FARGO, N.D. - Poor manners at the coffee shop can be as jarring as a jolt of java right before bedtime. But you don't have to be that annoying person who drives the baristas and fellow patrons crazy. Here are some tips to make you Mr./Ms. Manners at your favorite caffeination hole.
Thinking it through: Decaf or caf, whip or no-whip, latte or cappuccino, ad infinitum. Coffee menus are complicated. It's OK if you need time to think about your order. Lyn Erickson, co-owner of Luna Coffee in Fargo, just suggests stepping aside and allowing a person or two behind you to order while you ponder.
Phone frustration: It's not the cell phone, per se, that can be problematic, Erickson says. "It's the volume of the conversation." The reason we have phones is to eliminate the need to scream things to people across long distances. Quiet is good.
Also, if it's personal, it's a good idea to keep it that way. Cell phone fights with a boyfriend or conflictive discussions with your kids can be awkward for other patrons.
Good news, bad news: If you're done with a section of the community newspaper at the shop, set it off to the side so it's obvious that others are welcome to it.
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Downsizing: "Take one chair and the smallest table available," is author/publisher Maggie Mason's advice to those who use the coffee shop as a workspace. And it's pretty good advice for others as well. It's cool if you take up a table for four when the shop is near empty. But if the trough is crowded, don't be a hog.
If it's broke, fix it: Hey, you're paying a premium price for a premium-level product. So if your no-whip, half-caf, soy, vanilla latte with two extra shots isn't to your liking, bring it back.
"We remake it for them for free," says Rachel Erickson, manager of the Dunn Bros coffee shops in Fargo.
She says the important thing is to communicate what you don't like about it - i.e. it's too strong, too weak, burnt, etc.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Shane Mercer at (701) 451-5734
What this is:
The first in an occasional series about minding your manners in everyday situations. If you have an etiquette question or want to know the proper behavior for a specific circumstance, e-mail Forum reporter J. Shane Mercer at smercer@forumcomm.com .
