Lesson 4 of 6 · Doing it right

Ice and sugar the way the guest wants

Six options, asked in one fixed order

Guests can choose the milk base, sugar level, ice level, ice on the side, hot, and topping. This is the part that goes wrong most easily at peak hours. The store has fixed one order for asking, writing and making, and the whole store uses it.

Six options in the order you ask

• Milk base: only ask for floral milk tea. "Would you like Sữa Bột, rich and creamy, or Sữa Nước, light and clean?" (Sữa Bột is the creamer, Sữa Nước is the milk.) Signature drinks default to Sữa Nước, no need to ask.
• Sugar level: default 100%. "Regular sweet or less sweet?" Less sweet is 50%. If the guest wants it lighter, 25%. Dưỡng Khí (Vital Energy) and Dưỡng Phế (Clear Breath) have no sugar.
• Ice level: default 100%. "Normal ice or less ice?"
• Ice on the side: ask guests who are travelling far. "Shall I put the ice on the side so it does not go watery?"
• Hot: only ask when the guest brings it up or the weather is cold and rainy. Only for drinks that have a Hot version.
• Topping: suggest at most once.

Two kinds of no ice

• No ice, free of charge: pour the tea and keep the natural liquid level. No added ice, no added water.
• The guest wants the cup filled up: make it by the No-Ice recipe on the chart. There is a surcharge by store rules, the amount is announced by the manager.

Ice on the side, done right

• Tea made by the No-Ice recipe.
• Ice goes into a separate cup with a lid.
• Do not put ice into a hot paper cup.

Clean ice

• Only use ice from the store's supplier, one type of tube ice. Do not buy ice elsewhere when it runs out.
• The ice scoop has a long handle and hangs outside the ice bin. Do not scoop ice with a cup, your hand or the shaker.
• Ice that falls on the floor or touches a hand: throw it away. The ice bin lid stays closed.

Common mistakes

• Working from memory instead of rereading the label.
• Ice on the side but still making the recipe with ice, or still putting ice in the cup.
• Pumping sugar by feel when the machine is busy.
• Making the drink while unsure of the ice level or sugar level. A mistake costs a whole cup. Ask again first.

Take this with you. Ice on the side is two jobs: make it differently and keep the ice apart. When unsure, ask again.