# you can't win them all!



## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

working at the cafe I manage right now, and just served two lattes to a couple, with perfect (by my standards at least!) rosettas on top, and without tasting it, the guy proceeded to add two sugars to it, stirred them in, and then added another, again without tasting it! this infuriates me!

Do these people just not like coffee? are they just drinking it to sound/feel cool?

I believe that latte art serves more purpose than just looking good or demonstrating ability - I think that it often makes the customer focus on what they're drinking (we all know that a percentage of customers don't really care what's in their cup!) which in turn leads to them actually tasting the coffee, and often feeding back to the barista/manager, which (if it's good feedback) then builds confidence/sparks conversation, potentially increasing return trade!

What are your thoughts on these scenarios guys?

apologies for my first thread being a bit of a rant!









Speak soon

Michael


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## HLA91 (Jul 16, 2010)

Automatically stirring in 3 sugars either says he has a sweet tooth or he has had a bad experience before. (Not necessarily at your cafe)

With the sweet tooth theory I could, at a stretch of the imagination, see why he would do it but otherwise why not try the coffee then add to taste, not every cafe is the same. And destroying the latte art, that's criminal that is.

HLA91


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Many coffee drinkers cannot distinguish a good coffee from bad and out of habit will probably add sugar

They may have come to expect bad coffee

Whilst disappointing, its only a matter of time before education reaches the mainstream

You're right about latte art making the coffee look good, but until the customer is convinced that their coffee is not improved by adding sugar you're on a hiding to nothing.

Once way of approaching this is to wait until the customer has come back a few times, and then offer to make them a coffee for free for them to try. Asking them to taste without sugar and then they can add sugar to taste. You could advise that you are trying out a new grind / extraction time, or some other hook to get them interested.

They key is to not push the coffee upon them the first time the visit. Wait and see, and then they will also feel like a valued customer because you are asking for 'their' feedback.

If they politely decline then at least you have a coffee for yourself.


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## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

I have a sweet tooth but what I normally do is put the sugar on the side of the pattern and stir with a wooden stick very gently - that way I have my latte art and my sugar. The best of both worlds for me.


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

A friend convinced me to try coffee without sugar for two weeks over ten years ago and I have never taken it since. Instead I eat a nice sticky cake with my coffee


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## Osh (Jun 15, 2010)

When I started my espresso drinking not so long ago, I did a bit of googling and came to the conclusion that only amateurs put sugar in their espresso.

I'm glad I followed their advice....


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## Denboyz (Jul 30, 2010)

Went to 'Caffe Nero' for a cappuccino mentioned to the barista that I don't take sugar, no response from him! He turned around to prepare my order, on the back of his tee-shirt......Trainee Barista..


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

\ said:


> When I started my espresso drinking not so long ago, I did a bit of googling and came to the conclusion that only amateurs put sugar in their espresso.
> 
> I'm glad I followed their advice....


Perhaps, but when I used to work in Italy a great deal, most of Italian friends were aghast that I took my espresso without sugar! I remember one saying that it would be too bitter and just try half a teaspoon of sugar!

Further, no self-respecting Cypriot/Greek/Turk would drink their coffee without sugar!

So .. Let's not write sugar out of the equation. It does have a place and to me the crime is destroying the artwork!

David (not had sugar in coffee (except Greek coffee) for thirty-five years!)


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## DavidS (Apr 8, 2010)

I love it when you watch people try and stir in their 2-3 sugars AND keep the pattern. One or the other I'm afraid


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## LeeWardle (Nov 16, 2008)

DavidBondy said:


> Perhaps, but when I used to work in Italy a great deal, most of Italian friends were aghast that I took my espresso without sugar! I remember one saying that it would be too bitter and just try half a teaspoon of sugar!
> 
> Further, no self-respecting Cypriot/Greek/Turk would drink their coffee without sugar!
> 
> ...


Whilst I agree of course, most espresso we have in this country is blended and roasted to suit and English palette(spelling?) I don't take sugar at all but I've had some seriously robustary Italian blends (intended for the Italian market) that are truly filth without sugar.

As Glenn says, it is frustrating but education will prevail. Whilst there are so many places service nasty coffee it will take a while! Also bear in mind that they are giving you money, and if they insist on putting sugar in it then you've won because they are happy.

I tend to take the piss out of my (very regular) customers and threaten them with being ejected if they don't try it first.!******

Lee

****** DON'T DO THIS UNLESS YOU REGULARLY HAVE A LAUGH WITH SAID CUSTOMER AND YOU ARE QUITE SURE THEY WILL TAKE IT IN GOOD HUMOUR! LEEWARDLE WILL NOT BE HELP RESPONSIBLE FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED FROM A LATTE (WITH SUGAR) DOWN YOUR TROUSERS.


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## SlowRoast (Sep 24, 2010)

I'm a bit strange with this, I like sugar in my cappuccino sometimes, and sometimes not, but I drink espresso as it is. I don't put sugar in a latte though, that's sweet enough as it is!


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