It Is A Misto-ry

(I stop in my favorite coffee shop for an afternoon snack. There are two people working, and no customers in line; it’s very quiet. I hold the door for a woman in her 60s who’s leaving as I enter. While I’m waiting for my coffee, she comes back.)

Customer: “Excuse me. Is this a latte?”

Worker #1: *who made her order* “No, that’s a misto.”

Customer: “I wanted a latte.”

Worker #2: *who took her order, comes over* “You’d asked for steamed milk and regular coffee, which is a misto.”

Customer: “No, I asked for a latte with regular coffee. I can’t have espresso.”

Worker #1: “A misto is just steamed milk with regular coffee.”

Customer: “I wanted a latte.”

Worker #2: “A latte is espresso with steamed milk; you asked for regular coffee with steamed milk, which is a misto.”

Customer: “No, I asked for a latte. I wanted a latte with regular coffee.”

Worker #1: “A latte has espresso. A misto is the same thing but with regular coffee, instead; it’s just a different name.”

Customer: “I wanted a latte with regular coffee instead of espresso. Can you remake this?”

Worker #1: *slight pause* “Of course.”

Customer: “Steamed milk, regular coffee. A latte with regular coffee. And it needs to be decaf! I can’t have espresso.”

(I assume she made the exact same drink again. I go to leave, trying not to laugh.)

Customer: “I guess there always has to be one difficult customer, doesn’t there?”