What's the first thing you notice ?

[MrG]

Ok here's a question I got asked by a customer today ....
What things should I look for when I go into a coffee shop ?

The customer meant, even before placing your order..... so we're not talking about what's in your cup or how the milk is steamed etc

We were a bit busy at the time buy once things died down a bit I got thinking about it and the average guy (or girl) in the street doesn't really know what to expect until they actually taste the coffee

So the question is: You walk into a new place, what's the first thing you look for ?

Me: I usually look straight at the steam arm .... if it's crusted up with dried on milk foam then my I usually have pretty low expectations for what's going to be in the cup. Actually if it's like that I'll ususally just have an americano.

There are lots of other things like the cleanliness, the staff, the customers, you try take in the general atmosphere of the place ..... But the first thing I do is check out that steam arm !

Al

[dsc]

Hi,

stand back and watch the staff work. Check out their routine, how they prepare the PFs, how they steam the milk, do they grind on demand or not. Other thing to look for, if you get a chance of course, is to watch the extraction, is it brown for a longer while, does it go blond quickly or not, do they fill the small espresso cups up to the rim, or not. If it looks good, buy a cup and check the taste.

It's usually quite easy to simply stand on the side for a few minutes and look at what the staff is doing, but if you're the only guy in the cafe it might be a bit weird:) The best thing to do then is to order some tea, sit back, wait for other people and watch.

Regards,
dsc.

[espressomattic]

Steam arm is a must. Thankfully a lot of places I go to are open plan so you can watch them at work.

I went to a place months ago and just chatted to the barista and watched and chatted. Didn't mind at all. It is now a semi regular haunt and the coffee is always good. The decor is different though!

If the equipment isn't clean I do not bother at all. I go on the premis that if the steam arm is crappy then the rest can't be far behind

[Hugo]

The grounds/dosing chamber.... if there's anything in it be prepared to be disappointed.

Having said that, wandered into a branch of an award winning coffee chain in Cardiff.... Big shiny La Marzocco on the bar, clean wand, no grounds visible. I ordered an espresso and watched the least careful, least interested grind & (wildly under) dose and several tamps, none of which was vaguely level. The shot was unsurprisingly shite.
They have the front to suggest they make prepare good espresso. Shysters.

[espressomattic]

There is a Cafe at the local Pools here. Great spot and oppourtunity to make a killing and good coffee. Firstly he uses an MPN like mine. However the hopper is full of rancid coffee oil and beans which are stuck to it. Then the fills the doser right up, lifts the grinder and sweeps all OLD grounds into the doser or the PF. Tops up the PF with spilt grounds. Shite, utterly shite. I tried to tell one of his workers the other day that it all needed a good clean.

The bloke spoke no English and it was such a wasted effort.

So one is on a mission to see who manages the concession and see if the basic hygiene/quality can be improved. I feel disgusted just thing about it you know.

[MrG]

Steam arm is a must........snip........ I go on the premis that if the steam arm is crappy then the rest can't be far behind

Glad it's not just me looking at the steam arm.

I also look at the milk steaming pitchers. Too many times I see a large jug sitting on the counter half full of milk (and sometimes one of chocolate). These milk pitchers are invariably end up in a 'refill & reheat cycle'

Thats usually the last thing I see before I leave !

[Tristan]

First thing you should do is not look, but listen! If you've been in there a minute and not heard the grinder then they're either dead (coffee must be crap) or not grinding fresh (coffee is crap).

[Glenn]

Ah, I feel sane once again

I share the same thoughts as the above (but a little concern at the local pools coffee - is that Te Rapa where the hydroslide is?)

I look at the cups - if I see polystyrene takeout cups then I head for the door too

[julianz]

Only job I've ever been fired from, working the snack shop at the Te Rapa pools. But it was in the days before espresso and I was just crap at the snowfreeze machine

[Jasonscheltus]

The first thing I notice is a clean shop. If it's clean, there's a chance that workstations are clean, and if they are, there's a chance they care about coffee etc. etc.

I haven't ever had a good coffee from a messy shop.

[espressomattic]

Yeah it is the Te Rapa Pools, I really should have a coffe as we are ther 4 times a week and if it is crap, do something about it...

Sod it, for the sake of mankind, once again I will venture out and...bear me in mind.

[Aadje]

I tend at looking at the actual coffees, some places are stupid/wise enough to serve their cappas in glass cups. What greater telltale would you like

[CakeBoy]

What is in the grinder, the steam arm, working messy and the quality of the pours in progress can all send me scurrying away coffeeless!

[dave75uk]

i must say, i'll look at the steam arm first too, i guess i'm lucky, being a repair engineer i get to work on a lot of machines in my locality and it's surprising how many places don't backflush their group heads daily. new seals and shower plates are a common repair item due to build up of grounds. if i get offered a drink while onsite and the machine is poorly kept, i often refuse.. lol

[johnny]

I look to see if there is anywhere to sit ..... then I look to see if there are any cute girls ...... only then do I look at the coffee set up, which just determines what drink I would order