What do you call someone who works at a coffee shop!

[Maria311]

But doesn't wait on you. They take your order at the counter and serve your drinks at the counter.
I don't mean what I should say when I want to address them. I mean, if I were for instance talking about an incident that happened at a coffee shop how should I refer to the person who works there by occupation?
I thought of server but since server already has a more general meaning I don't know if it's the best word to use here.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Barista" is used nowadays. Starbucks brought the word over from the Italian, like they call a large a "grande" and a small a "venti" (20 ounces).

 

[Maria311]

"Barista" is used nowadays. Starbucks brought the word over from the Italian, like they call a large a "grande" and a small a "venti" (20 ounces).

But that's too unfamiliar of a word for me to use, people wouldn't know what I'm talking about. Do you have another word that's more commonly used to refer to people who work at coffee shops?

 

[SoothingDave]

That is the specific word used in AmE now. There is no other specific word that refers only to people who work the counter in a coffee shop. You would have to say "coffee shop employee" or something similar.

 

[emsr2d2]

I believe that in order to call yourself a barista, you are supposed to undergo training in the "art" of coffee-making, including knowing all about the different beans, how they are harvested, dried, roasted, stored etc. I know two people here in the UK who are currently training to be baristas and it is very hard work! There is no single-word description of a coffee shop worker.

 

[Maria311]

I believe that in order to call yourself a barista, you are supposed to undergo training in the "art" of coffee-making, including knowing all about the different beans, how they are harvested, dried, roasted, stored etc. I know two people here in the UK who are currently training to be baristas and it is very hard work! There is no single-word description of a coffee shop worker.

So which makes more sense in a sentence,
"the worker told me to try their new summer latte."
"the server told me to try their new summer latte."
Which one would you choose? If it were a casual conversation?
Sorry if I'm making this more complicated than it should be.

 

[billmcd]

I believe that in order to call yourself a barista, you are supposed to undergo training in the "art" of coffee-making, including knowing all about the different beans, how they are harvested, dried, roasted, stored etc. I know two people here in the UK who are currently training to be baristas and it is very hard work! There is no single-word description of a coffee shop worker.

Yes. I think one would seldom (I'm being generous) hear a Dunkin' Donuts coffee server referred to as a "barista".

 

[SoothingDave]

Yes. I think one would seldom (I'm being generous) hear a Dunkin' Donuts coffee server referred to as a "barista".

Then again, I doubt everyone behind the counter at Starbucks has passed some extensive professional licensing exam either.

 

[Rover_KE]

But that's too unfamiliar of a word for me to use; people wouldn't know what I'm talking about.

I can only see the word becoming more and more commonly used. You could be the first to introduce it to Bahrain.

You could point to its definition in plenty of dictionaries (click here).

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

So which makes more sense in a sentence:

"The worker told me to try their new summer latte" or "The server told me to try their new summer latte"?

Which one would you choose (no question mark) if it were a casual conversation?
Sorry if I'm making this more complicated than it should be.

I would just say "The guy at the coffee shop suggested I try their new summer latté".