Coffee shops are a great place to relax and unwind. You can get some work done, meet up with friends, or just take a break from your day. But there are coffee shop etiquettes that coffee shop patrons should follow to keep the experience enjoyable for everyone involved.
Here are seven of them:
1. Be Sure to Thank the Barista
When the barista gives you your coffee and asks if it’s to your liking, give them a smile and a nod. Then say thank you!
It’s not necessary to go overboard with effusive praise. Be sure to make eye contact and offer a brief “thank you” when they ask how everything is going. It’s just common courtesy!
Aside from being polite, this will also help ensure that your next drink comes out as quickly as possible. Baristas have to deal with all kinds of people over the course of their shift, so when they see someone who treats them with respect and appreciation while waiting in line or making their order, they’re likely to remember that person when they return later on down the road. This means faster service (and less stress) for everyone involved.
2. Be Polite to Your Coffee Shop’s Staff
This is one of the most important coffee shop etiquettes you should remember. When you walk into a coffee shop, be polite to the staff. They’re there to help you and ensure you have a good experience. So, treat them respectfully if you want them to do the same for you. They’re also probably busy doing many other things besides serving customers, so try not to be impatient or impolite while they work on your drink.
3. Keep Music or Phone Calls Low
In a coffee shop, the noisiest thing you should be is yourself. Anything louder than a normal conversation should be kept to a minimum. Your server may ask you to turn it down if your music or phone calls are so loud that they disrupt other customers’ experiences.
If several people sitting near you can hear your conversation and are not involved in it, consider moving away from them so that others can have their own conversations without feeling like they’re eavesdropping on yours.
If someone asks for the volume of the music turned down or requests that the song ends early because they want to hear their own conversations again (or even just enjoy the ambiance), don’t get defensive!
It’s never fun when someone gets mad at you for doing something mildly annoying, like blasting loud music at a coffee shop where everyone wants peace and quiet anyway.
4. Keep the Area Tidy
The rule of thumb is to be tidy. This means not leaving trash on the table, a napkin on the table, or even your cup there. It also means not leaving chairs on top of tables or coats draped over them (unless you’re wearing one).
5. Don’t Be Impatient
It can be easy to get a little antsy when you’ve been waiting in line behind someone who’s taking forever to decide what they want. But it’s important not to take your frustration out on the barista, no matter how long they make you wait.
Remember: they’re doing their best, and they probably don’t even know how many other people are waiting behind you! Be extra polite and patient when speaking with them—and if there’s an issue with your order, let them know immediately so they can fix it as quickly as possible.
6. Don’t Hog Extra Space
Not all coffee shops have the same amount of space, so you’re going to have to adjust yourself accordingly. If you’re sitting at a large table, don’t take up all of it. You should leave room for other people who want to sit down and chat with you.
Similarly, if you are at a small table or countertop that only has room for one person per seat (like in most cafés), don’t spread out so far that someone else can’t fit beside you without getting uncomfortably close.
7. Don’t Let Children Run Wild
It’s a sad fact of life that there will always be some kind of commotion in a coffee shop. Children running around and screaming, people talking loudly on their phones, and loud music playing from someone’s phone.
These are all common occurrences at coffee shops. But even more annoying are children who run wild, throw toys around the store, and scream continuously while their parents pretend not to notice.
That shouldn’t happen! Here are some ways you can keep your kids from disrupting other patrons:
- Make sure your child sits down quietly.
- Don’t let them run around like crazy or jump onto tables or chairs.
- Teach them that it’s polite to speak softly (if they have something worth saying) instead of shouting every few seconds about absolutely nothing important whatsoever.
Conclusion
Remember, the best way to enjoy your coffee shop experience is by being considerate and respectful of other patrons. Make sure to follow these coffee shop etiquettes. in short, you should treat the staff with respect, keep your music low, and don’t hog extra space.
