Coffee Preferences During the Day
Serving as a barista is a great way to observe people and their collective behavior. If you spend enough time behind the bar wall brewing coffees and steaming milk, you start to notice patterns—particularly how coffee preferences shift throughout the day. Observing the most popular coffee orders by time of day and the consumption trends of my beloved customers became one of my favorite things to do.
What do they drink? When do they drink?
Of course, these observations can vary from country to country, even city to city. My reflections are based solely on daily coffee trends in Toronto.
One thing that especially caught my attention was the timeline of coffee orders at a café. In the morning, people typically ordered an espresso—or, if they wanted a slight twist, a cortado would show up on my order list. These drinks provided the espresso morning boost many people crave at daybreak. Personally, I prefer a sweet treat to wake me up. But others seemed to enjoy that sour kick to the taste buds—maybe even that racing heartbeat from caffeine that makes you feel alive... almost like you’re on the verge of a heart attack (in the best way!).
In the afternoon, lattes took over—mostly regular ones, though occasionally with vanilla syrup or as a mocha. You see, dear reader, customers tended to shift toward sweeter, lighter drinks for their mid-day ritual. A cappuccino might slip in here and there, but it never rivaled the latte in popularity. Americanos also made a strong showing—especially for those having a tough day. A slap of caffeine can feel like your soul snapping back into your body.
Come evening, calming down became essential, thanks to the day’s high caffeine intake. Decaf orders would skyrocket. Confession: I never liked brewing decaf. For one, the ground beans are smoother and softer, making them harder to compress compared to regular grounds. On top of that, achieving latte art with decaf milk is nearly impossible—it just doesn’t have the same creamy consistency.
Keep in mind, these were just the most popular orders I observed. I don’t think readers should limit themselves to these options. I’ve always loved personalized coffee orders—they offer a tiny glimpse into the lives of strangers.
Five pumps of vanilla syrup? You definitely have a sweet tooth.
A dash of cinnamon? You’re probably the type who’s open to trying things others wouldn’t even consider.
So tell me—what are your favorite coffee orders?
