourse and action, envisioning a sustainable future for the coffee sector. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo courtesy of Rodrigo Flores via Unsplash As we embark on the second part of our conversation with Ethos […]


PRF El Salvador announces speakers and panellists

Following a call for applications in October 2022, Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) has announced its first speakers and panellists for PRF El Salvador. The two-day forum will be held on 16 and 17 March 2023 at the Salamanca Exhibition Centre in San Salvador. The event is set to return to El Salvador after it […]

How to get the best service at a coffee shop

Ukraine’s Soloway Coffee Opens First US Shop in Chicago

A specialty coffee roasting company based in western Ukraine called Soloway Coffee (Instagram link) this week opened its first location in the United States. Beans roasted in Ternopil, Ukraine, using…


Is the World Barista Championship too exclusive & expensive for competitors?

There are a number of competitions in specialty coffee designed to test the skills and knowledge of industry professionals. However, many consider the World Barista Championship (WBC) to be one of the most esteemed and highly regarded events, acting as a platform to showcase excellence in the barista profession. There are many reasons to celebrate […]


Know Your Sweeteners: Agave: Part One — Indigenous Use

Known today primarily as a sweetener, agave can be traced back thousands of years. BY EMILY JOY MENESESBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured photo by Bruno Cervera via Unsplash Recently, we launched our brand new article series “Know Your Sweeteners,” where we’re discussing a variety of sweeteners and syrups, and analyzing the unique characteristics of each one. […]


Brewing at Home and on the Road with Justin Pierce

In this series, we ask coffee professionals how they like to drink their coffee while at home and when traveling. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Feature photo courtesy of Justin Pierce Coffee professionals tend to spend most of their days brewing coffee. Baristas brew coffee behind the bar for their customers. Roasters brew it to […]

How to get the best service at a coffee shop

How to get the best service at a coffee shop

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

How to get the best service at a coffee shop

9 Tips From a Barista

Now, we can all agree that buying and brewing your own beans is the way to go. Some days, though, it’s nice to see what the coffee shops have to offer. We’ve all been there. We order one thing, we get another. We say room for cream, and alas, the coffee is filled to the brim. Now, you can accept your fate, or you can change it. Here’s how you can get the best service possible… and maybe even make the day of the person that helps you wake up: the barista.

1. Know what you’re ordering before getting in line.

It’s easy to get distracted when waiting in line, but once you get to the front, you’d better know what you’d like! There are people behind you that would like to order too, and the faster you order, the faster you can drink your delicious morning brew. If you are having a hard time deciding between a couple options, feel free to ask the person behind the counter (they often know what’s best).

2. Don’t use your cell phone.

This should be a given, but you’d be surprised. There’s nothing more frustrating than the guy on his cell phone, trying to have two conversations at once. We understand that there could be an emergency … in that case, can’t the coffee wait?

3. Speak up!

It’s okay to get a little loud with us. Baristas don’t have super-hearing, and sometimes the coffee grinder can be a little bit louder behind the counter. Make sure that you’re getting exactly what you want—and you’re not going to get that telling secrets into thin air.

4. Have your form of payment ready.

You may worry that you’re inconveniencing those behind the counter by having us make a change. It’s OK, they don’t mind! It’s part of the job. Making people stand behind you while you dig for exact change and pocket lint or counting pennies is far worse than breaking that 50. 

5. Don’t hover over the pick-up counter.

We will call out your drink when it’s ready. Take a load off and grab a seat for a minute or two. Hovering over the pick-up counter has caused unspeakable accidents, arguments—maybe even divorce. There’s nothing worse than accidentally spilling scalding hot tea all over a perfect stranger.

6. Tip your barista.

If you received excellent service, throw a quarter or two into the tip jar. Now, if you’re simply bringing a bottled juice or muffin to the checkout, no worries. A thank you will hold up just fine. But if your barista washed out your travel mug for you and steamed up your latte with love … show your appreciation. They’ll remember it next time.

7. Use one chair.

Yes, we understand that it’s tempting. You see that other empty chair and decide that it’d be a perfect footrest. Perhaps it would … but let’s agree it’d be better off not to. If you’re putting your things on a chair because you’d rather sit alone (we can all be a little anti-social some days), try moving the chair to a different table instead. Win-win.

8. Use headphones.

Don’t be “that guy.” If you want everyone to know about that awesome new local band, try buying their merch instead. (Who doesn’t like a new t-shirt?)

9. Clean up!

The firestorm has come, and if you don’t get out of the coffee shop as fast as possible, you will be turned into a goopy mixture of ashes and blood! Just kidding, it’s beautiful out, and you have time to bring your trash to the rubbish bin. 

Related: How to fit coffee into your budget

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How to get the best service at a coffee shop

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

How to get the best service at a coffee shop

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