Chris Militzer/Miliman12 Photography
Enter any coffee shop in Alexandria and you’ll see a familiar scene—moms pushing strollers often with another toddler in tow, friends chatting over lattes and lots of folks typing away on laptops.
Coffee shops are the adult version of the sandbox. Somehow everyone manages to get along.
Yet ask anyone who sometimes uses their local coffee shop as an alternative office, and you’ll get an endless list of complaints about other customers. They’re too loud, they hog the outlets, they don’t use ear buds while listening to music, they stay too long, and they take up too much space.
I admit it: I’m guilty of that last one. I’m a spreader. Even when I’m alone, if there’s a four-person table available I will take it, put my bags on the empty chairs, and scatter my notebooks, smartphone and laptop across the table. Signs like “Please be so kind as to share your table” make me feel anxious… and guilty.
While most of us can easily rattle off our biggest gripe about the person at the next table, how often do we consider how our own behavior impacts the other patrons — or even the shop owner?
Read on for seven tips for coffee shop etiquette from local owners and baristas.
Hang Up the Phone (or Take It Outside)
You may think you’re using a quiet voice to talk on the phone, but chances are everyone can still hear you and you’re annoying.
“If you get a call or need to make a call while you’re at the coffee shop, it’s best to take the call outside,” said Kathleen Burke, a barista at St. Elmo’s in Del Ray.
Speaking in a quiet voice isn’t always sufficient, and taking the call on speakerphone is a clear no-no.
Watch Your Belongings (and Maybe Someone Else’s)
What happens to your stuff when you need step outside or use the restroom? It’s inconvenient to pack up and, if you do, there’s a good chance your table will be occupied when you return. You can ask another custom-er to watch your things, but Burke recommends asking someone you’ve seen at the shop before.
“Many patrons who ask other customers to watch their things have established relationships with the other patrons,” Burke said. “Because most of our customers are regulars, there is a sense of trust.”
If you don’t see any patrons you know or trust, don’t ask the staff to watch your laptop, Burke said. “That is not in the job description,” she said. It’s really difficult to make food and drinks, and watch customer’s belongings, especially when it gets busy, said Susan Baharmast, who owns Nectar in Del Ray with her sister Shirley Waller.
It’s OK to Stay All Day
If you’re going use the coffee shop as an office and stay for more than an hour or two, be considerate and buy more than a single bottle of water or a cup of black coffee. “People will stay here for hours but most will buy more than just a plain coffee,” Burke said.
And the coffee shops owners usually don’t mind: “We like that we have customers who come in for breakfast and stay for lunch,” Waller said.
If It’s Crowded, Share a Table
Most owners don’t mind if you take up a large table as long as the coffee shop is not too busy. But, if you see a large group looking for a place to sit down and you’re alone at a huge table, consider sharing it or moving to smaller table, said Candy Briffa, own-er of Grounded, near Kingstowne.
Try to keep what you bring with you to a minimum, too. One frequent Starbucks customer reported seeing a man set up a computer tower, full-sized monitor, keyboard and mouse to work at a Starbucks in Alexandria last year.
Don’t Disturb the Barista
It takes a certain amount of concentration and mindfulness to make a good latte or cappuccino, especially because it’s not uncommon for baristas to have five to 10 drinks lined up waiting to be made so please don’t disturb the barista.
“Don’t walk up to the barista and ask for a knife or a spoon or a cup of water,” Briffa said. “Go the counter instead.”
Know Your Order
Because every order can be customized in an infinite number of ways—oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, different flavored syrups, an extra shot of espresso—it’s important to know what you want before you get to the counter and to state your order clearly. Talking on the phone while you’re ordering is rude to the staff and customers, Burke said.
Listen for Your Order
Baristas want to make sure customers get their drinks at the proper temperature and texture, said Rob Shelton, owner of Killer ESP in Old Town. But so many times, coffee cups sit on the counter unclaimed.
“It’s not uncommon to call someone’s name five or six times, and then 20 minutes later they come up and ask where their drink is,” Burke said. “None of these drinks improve with time,” Baharmast said “Your cappuccino is going to change into a flatuccino.”
Another pro tip: If it’s crowded, wait at least eight minutes before asking where your drink is, Burke said. “Just because you don’t see a line of customers, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any orders ahead of yours.”
