When a full cream dairy milk coffee just won't cut it!

My partner Michael and I have just moved to Leichhardt. Over the last few weekends we've been frequenting a number of the coffee shops. For those of you who are not familiar with Leichhardt, it has a distinct Italian feel with coffee to match. Michael had been raving about a particular cafe on Norton street, so we went in to grab a coffee. Well, Michael did.... the big sign saying "No Skim, No Soy, No Light Milk" stopped me from even ordering. 

I thought that the lack of variety in milk offered was a really poor business decision, as there's a number of reasons why people won't or can't drink regular cow's milk - think intolerances, allergies or veganism. For me, I've been brought up on skim milk so my refusal to drink full cream milk is purely because I don't like the taste, even in a coffee. Michael had a different opinion though - "it's their shop, they can serve what they want". Of course they can, but I did start to feel that it was a bit insensitive, especially for those people who choose to drink soy for health, ethical or personal reasons.

You could image my surprise when I flicked open yesterday's The Sunday Telegraph to read an article "Baristas put Seinfeld soup nazi to shame: No soy for you". It appears Leichhardt isn't the only suburb that thinks soy milk should not be offered. According to reporter Lisa Mayoh from The Sunday Telegraph, a couple of cafes in Mosman and Balmoral have also decided serving the dairy alternative, for reasons including "it's too much trouble"; or "it's not traditional"; or "because too few drink it and supplies are wasted".

During my university days I use work as barista, so I can understand why cafes don't want the trouble. Think coffee rush hour where you can hardly fit into your coffee shop because everyone else is after their morning coffee too. Well, for the barista they've got three or more milks jugs, plus takeaway cups, different bottles of milk, numerous coffee cups and order documents cramming up their workstation, all while trying to churn out coffees to the impatiently waiting business people. (C'mon we all know we stand there looking at our watches).

 

Irrespective of this though, people with intolerances and allergies already feel excluded because they can't eat the foods they love. They also feel like they're a "hassle" because they can't eat the same foods as their family and friends, so imagine how they must feel when they can't even order a simple coffee. Not providing a variety of milks, is like a restaurant not catering for vegetarians. How can restaurants and cafes not provide for people with special dietary requirements, especially when the rate of allergies and intolerances are on the rise? I guess the patrons can always go to other restaurants and cafes, but should this failure to meet special dietary requirements really be taking place in the 21st century?

Let me know what you think Or have you been refused a special dietary requirement? Tell us your story.