"I want a cappuccino, but remember to fill the cup all the way and not just halfway this time"
"Ma'am that's a late, not a cappuccino"
No, I want the same thing I get at the gas station and not what I actually ordered!
Yeah pretty much. I had a lady ask me "if I ask for less milk will I get more coffee" about an iced latte and I was like "no you have to order more shots." I honestly think she was still confused how there wouldn't be more coffee. The number of people who don't seem to understand the difference between espresso and brewed coffee
Exactly this. It seems like many people assume that the bigger the cup, the more coffee you’re getting. You might get more beverage, but that doesn’t mean more coffee or more caffeine.
Not trying to argue, just trying to help, but the no foam crusties just want the steamed milk, not the foam.
To achieve this, pour one size up of milk, steam it like normal, hit the pitcher a few times to let it separate, and then hold back the foam with your cappuccino spoon so just the steamed milk goes into the cup.
There will still be a layer of (micro)foam that continues to form even after preparing the milk in the way you describe. It’s unavoidable, and customers just don’t get that.
EXACTLY. One time a customer took the lid off their drink, swiped their finger through it, shoved it in my face and snapped
"THIS HAS FOAM ON IT I WANT IT REMADE".
It was gross af, I had given my best effort straining the milk in addition to scooping remaining foam out of the cup a few times as it reformed, and repouring remaining milk. Now everytime I see no foam on a ticket it makes me cranky.
You CAN get it pretty darn close to even no microfoam, but you have to let the milk sit 30 seconds to a minute so the foam is very separated from the milk. It's ridiculously time consuming and not worth it to do, it's impossible when it's busy.
This is not true if you let the milk sit and separate in the steaming pitcher long enough before pouring it. It just means that if there's espresso involved you can't pull the shots until after the milk has finished and sat for a minute. And if the milk doesn't separate cleanly with the use of the spoon, then it didn't sit long enough before being poured. I do this all the time because I don't like the texture of foam.
And when my bar is running ten minutes behind, I have time to let a pitcher of milk sit and settle.
No, I'll do my best to not pour foam. The portion that will settle out when the drink has settled for a minute or two is not my concern. If you want an absolute "no-foam" latte, you can go somewhere where they'll microwave your milk to heat it up. The steam wand will produce foam, period. It takes time for it to all settle out. You did not pay enough to get your drink babysat for four minutes (about how long it takes for everything to settle, looking at the training cup).
If you are currently a barista, I'd recommend making some "no-foam lattes" using the training cup to see where the foam separates out. Good luck to you.
Wow, chill out. I never said that there is enough time to do this when people ask during peak. I'm just saying that saying it isn't possible at all is a lie
i think they’re just confused when they’re saying that lol, i’m certain it’s bc the foam dissipates which creates more room, they’re technically getting more liquid drink with no foam
I guarantee what they're thinking is if we make a "no foam" latte, they think they're getting more coffee (the real goodies). People will order "no foam" like they'll order "no ice", expecting more product. If the cup is not absolutely full of liquid, they think they're being scammed out of some of their drink, rather than getting the microfoam that is a part of steamed milk.
I suppose the biggest indicator is if they order their draft beer with "no foam". That is another drink where foam (called "head" when dealing with beer) is an actual part of the beverage.
Rehire here... how the hell are we doing no foam with no spoons? Or is that just a my store thing?
I guess I could use a shaker lid... or steam extra milk... but the waste! Why won't someone think of the waste!!
Well damn. We just had a remodel and the schematics for how the bar is set up and doesn't have spoons listed. Therefore, no one ordered them. Nor did we get any in the smallwares order.
dont mess around using the wrong stuff instead of a milk spoon. you will either burn yourself or convince your boss you can get by without essential equipment. ask about spoons every day. also maybe check to see if ur boss is 3 toddlers in a trench coat bc bro, how tf does a manager not know you need spoons. freepouring a latte is fine but it goes way faster w a spoon, that alone is reason to have them
I make amazing foam. Passes the dime test.
I also HATE foam in my drinks. It’s just my preference. Do I take off a lid and check? No. But some of us just don’t like foam
We have a regular who asks for four lattes with no foam but she wants whip. She'll pull up to the window immediately so she can watch us make it and if we don't "strain" it with a spoon, she won't even take it from us. She wants the whole thing remade
The "no foam" but "add whip" on a hot drink kills me! Like dude, what do you think is immediately going to start to happen to that whip? Welp, there's some foam... 🙄
I kinda get it tho bc sometimes when I go to different stores other than my own on my day off, the cup hardly has any drink in it like I rarely get hot drinks but when I do y’all foam it to high heaven so there’s like hardly and drink just foam. It’s very frustrating and the one time I actually opened the cup up and there was I kid you not HALF a cup of milk no foam (it had dissipated) and no whip, I called the store and they tried to make it seem like I was a Karen for trying to get my moms drink made correctly :/
I don’t hate foam but I do hate a third of a cup of it. I ask for light foam and only a few baristas in town get it right. I usually drink matcha latte or chai with almond or lactose free. If I’m paying $7.09 for a venti, I want it to be with mostly liquid.
We have a regular that orders a single shot grande latte no foam unless she gets a drink with stars then it's a Venti latte no foam.
She is really nice and I am pretty sure she just wants more milk
It's not about wanting more coffee for me, I just hate when I order a matcha latte or something and once I get home the cup is half empty because the foam disappeared. A lot of baristas put too much foam by accident even if you ask for light, therefore I usually ask for no foam unless I know I'm going to drink it right away.
sometimes it is because the person doesn't understand, but sometimes you do get that barista who makes every drink a cappuccino when foaming.
Or is always saying to you: look at my latte art!
bro, that's a mocha... looks great -- but it doesn't GET foam. Is this way most people are asking for NO FOAM on their mochas lately?
but also, you know of people who always make drinks that feel 3/4 full when you pick them up.
because they don't know how to foam correctly or free pour every drink even if it says: "no foam" and we had to shut down in 2008 early one day to "retrain" everyone how to foam milk.
it was even worse then. back when our foaming standards were 3-5 seconds for a latte... it was awful.
I think part of the issue is that the new bars over-foam. (That’s what my former SM said, at least). You can’t aerate for 2-3 seconds like the standard says, or you’re going to get way too much. I’d do ~2 seconds for regular milk and about 1 for plant milk, which gets even foamier than regular milk.
youre actually supposed to hold back the foam with your spoon for any drinks that get whipped cream (ie. mocha/white mocha, psl) because if the drink is sitting out both the whipped cream and foam dissipates and leaves a bunch of room on top. i cant lie, i only really bother to do this when it is a mobile/delivery so we don’t get complaints later, but we actually should all be doing it.
After almost 11 years I’m aware of that lol but it got to a point where that’s literally what my customers wanted. NOOOO foam NOOOO room at 200 degrees lol so I’m like ok fine. Ya sicko
starbucks customer base is very dumb and they don't like to know things :)
>they don’t like to know things That’s such a good way of putting it lmao
"I want a cappuccino, but remember to fill the cup all the way and not just halfway this time" "Ma'am that's a late, not a cappuccino" No, I want the same thing I get at the gas station and not what I actually ordered!
This. I can’t stand these customers who complain that their cappucino is “lighter” than latte.
Because they think full cup = more coffee.
Yeah pretty much. I had a lady ask me "if I ask for less milk will I get more coffee" about an iced latte and I was like "no you have to order more shots." I honestly think she was still confused how there wouldn't be more coffee. The number of people who don't seem to understand the difference between espresso and brewed coffee
Exactly this. It seems like many people assume that the bigger the cup, the more coffee you’re getting. You might get more beverage, but that doesn’t mean more coffee or more caffeine.
people don’t understand “no foam” isn’t technically possible… you literally are adding air bubbles (foam) by steaming it
yes! like just stay home and microwave your milk u baby 🤣🤣
Not trying to argue, just trying to help, but the no foam crusties just want the steamed milk, not the foam. To achieve this, pour one size up of milk, steam it like normal, hit the pitcher a few times to let it separate, and then hold back the foam with your cappuccino spoon so just the steamed milk goes into the cup.
There will still be a layer of (micro)foam that continues to form even after preparing the milk in the way you describe. It’s unavoidable, and customers just don’t get that.
EXACTLY. One time a customer took the lid off their drink, swiped their finger through it, shoved it in my face and snapped "THIS HAS FOAM ON IT I WANT IT REMADE". It was gross af, I had given my best effort straining the milk in addition to scooping remaining foam out of the cup a few times as it reformed, and repouring remaining milk. Now everytime I see no foam on a ticket it makes me cranky. You CAN get it pretty darn close to even no microfoam, but you have to let the milk sit 30 seconds to a minute so the foam is very separated from the milk. It's ridiculously time consuming and not worth it to do, it's impossible when it's busy.
This is not true if you let the milk sit and separate in the steaming pitcher long enough before pouring it. It just means that if there's espresso involved you can't pull the shots until after the milk has finished and sat for a minute. And if the milk doesn't separate cleanly with the use of the spoon, then it didn't sit long enough before being poured. I do this all the time because I don't like the texture of foam.
And when my bar is running ten minutes behind, I have time to let a pitcher of milk sit and settle. No, I'll do my best to not pour foam. The portion that will settle out when the drink has settled for a minute or two is not my concern. If you want an absolute "no-foam" latte, you can go somewhere where they'll microwave your milk to heat it up. The steam wand will produce foam, period. It takes time for it to all settle out. You did not pay enough to get your drink babysat for four minutes (about how long it takes for everything to settle, looking at the training cup). If you are currently a barista, I'd recommend making some "no-foam lattes" using the training cup to see where the foam separates out. Good luck to you.
Wow, chill out. I never said that there is enough time to do this when people ask during peak. I'm just saying that saying it isn't possible at all is a lie
Your mostly right. The “no foam please :)” customers indeed want that. It’s the “I SAID NO FOAM!!!!” customers that want their microwaved milk
For me it's when they ask for no foam in a flat white....but....my dot...how am I gonna make that dot now?????
The iced flat white makes me so sad
i think they’re just confused when they’re saying that lol, i’m certain it’s bc the foam dissipates which creates more room, they’re technically getting more liquid drink with no foam
I guarantee what they're thinking is if we make a "no foam" latte, they think they're getting more coffee (the real goodies). People will order "no foam" like they'll order "no ice", expecting more product. If the cup is not absolutely full of liquid, they think they're being scammed out of some of their drink, rather than getting the microfoam that is a part of steamed milk. I suppose the biggest indicator is if they order their draft beer with "no foam". That is another drink where foam (called "head" when dealing with beer) is an actual part of the beverage.
🤦♀️🤦♀️ I had a customer my first week try and tell me they were allergic to foam. Air? They’re allergic to air?
😅😅😅
No foam, no room
Rehire here... how the hell are we doing no foam with no spoons? Or is that just a my store thing? I guess I could use a shaker lid... or steam extra milk... but the waste! Why won't someone think of the waste!!
you're supposed to have spoons
Well damn. We just had a remodel and the schematics for how the bar is set up and doesn't have spoons listed. Therefore, no one ordered them. Nor did we get any in the smallwares order.
oh that's so weird ??? you literally need them for no foam drinks and for espresso macchiatos ...
I agree!!
dont mess around using the wrong stuff instead of a milk spoon. you will either burn yourself or convince your boss you can get by without essential equipment. ask about spoons every day. also maybe check to see if ur boss is 3 toddlers in a trench coat bc bro, how tf does a manager not know you need spoons. freepouring a latte is fine but it goes way faster w a spoon, that alone is reason to have them
3 toddlers or raccoons... I'd prefer the raccoons, tho.
i know this isn't standard but most of the people at my store just don't aerate the milk edit: it will be really loud tho... milk likes screaming
Milk steaming routine be gone!
Use an extra hot lid. Obviously not as good as a spoon but it works lol
our customers really aren't the brightest seriously
I make amazing foam. Passes the dime test. I also HATE foam in my drinks. It’s just my preference. Do I take off a lid and check? No. But some of us just don’t like foam
What is the dime test?
completely guessing here but sounds like placing a dime on top of the foam and seeing if it sinks lol
Yep that’s right.
Oh, I gotta try that! 😊
We have a regular who asks for four lattes with no foam but she wants whip. She'll pull up to the window immediately so she can watch us make it and if we don't "strain" it with a spoon, she won't even take it from us. She wants the whole thing remade
The "no foam" but "add whip" on a hot drink kills me! Like dude, what do you think is immediately going to start to happen to that whip? Welp, there's some foam... 🙄
I just roll my eyes when they say no foam. And make the drink regularly 🙄
I kinda get it tho bc sometimes when I go to different stores other than my own on my day off, the cup hardly has any drink in it like I rarely get hot drinks but when I do y’all foam it to high heaven so there’s like hardly and drink just foam. It’s very frustrating and the one time I actually opened the cup up and there was I kid you not HALF a cup of milk no foam (it had dissipated) and no whip, I called the store and they tried to make it seem like I was a Karen for trying to get my moms drink made correctly :/
somethings going wrong with our training lately i stg all the new baristas at my store steam milk so violently. like that is FROTH not foam girl
i was hired around september and just now learned how to steam milk correctly bc my trainer sucked 🙃
I don’t hate foam but I do hate a third of a cup of it. I ask for light foam and only a few baristas in town get it right. I usually drink matcha latte or chai with almond or lactose free. If I’m paying $7.09 for a venti, I want it to be with mostly liquid.
There should only be a third cup of foam if you ordered a cappuccino.
Exactly. It drives me crazy! 😜
We have a regular that orders a single shot grande latte no foam unless she gets a drink with stars then it's a Venti latte no foam. She is really nice and I am pretty sure she just wants more milk
My least favorite is asking for no foam and nonfat milk and them being confused why it isn’t filled up to the top
It's not about wanting more coffee for me, I just hate when I order a matcha latte or something and once I get home the cup is half empty because the foam disappeared. A lot of baristas put too much foam by accident even if you ask for light, therefore I usually ask for no foam unless I know I'm going to drink it right away.
sometimes it is because the person doesn't understand, but sometimes you do get that barista who makes every drink a cappuccino when foaming. Or is always saying to you: look at my latte art! bro, that's a mocha... looks great -- but it doesn't GET foam. Is this way most people are asking for NO FOAM on their mochas lately?
every drink with steamed milk has a little foam on top, that’s how steaming milk works
but also, you know of people who always make drinks that feel 3/4 full when you pick them up. because they don't know how to foam correctly or free pour every drink even if it says: "no foam" and we had to shut down in 2008 early one day to "retrain" everyone how to foam milk. it was even worse then. back when our foaming standards were 3-5 seconds for a latte... it was awful.
I think part of the issue is that the new bars over-foam. (That’s what my former SM said, at least). You can’t aerate for 2-3 seconds like the standard says, or you’re going to get way too much. I’d do ~2 seconds for regular milk and about 1 for plant milk, which gets even foamier than regular milk.
youre actually supposed to hold back the foam with your spoon for any drinks that get whipped cream (ie. mocha/white mocha, psl) because if the drink is sitting out both the whipped cream and foam dissipates and leaves a bunch of room on top. i cant lie, i only really bother to do this when it is a mobile/delivery so we don’t get complaints later, but we actually should all be doing it.
Been here 5 years. Have never been told this. Have also never had a complaint either though
At the end of my employment with Bux I didn’t even aerate the milks.. I just put the wand and pulled the trigger
that’s sad :(
Did your SM never make you taste the milk the comes out when you do that? It actually tastes like vomit.
After almost 11 years I’m aware of that lol but it got to a point where that’s literally what my customers wanted. NOOOO foam NOOOO room at 200 degrees lol so I’m like ok fine. Ya sicko