# If you just ask for 'coffee' in a restaurant/bar, what do you expect to be given? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 12, 2005, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373 "2005-01-12T10:50:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/1 "2005-01-12T10:50:23Z")
Important preamble: I live in the UK, where ‘coffee’ in the domestic context very often means instant from granules. Anyway, I was at the hospital the other day and I decided to get a cup of coffee; there’s what amounts to a small shopping mall in the reception area now and I went to an eaterie called The Upper Crust Bakery (or some such) - one of a large chain of sandwich/refreshment bar sort of things. The usual basic coffee options were available: filter coffee, espresso, cappuccino, and (I think)Americano. So, I ordered a large filter coffee to go; wandered back up to the ward with it, only to exclaim “They’ve put milk in my coffee!”. My wife enquired “didn’t you ask for it black?”, to which I expressed my opinion that coffee means coffee; ‘white coffee’ or ‘coffee with milk’ was the name for what I’d been given. Seriously, if I ask for ‘coffee’, I expect the unadulterated beverage. What about you? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/2 "2005-01-12T11:07:52Z")
Same here (midwestern US). Though if it’s asked for in a restaurant, it’s usually immediately followed up by asking if I need cream (and sugar if it isn’t on the table already). ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/3 "2005-01-12T11:20:11Z")
I’d expect to be given a mug of plain black coffee and be asked if I wanted cream or sugar (I would). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/4 "2005-01-12T11:23:10Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Seriously, if I ask for ‘coffee’, I expect the unadulterated beverage. I have this problem in Ireland too. I have to specify black, and often have the following exchange: “A black coffee please.” “Do you want milk in that?” (The default state for any sandwich is slathered with butter, too, unless you shout “no butter” really quickly.) ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/5 "2005-01-12T13:12:52Z")
I would expect a black cup of coffee w/ cream available for me to put in (or sweetner for some of you to put in) near by and easially accessable. If those things are behind the counter then I expect a clarfication question from the coffee making person. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/6 "2005-01-12T13:47:56Z")
I expect a cup of hot black coffee to be brought back to my table, and the waitress should drop off a couple of creamers and sugar packets with it. There are a couple of places I go to where they’ll ask you right away “cream and sugar?” and bring it back already fixed, but those are rare. ---
**Author:** ![Iris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a5b964/32.png) [@Iris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iris)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/7 "2005-01-12T14:08:09Z")
This all depends on where I am. In the states, I would expect a cup of brewed, black coffee accompanied by a few creamers and sugar. In parts of Europe, especially Eastern Europe, I have asked for coffee and been given an espresso or tiny cup of black instant coffee. I like my coffee with milk or cream, so when traveling I’ll usually ask for a white coffee to be sure I get a decent size cup of coffee with milk in it or on the side. Usually this resembles a cappucino and that is more than fine with me. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/8 "2005-01-12T14:24:23Z")
In L.A., I expect a cup of black, brewed coffee. Cream and sugar are always offered, and in my case, always declined. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/9 "2005-01-12T14:30:34Z")
In New England, in the older coffee / doughnut shops like Dunkin’ Donuts, if you ask for a “regular coffee,” it will come with milk already added. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/10 "2005-01-12T14:43:15Z")
> [@Papermache Prince](#): > > In New England, in the older coffee / doughnut shops like Dunkin’ Donuts, if you ask for a “regular coffee,” it will come with milk already added. “regular coffee” is a bit different then orderig a cup of coffee. Using the word regular is dependant on the place and can get you a certain size, might be milk, maybe sugar, who knows but walk into any coffee shop and ask for a regular coffee, I’d say you get what you deserve. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/11 "2005-01-12T14:56:07Z")
If I order a cup of coffee and it’s not brought to me black, I’d be annoyed. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/12 "2005-01-12T14:59:06Z")
I expect black, with cream and sugar on the side. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Babbington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mr.Babbington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Babbington)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/13 "2005-01-12T15:42:22Z")
The breakdown when I grew up in New York and got coffee at the deli on my way to school: Black Coffee: Black Coffee Light Coffee: Coffee with cream Regular Coffee: Cream and two spoons of sugar Light and sweet: Cream and three sugars You could say extra light or extra sweet and get it lighter and sweeter. It was a good system. Now, though, with all the Starbucks and Caribous, they have the coffee condiments out on a counter so you can doctor your coffee yourself. That’s a good system too. I just wish good coffee was 55 cents again. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/14 "2005-01-12T16:00:16Z")
While we’re here, what does ‘regular’ mean to you all? Back in the early 80s, when McDonalds was gaining popularity here, it used to annoy everyone that ‘regular’ meant ‘the smallest size we sell’ Regular/Medium\ **Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/15 "2005-01-12T16:00:46Z") > [@Mangetout](#): > > Seriously, if I ask for ‘coffee’, I expect the unadulterated beverage. Ditto. And like **Jjimm** , I’ve lost count of the times I’ve asked for “black coffee”, only to be immediately asked “do you want milk with that?” Well, duuh. If I wanted milk with it, I’d have asked for a _white_ coffee. Surely the very words “black coffee” imply that I do not want milk in it? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/16 "2005-01-12T16:09:08Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > So, I ordered a large filter coffee to go; wandered back up to the ward with it, only to exclaim “They’ve put milk in my coffee!”. My wife enquired “didn’t you ask for it black?”, to which I expressed my opinion that coffee means coffee; ‘white coffee’ or ‘coffee with milk’ was the name for what I’d been given. Seriously, if I ask for ‘coffee’, I expect the unadulterated beverage. > > What about you? I’m totally with you, but I had to adjust my expectations when I came up here to live in NY, where it seems like everyone dumps milk in their coffee. In restaurants they don’t usually put stuff in my coffee (although they’ll always put a pitcher of milk on the table and usually don’t fill the cup all the way which is annoying) but if I get take-out coffee in styrofoam cup I have to specify not only that it’s black but that it’s black without sugar. If I order coffee I stand a good chance of getting coffee with milk and sugar in it; if I order black coffee they may ask “sugar?” or they might even just dump some in without asking. ::sigh:: So it’s “black no sugar” I have to ask for. [My grandpa]If I’d a-wanted chocolate milk I’d’ve ordered chocolate milk[/grandpa] ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/17 "2005-01-12T16:15:05Z")
If I’m in a coffee shop and ask for coffee, I would expect them to ask “Café filtre?” (ordinary coffee, not cappuccino or whatever). If I say yes, they’d ask what size and what blend (corsé, velouté, flavoured, whatever), and then I’d take it. Most people, however, rattle off their whole order right away (my drugs of choice are lattes and “café filtre moyen avec un shot de chocolat puis de menthe”). In a restaurant, I’d expect to be brought black coffee with milk on the side. In Tim Horton’s, they ask you what you’d like in your coffee (a “double-double” is two cream, two sugar), and they add it for you. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/18 "2005-01-12T16:38:57Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > While we’re here, what does ‘regular’ mean to you all? > > Back in the early 80s, when McDonalds was gaining popularity here, it used to annoy everyone that ‘regular’ meant ‘the smallest size we sell’ Regular/Medium\ > But now I find that some places are calling the _largest_ size ‘regular’ (I’m sure this is just a trick to get you to spend more by accident. > > What does ‘regular’ mean? ‘Regular’ is the lowest grade of unleaded gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/19 "2005-01-12T16:45:19Z")
> [@Fat Bald Guy](#): > > ‘Regular’ is the lowest grade of unleaded gasoline. Except back in the 70’s, when you could get “regular” **or** “unleaded.” ---
**Author:** ![Rock\_n\_Roach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Rock\_n\_Roach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock_n_Roach)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373/20 "2005-01-12T16:46:39Z")
_[If you just ask for ‘coffee’ in a restaurant/bar, what do you expect to be given?]_ Some very strange looks from my friends - I don’t drink the stuff. But if I did, I’d expect just that - black coffee [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-just-ask-for-coffee-in-a-restaurant-bar-what-do-you-expect-to-be-given/284373.md?page=2)