Not all regulars are created equal. 

If there’s one thing I have learned going from a coffee shop supporter to being behind the bar, it’s that customers can either make or break your shift. 

There are some regulars that I look forward to seeing so much that I get worried or disappointed when a shift goes by and they don’t stop in. Some that I consider calling welfare checks for when they don’t come by and order their hot mocha with whole milk and whipped cream at 10:00 AM. Some that I see more as friends than customers.

That being said, simply supporting a coffee shop on a regular basis is not enough to gain the title of being a good regular. There are a lot of other factors that come into play, and since my last blog post was about what makes somewhere a good coffee shop, I figured I should also publish a guide about what makes a good regular customer.

As a barista, some of the things that separate regulars and good regulars are:

• Having a cheery attitude (at least pretending that you are excited to see me)
• Making polite small talk (asking about the weather or how my shift has been going is so much better than standing there in awkward silence)
• Not assuming that the barista already knows your order unless they insinuate already knowing what you want (you know what they say about assuming) 
• Actually learning your barista’s name (if I know yours, the least you could do is ask me for mine)
• Not making a big deal about whether you tip or not (I won’t notice you didn’t leave a tip unless you tell me, and then I am judging you)
• Not rushing your order (if you’re too busy to let your barista do their work in the normal time it takes, you’re too busy to stop for coffee at all)
• Saying hello even if you’re not stopping for coffee (you don’t have to buy a drink to acknowledge that we know one another)

I love my job, and I especially love getting to meet new people and make new connections. I am a people person, and I love getting to know people I would never have met outside of work. Whether you’re old enough to be my grandpa or a young adult who stops for coffee before going to work, having the right attitude puts you on my list of favorite regulars. From simple black coffees to complicated frozen drinks, how I feel about making a regular’s drink truly just depends on how they treat me. 

That may seem simple, but in a world full of negativity, all it takes is kindness to be a good regular. Is that so much to ask?