After seven years working as a barista across two UK cities, a former hospitality worker is breaking the silence on what coffee shop staff really think about their customers. Vita Molyneux, who detailed her experiences in early January 2026, argues that a mandatory stint in service would make the world a more polite place.
The Unspoken Rules of the Coffee Counter
Molyneux's lengthy tenure behind the machine taught her that while baristas maintain a professional and friendly exterior, they develop sharp coping mechanisms for dealing with difficult patrons. She believes everyone should spend at least a year in a public-facing role to truly understand the impact of their behaviour. The sheer audacity some customers display, she says, has to be seen to be believed.
1. Don't Claim to Be a Regular If You're Not
One major faux pas is pretending to be a familiar face. Walking into a café twice in two months and asking for 'the usual' puts the barista in an awkward position. Loyalty perks, like having your order remembered and prepared as you walk in, are earned through genuine frequency, not requested. True regulars are recognised and rewarded without having to ask.
2. Let Us Work in Peace
The morning rush is a high-pressure ballet of espresso shots and steamed milk. When a queue of 25 drinks is backed up, a barista is 'in the zone'. A common irritation is the customer who, after ordering, hovers by the machine, staring intently and asking if every finished drink is theirs. This breaks concentration and adds unnecessary stress to an already hectic process.
3. Yes, We Judge Your Coffee Order (Sometimes)
While no one minds swaps for dietary needs, like soy milk or a half-shot, some orders invite silent judgement. Overly complicated concoctions, like a half-decaf, half-regular, dry soy cappuccino, are a source of internal eye-rolling and post-shift gossip. The article singles out any 'dry' drink request as a particular trigger, viewed as a slightly juvenile preference.
4. Meanness Has Consequences
Here lies the most candid confession. For the consistently and deliberately vile customer, baristas have a secret motto: BGD, or "b**** gets decaf." This petty revenge could also involve 'forgetting' sugar or letting an espresso shot run too long. These acts are harmless and often go unnoticed by the customer, but they provide a small, satisfying redress for staff being treated like "the muck on your shoe."
A Lesson in Basic Civility
Molyneux's core argument is that exposure to the frontline of customer service or retail should be a universal life experience. Once you've been on the receiving end of rudeness, you become determined to be a model customer yourself. She concludes that if more people adopted this mindset, daily interactions in cafes and beyond would be far more considerate and efficient for everyone involved.
