6 things a barista would never order at a coffee shop

The INSIDER Summary:

•A bad cup of coffee is not always the coffee shop's fault.
•Don't assume that every barista is trained to make the secret menu options.
•A cappuccino will not have as much foam if you ask for almond milk. 

 If you’re going to shell out $5 for a coffee, it’d better be amazing. But sometimes, it’s not the coffee shop that’s to blame for your bad cup of joe. It’s you.

So we asked a barista at a popular coffee shop in New York City to weigh in. Here are the six things she’d never order if she were the customer.

Extra-hot Americano 

Unless you’re ordering a drink made with steamed milk, like a latte or a cappuccino, baristas aren’t able to control the temperature of your drink. So if you’re ordering your Americano (a shot of espresso with water) extra hot, they’re just serving you the same boiling water as everyone else. Or they’re zapping it in the microwave, which completely defeats the point of ordering a fancy Americano in the first place.

“Bone-dry" cappuccino

For the uninformed, here’s the recipe for a cappuccino: one-third espresso, one-third steamed milk and one-third foam. A wet cappuccino is a little more milk, and a dry cappuccino is a little more foam. But bone-dry? That’s just bubbles, which is both a pain in the butt to make and not even really a beverage, but a bunch of air. Are you sure you want to pay five bucks for that?

Skim soy latte 

Soy is a thing. Skim milk is a thing. Skim soy is not a thing.

Cappuccino with almond milk 

Remember what we were saying about the air bubbles? Whole milk creates a fluffy, dense froth that’s perfect for cappuccinos. Put almond milk under the same milk steaming wand and you’ll just end up with slightly thicker almond milk. Sure, it still tastes good, but it’ll be less like a cappuccino and more like a latte. If you’re expecting a cappuccino with lots of foam, stick with cow’s milk.

Butterbeer latte

You’ve read all about the secret menu on the Internet, so if you go to the coffee shop on the corner and order a Butterbeer Latte, everyone in the store will know how to make it, right? Nope. Baristas aren’t trained to make secret menu items. Although they’ll probably be happy to make it for you, you’ll have to talk them through it. (And don’t forget to tip.)

Drip coffee right before closing

Although there isn’t anything technically wrong with coffee that’s been sitting around for a while, the chances of your barista making a new carafe a half hour before the store closes are slim to none. For fresher coffee, order a pour-over cup or an espresso-based drink. (Just not a skim soy latte.) 

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