Beverage quality is a priority for any specialty coffee shop. Whether customers stay in to enjoy their drinks or take them to go, baristas should strive to serve excellent coffee every time.

But beyond the great care put into making coffee and providing stellar service, once a customer leaves a café, staff have much less control over the overall beverage experience. In some cases – particularly with hot drinks such as filter coffee – this also extends to customer health and safety. 

With specialty coffee’s interest in beverage safety growing in recent years, it has become even more important to implement proper procedures to minimise the risk of injury and illness, including for takeaway drinks.

To find out more, I spoke to Alexandra Burns, business development and marketing director at StixToGo.

You may also like our article on why the coffee industry needs to take cold brew safety seriously. 

Why baristas should prioritise takeaway coffee quality

Takeaway drinks have always been vital to coffee shops. Throughout the pandemic, however, takeaway services became even more essential.

At the height of lockdown, businesses around the world were forced to temporarily close their doors. A study from World Coffee Portal revealed around 92% of UK coffee shops had to cease operations in early 2020 – with similar situations in most other countries.

As Covid-19 restrictions continued, many cafés and roasters shifted to pickup and delivery services. The 2020 Square x Specialty Coffee Association report showed there was a staggering 5,000% increase in curbside pickup sales in the first half of the year in the US as coffee shops found new ways to adapt to government-imposed social distancing measures.

In the years since the pandemic, most restrictions have been lifted in many countries, so roasters and coffee shops have been able to resume regular operations. But the ongoing effects can still be felt – particularly when it comes to takeaway coffee.

In its 2021 National Coffee Data Trends report, the National Coffee Association found a 30% increase in both drive-thru and app-based ordering in the US as social distancing measures began to wane. Fast forward to its latest 2024 NCDT report and 35% of past-day US consumers had purchased coffee outside of the home. This indicates continuous strong sales of to-go drinks.

Takeaway services will remain a staple of the coffee industry, especially with more and more consumers prioritising convenience and speed of service. Considering this, baristas must maintain high standards for takeaway coffees to ensure they match the quality of in-house drinks – providing consistency across the board.

Takeaway drink safety is vital

Just like all foodservice businesses, health and safety measures are an important part of any coffee shop. Baristas serve certain drinks – particularly espresso, batch brew, and pour over – at temperatures ranging between 82°C and 85°C (179°F and 185°F), which can pose a safety risk if not handled correctly.

According to the American Burn Association, cooking, drinking, and serving hot liquids like coffee accounts for 85% to 90% of scald burns in the US. Moreover, exposure to liquid as hot as 60°C (140°F) for as little as three seconds can lead to severe burns that may even require surgery.

While it’s certainly a rare case, the 1994 McDonald’s coffee lawsuit highlights the severity of hot takeaway coffee spills. After customer Stella Liebeck spilled coffee on her lap (which was around 88°C or 190°F), she received third-degree burns and required extensive surgery. This landmark case led the fast food chain to include clearer caution labels on its coffee cups to minimise the risk of injury from hot liquids.

The risk of injury is higher with takeaway coffee

Alexandra Burns is the business development and marketing director at StixToGo – a manufacturer of spill-proof solutions for beverage industries, including coffee shops. She tells me that despite the risk of drink spillage whether customers decide to stay in or take away, the chances increase with to-go beverages.

“Many customers are constantly on the go and need to have takeaway options from coffee shops,” she says. “One of the biggest issues that customers deal with while travelling with hot beverages is an increased risk of spills and injuries.”

Although many coffee spills don’t cause injury, they are still fairly common – especially when walking with a cup of coffee. Researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara found that the movement of liquid inside a mug or takeaway cup matches our walking pattern (or gait), which ultimately increases the likelihood of spilling your coffee.

So how can coffee shops keep takeaway drinks safe?

Baristas do all they can to prevent them, but spills, slip-ups, and accidents will occur from time to time. In turn, it’s essential that coffee shops implement proper health and safety practices to minimise the risk of injury to both staff and customers.

There are a number of measures that can improve takeaway beverage health and safety, including:

• Securely attaching lids to takeaway cups to massively reduce the risk of spills
  • To avoid cross contamination, baristas should attach lids without touching the holes
• Offering cup sleeves which allow customers to comfortably hold hot coffee beverages
• Placing cups on counters for customers to pick up rather than handing them over
• Providing trays for customers to carry multiple drinks at one time

In addition to these practices, drink stoppers and stir sticks like StixToGo can minimise the chances of spills and injuries even further for both hot and cold takeaway drinks.

Alexandra also highlights that drink stoppers and stir sticks can maintain beverage temperature for longer periods of time.

“Our products can decrease heat loss by as much as 40%,” she tells me. “This gives customers more time to enjoy their hot beverages.

“Coffee shops can also customise coffee stoppers with their brand logo and design of their choice, as well as their preferred material,” she adds, highlighting how to-go products can be an effective marketing tool.

Why coffee temperature is so important

According to a study that analysed the impact of serving temperature on flavour perception of Caturra filter coffee, temperature plays a crucial role in how we experience flavour, which also changes as beverages cool down.

Most flavour perception starts to take place around 76°C (168°F). We tend to detect higher levels of aroma at temperatures between 60°C and 70°C (140°F and 158°F), and bitterness is also particularly prominent at this temperature range. Sweetness in coffee is heightened around 44°C (111°F), while acidity can be perceived best at lower temperatures such as 25°C (77°F).

The Specialty Coffee Association recommends serving drinks between 50°C and 70°C (122°F and 158°F) to experience the full range of flavour and aroma. And given that the average price of a pour over can be around US $7, it’s vital that customers receive their drink at the right temperature to enjoy their coffee as much as possible.

Reducing single-use plastic waste

Following the rollout of single-use plastic bans in many countries, coffee shops have made concerted efforts to reduce and eliminate the number of single-use items offered to customers.

When it comes to takeaway coffee, minimising waste is especially important. In line with this, Alexandra explains that more and more to-go products and accessories can be reused, recycled, or composted.

“For instance, StixToGo’s Bamboo Stix are biodegradable, compostable, reusable, and recyclable as they are made from 100% bamboo,” she says.

Alexandra adds that drink stoppers are also available in different sizes, with some able to be used as stirrers to further reduce coffee shop waste.

On top of ensuring consistent beverage quality, implementing proper takeaway safety measures should be a priority for coffee shops. Baristas need to make sure they serve drinks at the optimal temperature range for consumers to experience the full spectrum of coffee flavour and aroma.

At the same time, coffee shops need to be proactive when it comes to ensuring both customer and staff safety – and choosing which takeaway products to stock is a huge part of this.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on zero-waste coffee shops.

Photo credits: Clara Jay Branding

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: StixToGo is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.

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