I know this is a joke but if you ask for black coffee or unsweet tea, you will get what you are expecting in most cases. They may ask as a courtesy if you want sweeteners or creamers with that because many people wish to sweeten their drinks themselves as they may prefer artificial sweeteners or wish to control their dairy or sugar intake for dietary reasons.
Unless you’re in the south you mostly don’t have to specify unsweet for the tea (unless it’s something that sometimes but not always comes with things mixed in like chai). Coffee should be that as well in theory but so many people drink it in different ways that if you just order a coffee or espresso or whatever you’ll get asked if you want it black (and dont get me started on restaurants asking if i want my martini w vodka ir gin). Chains have (or had, it’s been awhile for me) their own lingo as well, like at dunkin a “large regular” meant 2 creams and a sugar (or maybe 3 and 2, I can’t remember)
I always used to get “should we leave room at the top for cream or sugar?” It makes sense since at that spot the cream and sugar are off to the side to be added by the customer. And black coffee was used to differentiate from the various flavored or specialty jawns.
But it always made me giggle that the simplest order in coffee needed clarification.
Me : I’d like a black coffee please
USA : And how much whipped cream and sugar would you like with that?
I know this is a joke but if you ask for black coffee or unsweet tea, you will get what you are expecting in most cases. They may ask as a courtesy if you want sweeteners or creamers with that because many people wish to sweeten their drinks themselves as they may prefer artificial sweeteners or wish to control their dairy or sugar intake for dietary reasons.
Unless you’re in the south you mostly don’t have to specify unsweet for the tea (unless it’s something that sometimes but not always comes with things mixed in like chai). Coffee should be that as well in theory but so many people drink it in different ways that if you just order a coffee or espresso or whatever you’ll get asked if you want it black (and dont get me started on restaurants asking if i want my martini w vodka ir gin). Chains have (or had, it’s been awhile for me) their own lingo as well, like at dunkin a “large regular” meant 2 creams and a sugar (or maybe 3 and 2, I can’t remember)
When they reach for the 16oz paper cup after i order a cortado…
I always used to get “should we leave room at the top for cream or sugar?” It makes sense since at that spot the cream and sugar are off to the side to be added by the customer. And black coffee was used to differentiate from the various flavored or specialty jawns.
But it always made me giggle that the simplest order in coffee needed clarification.
I’m a native English speaker and had never seen this one before. Apparently only used in eastern Pennsylvania
lol eastern pennsylvania. Its from philly.