Barista's Choice
When I'm in a coffee shop, I sometimes ask what the barista would like to make me. The idea is to offer them a chance to serve me what they are most excited about (something that I wished I got to do more often.) I'm thrilled when I get responses like "You know, our Columbia El Jordan from <roaster> is pulling beautifully today, how 'bout a shot of that?" or "This Brazil we just got in is tasting really great in milk lately, I'm going to make you a macchiato." Sometimes though, I get a confused, snooty or cold response, from the sarcastic "So can I just make you the most expensive item on the menu?" to simply "I don't like to answer those sort of questions." I've been surprised to get this sort of response from those cafes where I'd most expect passion for coffee and service, and I was wondering if anybody else did this? or wished this happened more often? Other thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dustin DeMers on
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I think I would love customers to ask this, as long as I fealt they wernt asking "what do I like". Or as long as after I make them a latte or cappuccino there not going to be like "eww this is gross it tastes like coffee". I think as long as your clear your going to happy with what they make it should be cool.
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Permalink Reply by Tony Grewing on
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I actually put this on the menu where I work and it has gone over really well. Not only does it get customers to try what we are most excited about, it helps with customer education a little. We usually talk the customer through what we're making them and why, and I think the sort of people that are willing to order a Barista's choice really appreciate the conversation that comes as a result of the drink.
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Permalink Reply by Dennis McQuoid on
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Very cool idea.
Tony Grewing said:I actually put this on the menu where I work and it has gone over really well. Not only does it get customers to try what we are most excited about, it helps with customer education a little. We usually talk the customer through what we're making them and why, and I think the sort of people that are willing to order a Barista's choice really appreciate the conversation that comes as a result of the drink.
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Permalink Reply by P. E. Martin on
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Tony, that's so cool. How does that work? I assume when a customer gets the barista's choice, they would already be open minded, and not put off if you, say, made them a siphon pot of some phenomenal coffee which you would naturally charge more for. (So, so cool.)
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That is a cool idea for sure, and the conversation is mutual beneficial. You get to talk about a coffee/drink you enjoy, plus if they like the drink then you will be making it more regularly (at least for that customer)
Tony Grewing said:I actually put this on the menu where I work and it has gone over really well. Not only does it get customers to try what we are most excited about, it helps with customer education a little. We usually talk the customer through what we're making them and why, and I think the sort of people that are willing to order a Barista's choice really appreciate the conversation that comes as a result of the drink.
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Smyth on
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We put it on our menu as well. It's a set price, about 75% between our lowest and highest priced drink. So sometimes we make more on it, sometimes they get a deal. It all balances out. We'll usually walk the customer thru a few questions, ie hot or cold, sweet or not, and we get to make them something we think they'll love that may or may not be on the menu. Customers have loved it! It's been a cool way to showcase barista talent, improve customer interaction and build something unique into what we do that other local cafes aren't doing. Yes, the customer has to be open minded, but your closed minded customers aren't the ones ordering this. They ask about it, and then get something else.
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Permalink Reply by Chris on
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I'm the same way with eggs.
"Cooked. Let the cook do what he wants."
Sometimes I get scrambled, sometimes I get basted and a visit form a cook that wants to see how I liked 'em/explain how he cooked 'em.
In the end, I like eggs no matter how they're cooked. And I also like coffee.
It isn't you, it's the barista.
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Permalink Reply by David Lanning on
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Great idea...
Coffee drinkers are extremely habitual and not likely to try something new without some encouragement and friendly (trustworthy) persuasion.
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