Coffee ordering is a ritual. The line behind you is getting longer as you approach the counter, and you speak without giving it much thought. Almost the same words from yesterday. The majority of people have been using their default order for years. Furthermore, an increasing amount of psychological research suggests that this default may be subtly expressing something about their identity.
Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist in California, polled about 1,000 people as part of her larger study on personality and dietary preferences. Even though the results were somewhat unfavorable, her research on coffee in particular gained popularity because many people felt that it was intuitively correct.
Black coffee drinkers were perceived as effective and straightforward, but they were also, somewhat amusingly, occasionally moody. There is a physiological explanation for the moodiness: according to a Northwestern University study, some people metabolize caffeine more quickly, which means they require more of it and experience a stronger drop when it fades. These same individuals typically favor black, unsweetened coffee. Therefore, it appears that the grumpiness may simply be biology catching up with the morning rather than a personality flaw.
Those who drank lattes and cappuccinos fell into the warmer end of the spectrum. According to Durvasula’s survey, they are socially conscious, giving, and people-pleasers—the type of person who remembers how others drink coffee even when no one asks them to. That’s a nice portrait, but there’s a silent disclaimer. Overextending oneself can result from the inclination to accommodate others. The same warmth that makes someone a considerate friend might also make it more difficult for them to say no.
Iced coffee has its own connotations. Regular iced coffee drinkers, according to Durvasula, are bold and creative, with a spontaneous streak that occasionally veers into impulsivity. Regardless of the weather, ordering a cold drink all year round conveys a preference that transcends social norms. Depending on who you ask, that may or may not be admirable.
Espresso drinkers are typically productive and goal-oriented; they prefer the caffeine without the ritual. Cappuccino enthusiasts tend to be imaginative and inquisitive. Perhaps unfairly stereotyped, decaf drinkers actually come across as the most deliberate of the group: composed, considerate, and choosing their relationship with caffeine rather than letting it choose them.
Mochas and flavored lattes occupy distinct psychological spaces. These orders blur the distinction between experience and beverage. Research has shown that sweeter tastes are associated with gregariousness and outgoingness, which fits the description of someone who views a caramel macchiato as more than just fuel. These drinkers seem to be ordering a mood rather than just coffee.
Notably, none of this is airtight. Seasons, emotions, stages of life, and the amount of sleep you had the previous night all affect your coffee preferences. After changing their lifestyle, someone who has been drinking black coffee for ten years might switch to oat milk lattes without experiencing any identity crises. Instead of capturing destinies, the research captures tendencies.
Even so, it’s difficult to ignore how frequently the stereotypes are accurate. If you ask around a busy office, the person who is most likely to have a cold brew order committed to memory is probably not the same person who is stealthily heating their instant coffee in the microwave in the break room. These two people may actually have different perspectives on the world. Although the cup doesn’t create the person, it does appear to reflect them somewhat.
Whether on purpose or not, one of the more obvious ways people express their identities is through coffee culture. It’s simple to write off the question of what your coffee order reveals about your personality as unimportant. However, food psychologists and researchers keep coming back to it, indicating that the little, recurring decisions that subtly shape a day-to-day existence are worth investigating.
