Taking Orders
Guide for helping customers discover and order from Muse & Co's unique menu of boba teas, coffee, and art experiences.
Understanding Our Uniqueness
Muse & Co is a small but unique artist lounge and tea house in downtown Fayetteville, NC. We are special because:
- We may be someone's first boba tea experience - Many customers have never had or even heard of boba tea
- Boba tea is our specialty - Coffee is a high-quality side offering, but tea is our focus
- We educate and guide - We help customers discover what they'll love
- We use kiosks for exploration - Customers can browse at their own pace with pictures and full details
Remember
For many customers, we are their introduction to boba tea culture. Be patient, enthusiastic, and educational. This is an exciting discovery moment for them!
Order Taking Process
1. Greet and Discover Experience Level
First, always ask:
"Welcome to Muse & Co! Have you been here before?"
Then, ask about their boba tea experience:
"Have you had boba tea before?"
If they've never had boba tea:
"That's exciting! Boba tea is a drink with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom - it's like a drink and a snack in one. We have lots of flavors from creamy milk teas to fruity fruit teas. Would you like me to recommend something, or would you prefer to browse our menu on the kiosk? The kiosk has pictures of everything."
If they have had boba tea:
"Great! What's your go-to boba tea? That helps me understand what you usually like so I can recommend the perfect drink here."
Why we ask about their go-to:
- Helps us understand their flavor preferences (creamy vs. fruity, sweet vs. light)
- Tells us their experience level (do they know customizations?)
- Guides our recommendations to match their tastes
- Shows we care about their individual preferences
Key Difference
We are NOT waiters taking notes. We enter orders in real-time as customers tell us. For first-timers browsing, recommend the kiosk so they can explore at their own pace with pictures.
2. Recommend the Kiosk (When Appropriate)
For first-time customers or browsers:
"If you'd like to browse the full menu with pictures and descriptions, feel free to use our kiosk over there. You can take as long as you need, see all the options, and customize everything. I'm here if you have any questions!"
Benefits of the kiosk:
- Shows pictures of every drink
- Lists all customization options clearly
- Lets customers browse at their own pace without feeling rushed
- Price updates in real-time as they customize
- Perfect for visual learners
When to take order directly:
- Customer knows exactly what they want
- Customer asks for recommendations and trusts your guidance
- Customer seems overwhelmed and wants help deciding
- Customer is a regular with a usual order
3. Guide Their Selection
If customer wants help choosing (not using kiosk), ask questions:
Use Our Customer Type Recommendations
We have a comprehensive Recommendations by Customer Type guide that matches common customer needs to specific drinks. Reference this as you help customers decide!
Flavor Preference
"Do you prefer something creamy like a milk tea, or something lighter and fruity like a fruit tea?"
Creamy → Milk Teas:
- Thai Tea (most popular)
- Taro Milk Tea
- Brown Sugar Milk Tea
- Matcha Milk Tea
Fruity → Fruit Teas:
- Passion Fruit Green Tea
- Strawberry Fruit Tea
- Mango Green Tea
- Peach Oolong Tea
Caffeine Preference
"Are you looking for something with caffeine to perk you up, or no caffeine?"
Caffeinated:
- Coffee drinks (high quality espresso)
- Milk teas with black tea base
- Fruit teas with green tea base
No caffeine:
- Fruit waters
- Herbal tea options
- Ask if we can make caffeine-free versions
Temperature Preference
"Would you like that hot or iced?"
Note: Most boba drinks are served iced, but many can be made hot upon request.
4. Explain What Comes With It
Every drink includes tapioca pearls (boba) in the base price.
"Just so you know, your drink comes with tapioca pearls - those are the classic chewy boba pearls. But we also have other fun options like popping boba that burst with flavor, or fruit jellies. Would you like to add any of those, or stick with the tapioca?"
Our topping options:
- Tapioca Boba Pearls - Included free with every drink
- Popping Boba (+$1.00 each) - Bursts with fruit juice:
- Passion Fruit Popping
- Peach Popping
- Fruit Jellies (+$1.00 each) - Soft, flavorful jellies:
- Strawberry Heart Jelly
- Mango Star Jelly
- Lychee Jelly
- Cream Caps (+$1.00) - Creamy foam topping:
- Classic Cream Cap
- Sea Salt Cream Cap (for milk teas only)
Focus on Flavor Pairing
Don't just upsell - recommend based on flavor pairing:
- "The Peach Popping goes amazing with our Passion Fruit Tea"
- "If you like your Thai Tea extra creamy, the Sea Salt Cream Cap is incredible"
- "The Mango Star Jelly adds a tropical twist to that drink"
Price updates live on the screen, so focus on the taste experience, not the cost.
5. Customize Sweetness and Ice
Sweetness Levels:
"How sweet would you like it? We can do 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% sweetness."
Default recommendation: 75% or 100% for first-timers (our recipes are designed for full sweetness)
Ice Levels:
"And how much ice - no ice, light ice, regular ice, or extra ice?"
Default recommendation: Regular ice for iced drinks, no ice for hot drinks
First-Timer Guidance
For customers new to boba tea, recommend starting with our standard recipe (100% sweetness, regular ice). They can always customize differently next time if they prefer. Our recipes are designed to taste best at full sweetness.
6. Confirm Size
We have two sizes:
- Regular (16oz) - Good for trying something new
- Large (20oz) - Most popular, better value
"Would you like a Regular or Large? Large is our most popular size and a better value per ounce."
Do NOT pressure or hard-sell the large. Simply state the options and let them choose.
7. Enter Order in Real-Time
As the customer speaks, enter their order into the POS:
- Select drink from menu
- Choose size (Regular or Large)
- Set sweetness level (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%)
- Set ice level (None, Light, Regular, Extra)
- Add toppings (tapioca is default, add any extras)
- Add special instructions if needed (in notes field)
The customer can see the price updating live on the customer-facing display, so you don't need to announce each price increase.
8. Confirm the Full Order
Repeat back the complete order:
"Okay, so I have you down for a Large Thai Tea, 100% sweetness, regular ice, with tapioca pearls and peach popping. Does that sound right?"
Wait for confirmation before processing payment.
9. Total and Payment
"Your total is $[X.XX]. How would you like to pay today?"
- Process payment (see POS System Guide)
- Provide receipt
- Give order number if applicable
"Your order number is [X]. We'll call out your name when it's ready. Should take about 5 minutes!"
Common Customizations
Sweetness Guide
| Level | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | No added sugar | Health-conscious, tea purists |
| 25% | Lightly sweet | Those who want subtle sweetness |
| 50% | Half sweet | Moderate sweet tooth |
| 75% | Mostly sweet | Most first-timers, standard preference |
| 100% | Full sweetness | Our original recipe, designed for this level |
Ice Guide
| Level | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| No Ice | No ice cubes | Hot drinks, maximum flavor |
| Light Ice | Minimal ice | Those who dislike dilution |
| Regular Ice | Standard amount | Most drinks (default) |
| Extra Ice | Extra cold | Hot days, ice lovers |
Topping Pairings (Expert Recommendations)
For Milk Teas:
- Thai Tea → Tapioca + Sea Salt Cream Cap
- Taro → Tapioca + Classic Cream Cap
- Brown Sugar → Tapioca only (it's perfect as-is)
For Fruit Teas:
- Passion Fruit → Peach Popping + Passion Fruit Popping
- Strawberry → Strawberry Heart Jelly
- Mango → Mango Star Jelly + Lychee Jelly
Pro tip: If customer is adventurous, suggest mixing two toppings!
Handling Different Customer Types
Master Guide Available
For quick reference during orders, bookmark the Recommendations by Customer Type section in Drink Categories. It covers all these scenarios and more!
The Overwhelmed First-Timer
Signs:
- Staring at menu confused
- Asking "What's good?"
- Says "I don't know what to get"
How to help:
- Ask the key question: "Have you had boba tea before?" Then, "Do you prefer creamy or fruity drinks?"
- Use the recommendation guide: Reference First-Timer Recommendations - Classic Milk Tea or Thai Tea
- Offer top recommendation: "Our Thai Tea is our most popular for a reason - it's creamy, sweet, and has a unique flavor you can't get anywhere else"
- Simplify customizations: "I recommend starting with it exactly as we make it - 100% sweet, regular ice, with tapioca"
The Experienced Boba Drinker
Signs:
- Says they've had boba before
- Mentions other boba shops
- Knows customizations without prompting
How to help:
- Ask their go-to: "What do you usually get at other places?"
- Match to our menu: "Based on that, I think you'd love our [drink]"
- Let them customize: They know what they want - just confirm details
- Highlight unique offerings: "By the way, we have [unique item] that most places don't have"
The Coffee Person (Not Sure About Boba)
Signs:
- Asks about coffee first
- Seems skeptical of boba
- Says "I'll just get coffee"
How to help:
- Honor their preference: "We have excellent coffee - what kind of coffee drink do you like?"
- Gentle suggestion: "By the way, if you ever want to try boba, our Thai Tea is similar to a sweet latte - it's a great intro"
- Don't push: Coffee is a quality offering too
- Build relationship: They might try boba next time when comfortable
The Adventurous Experimenter
Signs:
- Asks about unusual combinations
- Wants to try multiple toppings
- Excited about new flavors
How to help:
- Enable their creativity: "Absolutely! That combination sounds great"
- Share expert knowledge: "That's actually a really popular pairing in Taiwan"
- Suggest additions: "Since you're being adventurous, have you tried [topping]?"
- Celebrate their choice: "I love that you're trying something unique!"
The Budget-Conscious Customer
Signs:
- Checks prices carefully
- Asks about cost before adding items
- Opts for smallest/cheapest options
How to help:
- Respect their budget: Don't push expensive additions
- Explain value: "The regular comes with tapioca pearls included, so that's a complete drink"
- Suggest value options: "Our [drink] is really flavorful at a great price"
- No judgment: Treat them as valued customers regardless of spend
Order Entry Best Practices
Using the POS System
Order entry flow:
- Start new order
- Select drink from category
- Choose size (Regular or Large only)
- Set sweetness percentage
- Set ice level
- Add/modify toppings
- Add special notes if needed
- Review with customer
- Process payment
See POS System Guide for detailed button locations.
Special Instructions
Use the notes field for:
- "Extra tapioca pearls"
- "Light on the tea, more milk"
- "No foam"
- "Extra hot"
- "Less ice than regular"
Keep it brief - kitchen staff needs to read it quickly.
Verifying Order Accuracy
Before payment, always show the screen to the customer:
"Just want to make sure I got everything right - does this look good to you?"
This prevents errors and gives customer one last chance to modify.
Common Questions
"What's the difference between milk tea and fruit tea?"
"Milk tea is creamy - it's tea mixed with milk, kind of like a tea latte. Fruit tea is lighter and refreshing - just tea and fruit flavors, no dairy. Which sounds better to you?"
"What are the pearls made of?"
"They're made from tapioca starch, which comes from cassava root. They're chewy and slightly sweet. Some people describe them as gummy or chewy candy texture."
"Is boba tea healthy?"
"It's a sweet treat, similar to a milkshake or flavored latte. We use real tea and quality ingredients. You can reduce the sugar level if you'd like - we can make it anywhere from 0% to 100% sweetness."
"Can I get this with no caffeine?"
"Most of our fruit teas have green tea which has some caffeine, but it's much less than coffee. Let me check if we can make a caffeine-free version, or I can recommend our [caffeine-free option]."
"What do you recommend?"
"That depends on what you like! Do you prefer creamy drinks like lattes, or fruity refreshing drinks? That helps me narrow it down."
Then recommend based on their answer.
"Can I get half of one topping and half of another?"
"Unfortunately our system doesn't allow half portions of toppings, but you can definitely add multiple full toppings if you'd like to mix flavors!"
"How long will this take?"
"Usually about 5 minutes. We make everything fresh to order, so it's worth the short wait!"
Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don't assume everyone knows what boba is
- Wrong: "Want boba with that?"
- Right: "Your drink comes with tapioca pearls - the classic chewy boba. Would you like any other toppings?"
❌ Don't push coffee when customer wants tea
- Wrong: "Are you sure? Our coffee is really good"
- Right: "Great choice! Let me help you find the perfect tea"
❌ Don't upsell aggressively
- Wrong: "You should really get a large, it's a way better deal"
- Right: "We have Regular and Large - what size sounds good?"
❌ Don't use insider jargon
- Wrong: "You want QQ or mousse?"
- Right: "Would you like chewy pearls or a creamy foam topping?"
❌ Don't rush first-timers
- Wrong: "So what do you want?" (while tapping fingers)
- Right: "Take your time! Would you like to browse on the kiosk, or can I help narrow down your options?"
❌ Don't criticize other boba shops
- Wrong: "Yeah, that place is terrible compared to us"
- Right: "If you liked that, I think you'll love our version!"
Quick Reference
Opening Questions (In Order)
- "Have you been here before?"
- "Have you had boba tea before?"
- If yes: "What's your go-to boba tea?"
- If no: "Would you like recommendations or prefer to browse the kiosk?"
Our Sizes
- Regular (16oz)
- Large (20oz)
Included With Every Drink
- Tapioca Boba Pearls (no extra charge)
Add-On Toppings ($1.00 each)
- Peach Popping Boba
- Passion Fruit Popping Boba
- Strawberry Heart Jelly
- Mango Star Jelly
- Lychee Jelly
- Classic Cream Cap
- Sea Salt Cream Cap (milk teas)
Customization Options
- Sweetness: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%
- Ice: None, Light, Regular, Extra
- Temperature: Hot or Iced
Top 3 Recommendations for First-Timers
- Thai Tea (creamy, sweet, unique)
- Brown Sugar Milk Tea (trendy, caramel-like)
- Passion Fruit Green Tea (refreshing, fruity)
Remember: We're not just taking orders - we're introducing people to boba culture and helping them discover something they'll love. Be patient, enthusiastic, and educational!
Related Pages: