Posted by TikTok user @the_hip_barista on September 11, the video has since received more than 100,000 views as he said employees might face a problem if they fulfill the order.
According to the research firm Mintel, “menu hacking” allows customers to customize their own orders, but the practice has gained popularity due to social media.
“It is becoming more common for influencers to encourage consumers to be more adventurous in their away-from-home dining experiences,” the organization said.
TikTok user @the_hip_barista stitched his own video with another that provided insight into how a customer can get a pumpkin spice latte for a lower price using an ordering hack.
@the_hip_barista explained that different drink sizes call for different milk measurements. However, if a customer orders a “splash” of milk, as the hack in the stitched video called for, the drink’s cup should not be filled to the top.
“When we see stickers like this, we know customers are doing a ‘hack’ and want the cup filled up,” @the_hip_barista said. “So, we fill it up.”
He said managers may tell employees that there is product is being wasted. On the other hand, if a barista does not fill the cup, a customer may complain, resulting in a manager directing the employee to ‘make the moment right’ by filling the cup.
“Stop with the hacks,” @the_hip_barista said. “Stop making minimum wage workers do circles for you. Just get a pumpkin spice latte.”
Many viewers flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts, many of whom voiced their appreciation for the video.
“If you want it cheaper just make it yourself,” a viewer wrote. “A cheap espresso machine can be like $40.”
“This!! It’s not like baristas give two sts [about] the quantity of milk BUT they do give two sts about being yelled at,” another viewer commented.
One viewer said customers should order with the desired syrups and espresso shots before adding their own milk.
“Then we don’t have to make baristas suffer,” they said.
“Was waiting for someone to say this as eloquently as you did,” one viewer said.
A TikTok user who said they work as a barista said they do not fill the cup when they fill an order that used a hack.
“I do what is read on the sticker…or I overfill it with ice so it’s watered down,” they commented.
Newsweek reached out to @the_hip_barista for further comment.
Other employees working in the food service industry have taken to TikTok to discuss orders they’ve received from customers.
One barista read a customer’s order that called for various syrups, powders and shots in a viral video.
Another barista said in a video that a customer’s order of 20 express shots with five pumps of classic syrup leads to a $22.57 bill.
A McDonald’s drive-thru employee shared a video in which she said a customer ordered a cheeseburger with no cheese but insisted she was not simply ordering a hamburger.
