London - Are you the sort of person who rattles off a large and complicated order at your local coffee shop?
You might want to change your ways the next time you’re there as you are being judged on what you drink.
Ask for anything more complicated than a latte or cappuccino and chances are the rest of the customers queuing consider you a snob.
Research carried out by coffee experts rijo42 revealed that we’re all increasingly self-conscious about what our coffee orders might say about us – and it appears with good reason.
Of the 1 000 people surveyed, four out of five (80 percent) say they don’t always order exactly what they want when in a coffee shop because they’re embarrassed, or concerned about the long queue building behind them.
But 52 percent admitted that they would probably judge someone else who went ahead and placed a complicated or fussy order.
The humble cappuccino also gets a hard time from some coffee snobs. Forty-one percent of us say we would be embarrassed to order one if a companion was opting to go for a double espresso.
Double the amount of men compared to women think the cappuccino is now an old fashioned drink.
In fact, one in four over 45s (25 percent) admit they have never tried a fancy coffee beyond a cappuccino or latte.
But one in five people across all age groups (19 percent) believe there are definitely more fashionable coffee choices, which they don’t always feel privy to – or want to try.
The study also revealed that one in six (16 percent) consider themselves a “coffee expert” – rising to 29 percent of 25 to 34 year olds.
Adding too much sugar or sweetener is a cardinal sin, with one in two (52 percent) embarrassed at the thought of adding a significant amount in front of an audience.
Fifty-five percent agreed that they would probably pass internal judgement on someone who ordered a cream, sugar and syrup laden coffee.
Only one in four of us (25 percent) like strong coffee, however, with more men than women saying it’s their preference (36 percent versus 19 percent).
Luis Nino, director at rijo42, said: “There definitely seems to be some coffee snobbery going on. People admitted they felt uncomfortable placing complicated orders in case someone made a judgment about them based on it, while others felt it might be frowned upon to ask for a weaker coffee, or a decaf version.”
And it’s not just paranoia as it seems we really are making assumptions about people based on their coffee shop order. But that’s despite the fact that the majority of us admit we are not coffee experts.
“If people are being put off from ordering the coffee they really want, it seems crazy. Each to their own, the world would be a very boring place if we were all the same. If you want a half foam cappuccino with five sweeteners, then that’s your decision. Reclaim your coffee choice.”
Daily Mail
Know your drinks
Latte: Coffee made with espresso and steamed milk.
Espresso: Strong coffee made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans.
Flat white: An Australian invention. This is prepared by pouring microfoam (steamed milk with fine bubbles) over a single or double espresso.
Irish coffee: Coffee made with Irish whisky and sugar, and topped with cream.
Cappucino: Smaller in volume than a latte, a cappucino has hot milk and steamed milk foam with one shot of espresso.
Affogato: Vanilla ice cream topped with a hot shot of espresso.
Americano: Espresso diluted with hot water.
Mocha: A chocolate flavoured latte with espresso and hot milk.
Cafe au lait: A light brown coffee with milk.
Macchiato: Espresso with a small amount of steamed, foamed milk.
Cortado: A Spanish version of the macchiato made with espresso and a small amount of steamed milk.