A Seattle woman noticed a drive-thru coffee shop where the baristas wear a bikini while they make the drinks and decided to give it a try. While she admitted she isn’t the usual clientele, she shares her experience in a now-viral video and wonders how much she should tip for the beverage.
TikToker Ava Pappas (@theavaeditt) waits in line at the LadyBug Bikini Espresso Drive-Thru in Seattle, Wash.
She admits she hadn’t seen a bikini espresso bar until she moved to the area from San Francisco but learned it’s a “Washington thing.” However, other states like Arizona, Colorado, and Texas have jumped on the bikini drive-thru trend, too.
“Wait, why am I kind of nervous,” she says in the clip with over 656,000 views. “I’ll definitely tip, but are you supposed to tip a lot? I’m stressed.”
While she waits, she realizes that the bikini espresso bar’s other customers are all “old men.”
“I’m overthinking this now. What am I doing?” she asks.
Finally, it’s Pappas’ turn, and she pulls up to the window, ordering a latte and making small talk with the barista. At the end of the clip, she takes a sip of the latte and says it was “such a fun experience.”
“I would definitely go back,” Pappas says.
How Much Should You Tip A Bikini Barista?
There’s no set rule for how much you should tip a bikini barista. However, many baristas suggest that if you’re going to gawk at what they’re wearing, it’s bad etiquette to leave a standard coffee shop tip.
“75% of the men who come in will be cheapskates, sitting in the back without even leaving two bucks on the tip rail. They can get a free show,” one bikini barista in the r/SeattleWA subreddit shared.
She noted that tips vary greatly from shift to shift. The barista continued, “You might have days where you go home with $40 for six hours of work, and you’ll have days when you go home with $500. It’s almost completely random.”
One barista, interviewed by The News Tribune, says some customers give her up to $100 for a simple coffee.
Can You Go to a Bikini Barista Just for Coffee?
Pappas almost backed out due to the imposter syndrome of going through without the intention of checking out the barista. But some bikini baristas say they love when other women stop by.
“Awww as a bikini barista in Wa love to see girls supporting girls! It’s rare to get women customers so we loveee,” one commented.
Another said, “I work for ladybug and trust we get so hype to see girlies when they’re nice to us!! i bet you made this girls day.”
“Personally as a bikini barista myself, the girls are my favorite custys! Come by with that beautiful smile anytime gorgeous!” a third barista wrote.
Plus, customers said they’ve had great coffee from bikini espresso drive-thrus.
One wrote, “Bikini babes know how to make good coffee just sayin.”
“Their coffee is usually the best you’ll find. If the coffee wasn’t good they’d never survive on the bikini concept alone,” a second viewer said.
@theavaeditt apparently this is just a Washington thing? #bikinibarista#washington#bikinicoffeestand#seattlecoffee#travelseattle
BroBible reached out to Pappas via email and Instagram direct message and to LadyBug via email for further comment.