Cafes - likes and dislikes...

carrieb

There are some things that I hate to see in cafes, examples include any LAMINATED menus, coffee spilled on the saucer and still served!! Loose sugar that's gone hard in a sugar bowl...
However there are some things I really like, blackboards with menus, little biscuits served with the coffee, staff in nice uniforms.....
What about you guys?! Any pet hates or funny likes?

Mr E

My pet hate in a cafe? Crap coffee.

Also, dirty tables. Walking into a place that seems quiet enough, but all tables have half empty cups, crumb-covered plates (and tables) and no sign of anyone cleaning up.

carrieb

Yes I HATE that too!! Was in a cafe today where there was 6 tables that needed to be cleared! The rest of the place wasn't even busy, I just wanted to walk out.

Mr Magnolia

Baristas that don't care.

ch2008

Yeh, we just dont

IsThatSo?

plastic chairs :mad: you can't even be comfortable drinking the rotten coffee :pac:

eclectichoney

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Baristas that don't care.

But is that a like or a dislike??

Actually I was in Starbucks today for the first time in an age (don't blame me, it was next door to a job interview & i needed the caffeine!) and it reminded me how average everything about it is, so I guess my point is...

...I like cafés that are special / different - including the coffee

AARRRGH

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

Baristas that don't care.

Or Barista's who think they're artists.

No, no, you're not. You make cups of coffee.

antoniosicily

3 hours to make a cup of coffee, where I'd expect less than 30 seconds (in busy times)

taram

Hate: sugar in pots, someone's always stuck a wet spoon into it! Refuse to go back into two cafes in Cork because they served me a cappucino that was really a white coffee with about 1% foam on top, if I pay the extra 50 cent, I want my foam Dirty mugs are horrible to see also.

Love: Cafes that seem calm and happy, ones with nice cake and biscuits and nibbly things that don't cost the earth, ones with happy enthusatic staff, comfy chairs.

davej

Espresso served in the wrong type of cup is my pet hate... :mad:


davej

stimpson

Hot Cappuccino. Weak tea.

Mr Magnolia

AARRRGH wrote: »

Or Barista's who think they're artists.

No, no, you're not. You make cups of coffee.

It is an art form, even aside from the aesthetics of latte art.

Anyway, I'd prefer a barista that treats it like an art rather than one that treats it like a PITA.

L31mr0d

open fronts... particularly Starbucks in malls have these. I like a nice quite cafe where all I can hear is the light background music, people chatting and the noise of milk steaming.

A cafe should be a place to get away from the pace of the outside world for a few minutes to enjoy a coffee, read the newspaper, chat with a friend. Open fronts let in so much noise it's just not enjoyable. Also, crying babies, will usually get a coffee to go if there's one in the cafe.

On top of that, bad Mochas... nothing I hate more than a Barista who can't make a decent mocha.

Mr.David

Cappucinos served in cups large enough to bathe in

Espressos the size of americanos

Sugar cubes - so irritating, you cannot easily put in 1/2 a cube can you?

Places that only have white sugar, no brown

Sloppy presentation with foam running over the side of the cup

Places where the sole difference between a latte and cappucino is the cheapo chocolate powder sprinkled on top.

Things I like? Places that serve a small dark chocolate with your coffee. Mmm....chocolate & coffee

RE*AC*TOR

Places that use stale coffee.

Places that allow their coffee to go stale by always having a full hopper in the grinder.

Places that don't understand an appropriate brew time and volume for an espresso.

Places that burn milk.

Places that have a dirty espresso machine / milk caked on steam wand.

Places that use crap coffee.

Places that think a cappuccino is a latte with cocoa powder on top.

I could go on... but what's the point?

Dero

Agree with all of the above RE*AC*TOR.

We have a branch of a well-known sandwich/coffee place here in work, and they pre-pull the shots and leave them lined up on the machine. If you order an Americano, they just dump a pre-pulled, stale, cold shot into some water. :mad:
Drives me mad, and they look at me like I have two heads if I ask for a fresh shot (well, some of them know by now when they see me coming...)

stimpson

Dero wrote: »

We have a branch of a well-known sandwich/coffee place here in work, and they pre-pull the shots and leave them lined up on the machine.

:eek:

That's unbelievable. Reminds me of drinking Stout in an Irish bar in England.

I remember going into a place on Thomas St. and asked for a Cappo with an extra shot. As I was being handed it she remembered the extra shot and pulled another shot without refilling the basket.

To be honest, I rarely drink in cafe's any more - I can make far superior coffee at home so it tends to be a disappointment.

iHeartRyanAdams

cafes that are cold!
cafes that use crap tea-bags!
cafes with wooden floors!
(and cafes where business women prance around in those silly heels they can't walk in.. thus making a booming noise on the wooden floors!
cafes lacking doors!
cafes blaring music!(i like it when its nice soft music)
cafes in noisy shopping centres, crammed with prams, or children in general..take them to mcDonalds for god's sake!

..basically i want a library i can eat and drink in!:D

Mr.David

iHeartRyanAdams wrote: »

cafes that are cold!
cafes that use crap tea-bags!
cafes with wooden floors!
(and cafes where business women prance around in those silly heels they can't walk in.. thus making a booming noise on the wooden floors!
cafes lacking doors!
cafes blaring music!(i like it when its nice soft music)
cafes in noisy shopping centres, crammed with prams, or children in general..take them to mcDonalds for god's sake!

..basically i want a library i can eat and drink in!:D

Cafes that play drively music like Ryan Adams

eclectichoney

Dero wrote: »

We have a branch of a well-known sandwich/coffee place here in work, and they pre-pull the shots and leave them lined up on the machine.

That really is a whole new low tbh. is it an international or an irish company? they should know better - there is *no* excuse for that!

Dero

eclectichoney wrote: »

is it an international or an irish company?

It's an Irish franchise operation. It's run by the catering company that looks after all the on-site catering, and to be honest, from this crowd I would expect no better...

I've considered asking the catering manager about their policy on such things, but having spoken to him on other matters, I don't think it's worth the hassle. I just insist on a fresh shot myself.

iHeartRyanAdams

Mr.David wrote: »

Cafes that play drively music like Ryan Adams

now that would be the perfect cafe!

Tinwhistle*

Food on the floor, unfriendly staff, dirty tables, powdered instant cheap coffee, loud music, 'Thankyou' on tip jars....:eek:

Davidth88

I am lucky enough to travel to Italy and Sardinia a lot because of my work.

How comes I can get a really good coffee there , even in the airport in Rome for example , for a euro ?

So my pet gripes , being charged 2 euro plus for an expresso ( or attempted to be charged , I won't pay it and don't go into such places )

Being given an expresso that is long and weak.... ie 99% of all expresso's that I seem to find outside Italy.

All of Tin-whistle's gripes apply.

Bean&Dunne

Staff: uninterested, floaters, staff that are only there because its a job. No passion, no clue about customer service. You can serve a bad product with great service and you'll retain and gain customers daily.
A hello , smile etc learning a Name goes a long long way.

Still under staffing,the Barista/ not barista. A barista who will not touch his or her coffee. If I don't see a physical connection with the product, through cleaning basket, dosing, tamping, extraction and pouring, I will take it that they don't understand coffee or simply don't care. Why hire staff that don't care about your product, customer or business? In this economic climate, now's the time to point the finger and say those words " your fired ", good luck to you.
You can't build a house, plant a garden, cook a meal without being attentive, if you do, the result will LACK the details that make all the difference.


Other's:

BAD Food (STALE BEARD, Bland, OLD and unimaginative menu)

Bad Management

Worst of all - Owners who have no interest in the product or area they somehow have landed in. They've been drawn in by the potential profit they think they could make. A Cafe is a business of many area's and products, if you only care about 1 aspect, your starting off on thewrong foot. Most cafe's we've grown up with dont care about coffee, this is a major issue that needs to be acknowledge or else they've soon be a TO LET sign hang from the building.

Making way for new, fresh and quality product driven cafe businesses.


Rant Over.

Sorry

alastair

Bean&Dunne wrote: »

BAD Food (STALE BEARD, Bland, OLD and unimaginative menu)

Nothing worse than a stale beard in a cafe!

FinoBlad

I like coffee shops that;

• clean the steam wand every damn time
• dont reheat a previous customers leftover milk (put fresh milk in the jug please)
• dont overheat the milk
• dont way overfill the cup (nice thought but i'm going to spill it walking to my seat)
• dont try to sneek me the wrong milk, if dont ask for a skinny, i dont want one
• dont give a latte that goes flat in 20 seconds
• have nice contemporary designed cups and saucers and not cheapie spoons
• know what i mean when i ask for a cappuccino with no cocoa powder (no it isnt a latte)
• give me something original to nibble on (not some awful biscuit in a plastic wrapper)
• ask me if would like a glass or cup when having a latte (i much prefer cups)
• have interesting things to read when on your own
• display nice photographs and painting like a mini-exhibition (plenty of artists and photographers around)
• have a variety of seating around (chairs, arm-chairs, couches)
• steam their milk as far away as possible from the seating area (they are too loud sometimes)
• offer topups
• do hot chocolate with all the bells and whistles
• dont tut when asked for decaf, my wife has a gastric problems and caffeine makes her ill, its not her fault.
• give tokens to pay for your coffee+lunch but not taking the coffee immediately
• deliver expresso really quickly (if part of a group order, make this last)

I could go on all day.....

Good thread though

aoibhebree

FinoBlad wrote: »

I like coffee shops that;

• clean the steam wand every damn time
• dont reheat a previous customers leftover milk (put fresh milk in the jug please)
• dont overheat the milk
• dont way overfill the cup (nice thought but i'm going to spill it walking to my seat)
• dont try to sneek me the wrong milk, if dont ask for a skinny, i dont want one
• dont give a latte that goes flat in 20 seconds
• have nice contemporary designed cups and saucers and not cheapie spoons
• know what i mean when i ask for a cappuccino with no cocoa powder (no it isnt a latte)
• give me something original to nibble on (not some awful biscuit in a plastic wrapper)
• ask me if would like a glass or cup when having a latte (i much prefer cups)
• have interesting things to read when on your own
• display nice photographs and painting like a mini-exhibition (plenty of artists and photographers around)
• have a variety of seating around (chairs, arm-chairs, couches)
• steam their milk as far away as possible from the seating area (they are too loud sometimes)
• offer topups
• do hot chocolate with all the bells and whistles
• dont tut when asked for decaf, my wife has a gastric problems and caffeine makes her ill, its not her fault.
• give tokens to pay for your coffee+lunch but not taking the coffee immediately
• deliver expresso really quickly (if part of a group order, make this last)

I could go on all day.....

Good thread though

If you ever open a coffee shop, please let me know ... I promise I'll be your number one customer

FinoBlad

I might hold you to that one day

zagmund

Scaldy coffee that has been overheated. Bewleys used to specialise in that.

z

ch2008

FinoBlad wrote: »

• steam their milk as far away as possible from the seating area (they are too loud sometimes)

if the steaming is done right it shouldn't be loud. that screaming noise is a sign that not enough air was added (i.e. no foam to insulate the sound). If its done right it should a quiet hiss for a few seconds.

FinoBlad

i get you, but i probably shouldn't have specifically mentioned steaming milk but the whole process of hammering the porta-filler and tapping the pitcher etc can be a bit loud if you are sitting close by. some baristas seem to take out their troubles in life on the poor pitcher.

moonflower

Cafes that leave a jug of milk or an uncovered sugar bowl on the table, it really gets on my nerves! I don't want warm, sour milk that a child has stuck his fingers in in my drink thanks, I want fresh milk from the fridge!
Cafes that think a macchiatio is just another name for a latte.
Cafes that use crappy tea bags and cafes that give you tea for two with one tea bag and charge you more than tea for one, why charge for extra water in the pot?
My most recent pet hate though, is cafes that treat you like an idiot. I went into a cafe on a really hot day a few weeks ago wanting a cold black coffee with some ice in it. It was a cafe that does iced drinks so I thought that would be fine but no, the 'barista' told me 'we don't do iced black coffees, the iced coffees just taste weird without the milk in them'. I wanted to slap her.

FinoBlad

Ah yes a café con hielo is very refreshing on a really hot day. I have never seen anyone offer it over here though.

benj

charging 6 euro for an average pot of tea for 3 people and 2 euro for small scone...
this has to be overpriced....
i also hate milk jugs left on the table all day and just get topped up....
yuk

AARRRGH

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

It is an art form, even aside from the aesthetics of latte art.

In that case everything is an art form, whether it be pouring a pint of Guinness or writing software.

I don't think anyone goes to art college to work in a minimum wage job making coffee.

By all means have coffee making competitions, but I really think you're pushing it by proclaiming making coffee is art.

/No offence, just being realistic

tuxy

The best solution is to bring in your own flask in the same way people bring hip flasks into pubs and night clubs.

benj

AARRRGH wrote: »

In that case everything is an art form, whether it be pouring a pint of Guinness or writing software.

I don't think anyone goes to art college to work in a minimum wage job making coffee.

By all means have coffee making competitions, but I really think you're pushing it by proclaiming making coffee is art.

/No offence, just being realistic

I don't think making a cup of coffee is an art...but making a decent
sandwich might be....

RE*AC*TOR

AARRRGH wrote: »

In that case everything is an art form, whether it be pouring a pint of Guinness or writing software.

I don't think anyone goes to art college to work in a minimum wage job making coffee.

By all means have coffee making competitions, but I really think you're pushing it by proclaiming making coffee is art.

/No offence, just being realistic

I would say it falls under the culinary arts.

I don't think anyone was suggesting it should be considered for the Turner Prize.

FinoBlad

AARRRGH wrote: »

By all means have coffee making competitions, but I really think you're pushing it by proclaiming making coffee is art.

/No offence, just being realistic

Being realistic, 'is something art' is an age old question that applies to just about everything.

Like beauty being in the eye of the beholder, can coffee making be art??

Yes it can be to me and from my definition of art which is....something that is created as means to communicate or appeal to the senses. What is art to you may be different but neither of us are wrong.

AARRRGH

FinoBlad wrote: »

Being realistic, 'is something art' is an age old question that applies to just about everything.

Like beauty being in the eye of the beholder, can coffee making be art??

Yes it can be to me and from my definition of art which is....something that is created as means to communicate or appeal to the senses. What is art to you may be different but neither of us are wrong.

I agree with your post (in general), but does that mean you think people who are desperate for a job, so go work in a cafe for minimum wage, they are artists without realising it?

Or are you saying only the people who are passionate about coffee and try to make beautiful tasting and beautiful looking coffee are artists?

Personally I think the difference between the former and latter are negligible, as some of the best cups of coffee I've ever had were made by people who don't give a damn about coffee art, and some of the worst cups were by "top latte artists".

I'm not trying to offend anyone, I love coffee, and I agree baristas are part of the "culinary arts", but does that mean actual "art", I dunno...

Redrover1999

AARRRGH wrote: »

In that case everything is an art form, whether it be pouring a pint of Guinness or writing software.

I don't think anyone goes to art college to work in a minimum wage job making coffee.

By all means have coffee making competitions, but I really think you're pushing it by proclaiming making coffee is art.

/No offence, just being realistic

It's the proper technique, the knowledge of how to do it properly and the extra effort.

Some places give a little glass of water with cappucino which is good.


My dislikes are:

Dirty dishes on tables or piled up somewhere visible

Strong smell of bacon or chips

Cappucino with not enough foam - a thin layer on the top is not right

Foam with too much chocolate on it

Large cups of cappucino - Starbucks 'tall' is too big.

Jugs of milk left on tables all day (and possibly longer) - This has been mentioned and is really disgusting. Why don't people buy a clue? There is almost always something floating in it, and because milk isn't transparent, you never know.

When did the word barista become so popular?

FinoBlad

AARRRGH wrote: »

I agree with your post (in general), but does that mean you think people who are desperate for a job, so go work in a cafe for minimum wage, they are artists without realising it?

Or are you saying only the people who are passionate about coffee and try to make beautiful tasting and beautiful looking coffee are artists?

Essentially I'm saying neither I suppose. What I am saying is that there are enough options in coffee making to allow creative expression.

ch2008

Redrover1999 wrote: »

When did the word barista become so popular?

Barista is term that used to imply a certain level of quality but then people cottoned on that you don't need a specific qualification to call yourself a Barista.

This means that anyone can call themselves a Barista without any formal training, so they did, and thus peoples perceptions of Baristas become somewhat tainted.

I think it would be great for the industry if there was a properly accredited qualification for Baristas and this would ultimately benefit everyone from the owners to the baristas to the customers.

Great thread btw