I’m a Former Starbucks Barista: These Are the Signs You’re About to Have a Bad Cup of Coffee

He spills the beans.

Getting a good cup of coffee can be a daunting task, but a former Starbucks barista says there are clear signs you’re about to get a subpar cup of Joe.

Dylan Clair, who worked at one of the coffee giant’s franchises for more than a year, says there are several ways customers can anticipate impending caffeine-related doom.

The ex-employee revealed the red flags in an interview with Business Insider, with his advice sure to help coffee lovers now shell out more than $8 for a brew.

“Sometimes the signs flash in front of your face and you can adjust your expectations or get out before you waste your time and money,” Clair said.

Below are the barista’s telltale signs. Thank him later.

Frantic baristas

If a barista seems frantic to you, that’s not a good sign.

“Food service isn’t for everyone,” Clair says. “It can be physically, mentally and emotionally demanding work.”

That said, even those who thrive in the restaurant business can have off days. If the person making your coffee seems overwhelmed, distracted, or visibly panicked, your coffee is more likely to be burnt or completely in the wrong order.

Employees are “not in their place”

If a barista cleans, restocks, or performs other secondary tasks rather than being behind the counter, they could be “out of place.”

These menial tasks are normal for baristas during the quieter hours, but if there is a rush with a huge queue, all hands should be on deck.

“If you’ve ever had to take over (and blame) a co-worker, I’m sure you can guess how this story ends,” Clair wrote, saying these workers may not be equipped to brew decent beer .

Not using the right language

As many people already know, Starbucks has its own language.

Some baristas can usually understand what a customer means, especially those who have been there for a long time. However, if they seem confused or ask questions to clarify what you want, they may be a newbie who is not a pro behind the coffee machine.

Noisy steam lances

When ordering a drink with cow’s milk, beware of noisy steam wands.

“If I walk into a coffee shop and hear a loud scream coming from the espresso machine, I know immediately not to order anything with frothed or steamed milk,” Clair warned.

Starbucks tends to make steaming milk for lattes and cappuccinos easier for baristas than other coffee shops with automated machines and built-in thermometers, but the technology isn’t always perfect.

Screaming steam occurs when non-dairy milk is used, but it is also an indicator that the barista brewing the coffee did not sufficiently aerate the milk before putting the steam wand into the pitcher of milk.

If it’s not aerated enough, it can scorch the milk, which doesn’t exactly make for a delicious latte or cappuccino.

Clair explained that the “proper” sound for cow’s milk should be “like tearing paper for one to eight seconds (depending on the drink), then a slight bubbling until the steam goes out.”

Filter coffee in the afternoon

“The coffee made by Starbucks is bad. There, I said it,” Clair confessed.

When it comes to brewed coffee, timing is what matters most. Many Starbucks locations stop brewing more than one kind of coffee before noon, because most of their traffic occurs before 10 a.m.

Pike Place’s medium roast is brewed all day, and blond, dark, decaf and special roasts are brewed only as needed in the afternoon, Clair explained.

Drip coffee is supposed to be emptied and refreshed every 30 minutes, but as a former barista, Clair can share that that’s not always the case.

So if you want a cup of brewed coffee in the afternoon, Clair advises asking the barista to pour an individual cup to ensure a fresh cup.

Cold foam or shaken espresso on mobile order

Clair recommends against having a drink with cold foam or a shaken espresso if you want to order on mobile.

Timing is also important for cold foam and shaken espressos, and the “biggest mistake you can make” is ordering it too early.

The longer drinks sit undisturbed, the more foam will melt or seep into the drink – which might taste good, but the texture will be lost.

With shaken espressos, shaking adds air to the drink and gives it volume and flavor, so letting it sit means the espresso loses all of the shaken flavor.

Rude customers

Even if you haven’t had your coffee yet, being kind to your barista rather than grumpy can go a long way.

Clair said a barista wouldn’t make a bad drink on purpose, but would definitely put more thought into drinks aimed at kind customers, especially regulars or those who politely ask for help.

You can always ask the barista to re-make your drink if you don’t like it – it’s Starbucks policy after all – but don’t be rude when doing so.

Starbucks even confirmed this policy to Business Insider with a statement.

“Since our beginnings, Starbucks has been the leader in coffee quality and coffee shop experience,” they wrote. “As part of the Starbucks experience, we are committed to providing the highest quality beverages and take great care to ensure that each of our customers’ drinks is expertly prepared to their liking. If a customer is unhappy with their craft beverage, our baristas will happily re-make the drink and make it a good time for the customer.