Why do New Yorkers prefer their coffee prepared for them (cream, sugar, etc.) rather than self-serve (which is the norm virtually everywhere else)? What’s the jargon for ordering?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “what is light and sweet coffee“
In NYC when your order a “regular coffee” that means cream and sugar. At 18 we moved to Los Angeles and I ordered a regular coffee and got a cup of plain black coffee. I was like WTF. Where is the cream and sugar!? NY’ers have the right culture for speed ordering and efficiency.
Have you ever waited a few minutes for the people in coffee stores to put in their sugar or sweet and low, then select from non-fat, low fat or 1/2 & 1/2. And hog up the small space on those condiment islands. Worse try it in L.A. when they’re also texting on their freakin cell phone at the same time.
I prefer just to say, one regular coffee to go!
It’s faster, and New Yorkers like speed, especially when you’re getting your coffee from a vendor on the street or in a deli. Within coffee shops, especially higher-end ones, New Yorkers tend to prepare their own coffee just like everywhere else.
I would like to suggest that it comes from the time New York was still a Dutch city – since in Holland, people only drink coffee with cream and sugar!
We don’t. It’s just that many of you, when hitting the city, order your frickin coffee wrong. You just have to know the lingo in order to get what you want. When you are on line (not in line, and not on the internet), remember these terms:
http://queens.about.com/od/eatingout/a/How-To-Order-Coffee-Like-A-New-Yorker.htm
Regular Coffee or just “Coffee” – Coffee with lots of milk and sugar. Yo! This is where the new fish drop the ball and make us out like we’re punks. Sort of like when you order tea in the south, you are getting sweet tea. Don’t expect us to read your friggin mind. This is our house. Respect da queens rules. Especially if you are in Queens.
Milk and sugar – Say regulah instead. A very rare bodega will screw this up. If they do, and you have to say this, you call em a son of a b and walk out. They should have to carry some shame for that.
Venti Mochachino – Do I look like Baskin Robbins to you? Put down your iphone and read the sign, ironic t-shirt wearing gumba.
Dark – A little milk. No sugar. Boom. We good?
Lite or “light” – A LOT of milk. More than a regular. No sweet stuff though.
Extra-lite or “extra-light” – More milk than a lite. Just buy a jug of milk and have them poor a little coffee in it already. Fuggedaboutit. You can put your own sugar in.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves – Cream and 7 sugars. Yo Marco , your friend, Larry, I like him. He’s short, but he’s got moxie.
Lite n’ Sweet – Lots of sugar, lots of milk. Think of regular as the Mets. Think of this as the Yankees. Twice as much of everything. Maybe a little gaudy, if you ask me.
No sugar – Regular, hold the sugar. Simple math, am I right, or am I right?
Black – What, you think you are fancy? My milk not good enough for you? You want nothin in it? Fine, order this. I won’t judge. Doesn’t matter to me. But I might be totally adding sugar if you don’t say-
Black – No Sugar – It’s a risk. You are taking your chances if you just say black. Don’t mix words, give it to me straight. You won’t hurt my feelings, sweetheart. Sorry, no disrespect, sir. Just sayin. My buddy, J.C. , he doesn’t pull punches, he’s all, badda bing, Black No Sugar, I’m all baddaboom, you got it. Just keep the line movin.
Tall half-skinny half-1 percent extra hot split quad shot latte with whip – You come into my house?! You disrespect me in front of my family with this? This isn’t some hipster aquarium. Do you see a green mermaid in here you son of a – Go GET YOUR FRIGGIN SHINEBOX!
NEXT! What is the origin of the Greek cups from which New Yorkers drink coffee?
I’ve noticed, it’s not just NYC, it’s a New England thing, too. I’ve seen it up in Connecticut. Best answer I have is, to concur with all the others . . . expediency. It works like a dandy at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru.
Haven’t tried it at a Krispy Kreme down here – this is Krispy Kreme country. But in New England, it’s like a law: there’s gotta be a Dunkin’ Donuts on every block. That’s DD’s turf . . .
Because time is money, and in New York, everyone has money — but no time.
Because it’s fast, but I don’t think anyone does it anymore since there’s actually good coffee in NYC now.
I didn’t know that we did, actually. I would rather a barista hand me a 3/4-filled cup of black and let me take care of the rest. I get served quickly and so does the person behind me in line.
If you are going to Blame someone for Doing it WRONG then you had better blame them for taste and not the Commercial vendor that supplies the coffee!! it is better in business-candor and personally rewarding when you get another hot cup of Coffee thrown at you!! ( better than telling the ) Owner that his Wifes cooking is not what it is supposed to be or maybe they had to spend the night on the Couch ( accounting reciepts again , ehem!, ) …and that funny dream of eating marshmallows again kept coming into the light when He woke up he had realized that he had consumed half of his Pillow !!
( a new excuse ; and definition to SMORE and happy camping … )
Mordecai it is a pleasure to be able to SEE you!
When I’m paying five bucks for a coffee, the person pouring can put in the milk and sugar. I usually just ask for light beige and no cal sweet.
Eight O’Clock
Why would I want to do work that I’m paying to have done for me? This is why I prefer Dunkin Donuts to Starbucks. I’m not obsessive about the exact number of grains of sugar in my coffee, so why not just make it for me?
Victor Allen’s
Because it’s easier and it’s really cheap compare to other countries. I think that soon there will be a service that brings you your coffee straight to doorstep.
When I buy a coffee from a cart, I don’t want to take the lid off, pour the sugar in stir it up, etc. I just want to drink my coffee quickly.
It isn’t just an NYC thing. It’s everywhere in Canada except in Starbucks. You order black, double double, (2 creams 2 sugars), single single (1cream 1 sugar), triple triple, double single, single double etc