Trying to order a simple coffee in Shanghai turned into a 20 minute ordeal

I was at a cafe near People's Square yesterday, and the cashier just stared at me when I asked for a black coffee. My Mandarin is okay, but she kept repeating 'mei you' (don't have) and pointing at a menu full of sweet milk drinks. I finally had to pull out my phone, use a translation app to show '美式咖啡', and she nodded like it was a brand new idea. Has anyone else hit a wall with simple requests here?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy_davis1d ago

Oh my gosh, yes! That exact thing happens all the time. I swear some cafes only train their staff on the fancy menu items. It's like black coffee is a secret code they don't know. I've started just pointing at the espresso machine and making a pouring motion. It shouldn't be that hard, but sometimes you just have to get creative!

terry_butler1d ago

Get used to carrying a photo on your phone. I have a picture of a plain black coffee I took at a different cafe. I just show it to them now. Works better than any translation app. Some places act like you're asking for moon rocks when you skip the sugar. Had one barista try to convince me an americano was a totally different drink.