This Coffee Drink Should Be Avoided When A Restaurant Is Busy

A coffee run is an essential ritual for many of us. But if your local cafe is experiencing the dreaded morning rush, there's one brew you should always avoid ordering: the pour-over. To find out why this brewing method is best saved for a quieter moment, Food Republic spoke with Dave Lanning, founder of Dave's Coffee in Rhode Island.

The pour-over is a slow, hands-on coffee ritual where a precise ratio of hot water meets freshly ground beans in a filter. Don't get us wrong — it's an excellent way to brew coffee and creates a clean, fresh cup that has an artisanal quality to it. But unlike quick brewing methods like an espresso or cappuccino, a pour-over takes lots of time. "A pour-over requires someone to stand there for three to four minutes, doing nothing else," Lanning explained. That's usually fine, and most baristas are more than happy to make a pour-over, but during a rush, every second counts, and all hands are needed on deck. When that happens, the drink simply doesn't get the attention it deserves. "The quality suffers when it's rushed, and you're not getting what you paid for," he added.

According to Lanning, if you're set on ordering a slow-brewed coffee like a pour-over or French press during a rush but want guaranteed freshness, you've got limited options. Although if you want something the cafe doesn't have on hand, like decaf, there's one potential solution: "Ask for a decaf Americano rather than a batch-brewed decaf," he advised. "Most cafés don't sell enough decaf drip to keep it fresh, but an Americano is made to order, and you'll definitely taste the difference." Our advice? Unless you want a quick caffeine fix, steer clear of coffee shops during the morning and lunchtime rush. 

The complexity of the drink, the equipment required, and the prep time all make the pour-over a poor choice of drink during a rush, Dave Lanning explained. Simple mistakes, which become much easier to make during a chaotic rush, such as pouring too quickly, using the wrong water temperature, and forgetting to pre-wet the filter (to name just a few!), can all affect the quality of the brew. The result of a bad coffee is the true enemy of any slammed cafe — the remake. "One remade drink can back up an entire line and ruin the customer's experience," Lanning told us. During a rush, baristas rely on rhythm to keep a smooth flow of things. A single remade drink can break that momentum entirely, throwing off the flow and slowing everything down — not just your order, but everyone else's too.  

Requesting add-ins to your pour-over, such as alternative milks, specific syrups, or extra hot foam, can also significantly slow things down because "they increase the chances of mistakes," Lanning added. "The more modifications to a drink, the more opportunities there are for something to get lost in translation, especially during a rush when the person taking your order isn't [necessarily] the one making it." There are many factors that affect how a barista handles your order during a rush; noise behind the bar, stress, and things happening all at once create the perfect recipe for human error. For the best chance at a high-quality pour-over during a rush, "Keep it simple if possible, be clear, and confirm what you ordered," Lanning advised.