Welcome to Part II of Should You Tip Your Barista? In this part we dive into other side of tipping from the barista's perspective.
We are drinking a wonderfully rich Colombia Jairo Arcila Lychee Co-Ferment from Bonlife Coffee - Courtesy of Podium Coffee Club
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0:00 Intro
0:42 Podium Coffee Club
4:01 What We're Drinking
8:10 Previous Co-Ferment Experiences
11:06 Back to Tipping: The Barista's Perspective
13:04 How to Handle Tips with Grace as a Barista
15:31 Receiving Tips with Genuine Gratitude
18:01 Recognizing the Skill in Specialty Coffee
20:32 When Shops Don't Accept Tips (See Coffee NYC Example)
23:00 Working for Your Tips: Advice for Baristas
24:50 The McDonald's & Fast Food Tipping Dilemma
26:34 Tipping Culture Has Gotten Out of Control
27:50 Advice for Customers: Choose to Be Generous
30:09 Cash Tips vs Card Tips: What You Should Know
34:52 Final Thoughts: Tip with Joy, Receive with Gratitude
37:21 Stay Tuned for Episode 25
In this episode of The Equal Parts Coffee Podcast, we’re diving into a hot topic that everyone’s got an opinion about: Should you tip your barista?
Before we get into it, Nic shares some big life updates and we taste through a Kenya from Klatch Coffee's Pearl Reserve that is absolutely delicious, with notes of grapefruit and cranberry. We also talk about what’s new at Mundos, including the new mobile coffee van at the Sara Hardy's farmer's market.
Then we get into the nuance of tipping culture:
- Where tipping actually came from (spoiler: not “To Insure Prompt Service”)
- Why tip prompts are everywhere now — even before you get your drink
- How tipping affects pricing, wages, and the coffee industry as a whole
We’re not here to rant or preach, just to talk honestly about how weird tipping culture has gotten, especially in coffee. This is Part 1 of the conversation, so stay tuned for the next episode!
00:00 – Cold Start
01:27 – Check In and Life Updates
03:04 – What We're Drinking
08:07 – Mundos Mobile
15:29 – Should You Tip Your Barista?
18:24 – The History of Tipping
21:14 – How Tipping Became a Part of Coffee Culture
23:13 – Pre-service Tipping on iPads... awkward
32:00 – Stay Tune for Part II
Join us in conversation with food writer Matt Rodbard, the founding editor of the James‑Beard‑award‑winning TASTE and host of 'This Is TASTE' podcast. In this episode, we explore the overlap between specialty coffee and food culture, the growth of Michigan’s coffee scene, and why the way we roast and drink coffee matters.
Rodbard explains how he fell in love with coffee while reporting on under‑appreciated industries and describes visiting Ethiopian washing stations with Intelligentsia co‑founder Jeff Watts—an experience that changed his understanding of specialty coffee.
Matt Rodbard – Founder and editor of TASTE, co‑author of Koreatown and Food IQ, and host of This Is TASTE
Learn more at mattrodbard.com listen to Matt's Podcast, 'This Is TASTE'
00:00 Introduction
01:02 Michigan’s Growing Coffee Scene
03:04 Why Traverse City?
03:33 Specialty Coffee Meets Food Culture
04:15 Matt’s Coffee Journey07:11 Roasting for Origin
10:03 Customer Expectations & Education
12:57 Defining Specialty Coffee
15:21 Specialty Coffee’s Impact on Food Culture
18:56 Café Food
23:33 Coffee as an Ingredient
26:11 Trends & Home Brewing
29:16 Price, Inflation & Farmers
32:58 Inclusivity vs. Elitism
35:32 Northern Michigan Coffee Community
39:01 Matt’s Favorite Chain
41:31 Matt's Favorite Roasters
49:01 Origins & Flavor Preferences
54:50 First Coffee Memories
55:47 Visiting Origin
56:45 Outro
In this episode, host Jack sits down with Landon McDaid, owner of Hive Coffee in Suttons Bay, Michigan. They discuss Landon’s journey from studying environmental biology to finding his passion in hospitality and coffee. Landon explains how he took over the former Mundos Coffee location (opening Hive Coffee in 2023), and how he transformed the space with a unique “Japandi” design to create a light, welcoming environment during Michigan’s long winters.
Landon talks about the mission behind Hive Coffee – supporting honeybee conservation and mental health – and why community is at the heart of everything he does. He shares personal stories about his love for coffee: drinking black coffee with his grandma, and experimenting with a thrift-store espresso machine at home with his wife.
The conversation also covers the realities of opening a cafe. Landon training to use a Slayer espresso machine at a Dune Bird Winery, nerves of the grand opening day, and the challenge of launching during the slower winter season. Emphasizing having fun with customers, and building a friendly team.
Finally, Landon offers candid advice to anyone dreaming of their own coffee shop: save money or find smart funding, do your research, get the right people on board, and most importantly write a solid business plan with a clear mission and vision. This ensures you stay true to your goals and values as your business grows.
00:00 Introduction
00:28 Landon's Background
02:14 Cafe Takeover
3:37 Passion & Community
07:19 Transforming the Space
9:19 Family & Mundos Support
11:32 Japandi Cafe Design
14:28 Love of Coffee
19:28 Education & Career Pivot
23:28 – Coffee Rituals
25:49 – Leland Lodge & Dunebird Winery 26:36 – Seizing the Opportunity
28:11 – Opening Day
30:11 – Winter Opening Strategy:
32:23 – Authenticity
33:35 – The Name “Hive” & Mission 35:54 – Day-to-Day Operations
40:45 – Favorite Coffee Origins
45:13 – Home Coffee Roasting
48:46 – DIY Roasting Setup
52:11 – Advice for Aspiring Cafe Owners
Join us as we trace coffee’s journey from legend to modern day. In this episode we explore the legendary origin of coffee – the 9th-century Ethiopian goat-herder Kaldi who noticed his goats bouncing with energy after eating red coffee cherries. We discuss how monks first brewed those cherries to stay awake, and how knowledge of the beverage spread east to Yemen by the 15th century (where it was known as the “wine of Arabia” ). We then cover how coffee arrived in Europe in the 1600s. At first it aroused suspicion (some called it the “bitter invention of Satan”), but after Pope Clement VIII tasted it and loved it, coffeehouses soon flourished. These European coffeehouses became the “penny universities” of the Enlightenment, where for the price of a cup people gathered to debate ideas.
Next, we look at coffee’s global spread. We explain how, in the 18th century, bold smugglers took coffee plants from their Arab strongholds to new lands – famously a French governor’s wife secretly sent a coffee seedling to Brazil in a bouquet, seeding what would become the world’s largest coffee industry. We also touch on America’s adoption of coffee: after the Boston Tea Party of 1773, many patriots made coffee their drink of choice. By the 19th and 20th centuries coffee had become a mass-market commodity. Brands like Folgers and Maxwell House brought it to every pantry (this was the first wave of coffee). Then came the second wave – the rise of cafés and chains (think classic lattes and big foamy drinks, made famous by Starbucks and others) – and finally today’s third wave of specialty coffee, with an emphasis on single-origin beans, precise brewing methods, and sustainability.
Could there be a “fourth wave” of coffee, treating it like a fine wine? We ponder high-tech brewers, filter coffee trends versus espresso, and how coffee culture keeps evolving.
0:00 Intro
2:15 What We're Drinking
7:24 Jack's First Competition Victory
13:25 Espresso Machines & Coffee Tech Talk
18:26 Introducing the History of Coffee
19:08 Ethiopian Legend: Kaldi & the Goats
21:34 Coffee in Yemen & the “Wine of Arabia”
23:18 Coffee Reaches Europe: Papal Controversy
25:13 Rise of Penny Universities
28:54 Global Coffee Boom
31:15 Coffee Revolutionizes America
33:20 Industrial Coffee
35:21 The Waves of Coffee Culture 41:54 Fourth Wave Speculation
Sources:
https://www.aboutcoffee.org/origins/history-of-coffee/#:~:text=Penny%20universities
Enjoy this curated 4K UHD Pour Over ASMR video.Fellow Ode Gen 1 (Gen 2 Upgraded Burrs)Fellow EKG Stagg Kettle Matte Black w/ WalnutFellow Mighty Small CarafeKalita Wave Stainless Steel Brewer
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast! Falon Bilderback joins us for Episode 19 and we dive into her experience at Mundos Coffee.
Podium Coffee Club. The only coffee subscription to partner exclusively with champion roasters. Sign up using the link below:
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We drink Costa Rica - San Diego from Utopian Coffee
utopiancoffee.com
00:00 – Intro
00:47 – Falon Bilderback
01:47 – Podium Coffee Club Unboxing
03:31 – What We're Drinking
04:51 – Roast Levels in Specialty Coffee
06:26 – Seasonal Coffee Vibes
08:04 – Podium Subscription Details
11:45 – Working At Mundos
13:57 – Cafe Culture & Team
15:28 – Latte Art & Skill Progression
19:59 – Training Programs
25:25 – Handling Difficult Customers
33:22 – The Critical Register Role
35:30 – Leading & Accountability
37:47 – What We Love About Coffee
41:04 – Looking Ahead
52:31 – Outro & Final Thoughts
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
We're ranking cafe drinks on a tier list! From Cortado to Cold Brew. If you disagree with our rankings, let us know! We'd love to hash it out.
We are drinking a delicious 🤪 Colombia Las Delicias from Lantern Coffee in Grand Rapids, MI
lanterncoffee.com
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
On episode 17 we unpack our experience at Michigan's third annual roast retreat held by Washed Up Coffee and hosted at the Dessert Oasis Coffee Roaster's HQ in Ferndale, MI .
We are drinking a wonderfully light and sweet Colombia Geisha from Curious Coffee in Ann Arbor, MI
curious-coffee.com
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
Today we dive into the origins of some of your favorite beverages. Such as Espresso, Macchiato, Cortado and Americano. How they came to be, and what they mean in different cultures and cafes!
If you learned something new today let us know in the comments, we would love to hear from you.
We are drinking a rich and sweet Kenya Gachatha from Mundos Coffee mundosroastingco.com
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
On episode 15 we dive into the future of coffee, some news in the industry and more.
We drink a natural process Myanmar from Jennings Java
jenningsjava.com
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
Two Truths And A Lie - Coffee Edition! We talk about the ever-changing and tumultous 'C' Market. Where it's headed and what it means for the future of the coffee industry.
We are drinking a Colombia Finca Juan Martin, a washed gesha that is a part of Mundos Coffee Highland Collection.
mundosroastingco.com
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
Jack shares his experience in Chicago while attening La Marzocco technical training, the history of espresso and La Marzocco.
We are drinking a delicoius washed Tanzania Luyombe Peaberry from Mundos Coffee
mundos.coffee
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
Joined by green coffee exporter and great friend, Ben Martin of Ally Coffee. We dive into our experiences of the 2025 Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston, TX.
We are drinking a delicious Colombia Pink Bourbon from our friends at Valor Coffee.
valor.coffee
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast!
Just got back from the Houston Coffee Expo, joined by guest host Adam Clark we break down our journey, experience and what we've learned.
We are drinking an Incredible washed anaerobic Colombia Wilder Lazo Gesha roasted by Field Day Coffee in San Luis Obispo, CA.
fielddaycoffee.com
Welcome back to the Equal Parts Coffee Podcast.
On Episode 10 we talk about Jack’s trip to California and the coffee along the way. Whether or not Jack knows more about coffee than AI does. Finally we go through how to find good coffee while traveling.
We are drinking a delicious Colombia Coffee roasted by Onyx Coffee Lab in partnership with 1924us. A coffee created for The Worker. Check out this coffee on Onyx’s website!
onyxcoffeelab.com
1924.us
Welcome back to The Equal Parts Coffee Podcast.
On Episode 9 we have guest host Adam Clark, Jack’s brother and Nic’s close friend. Adam is a co-owner in Mundos Roasting & Co. in Traverse City, MI.
Together we blind rank black coffee from various coffee chains to answer the question, which chain makes the best coffee?
Who do you think makes the best coffee? Let us know in the comments!
What We’re Drinking:
Washed Process - Burundi Gahahe
Partners Coffee | Brooklyn, NY
Welcome back to The Equal Parts Coffee Podcast.
On Episode 8 we discuss how to dial in your coffee, both espresso and filter. Have any questions on how to brew the perfect cup at home? Send it our way!
We are drinking Daydream from Madcap Coffee in Grand Rapids, MI. A delicious tea-like blend of African Coffees.
https://www.madcapcoffee.com/collections/coffee-blends/products/day-dream
Welcome back to Episode 7 of The Equal Parts Coffee Podcast.
Today we have special guest and dear friend Tony Pasquino on.
Tony is an incredible barista and amazing friend, he’s had been in the coffee industry for several years and was a part of the early days of the specialty coffee movement in Traverse City, MI.
We share stories, hot takes and nonsense on the coffee industry.
We drink both the Natural and Washed version of Rwanda Dukunde Kawa from Mundos Roasting & Co.
mundosroastingco.com
Welcome back to The Equal Parts Coffee Podcast
In Episode 6 we dive into Coffee Extraction and the crazy science that it is.
Today we drink Ecuador Maputo from Mundos Roasting & Co.
mundosroastingco.com
Thanks for listening, if there’s anything you’d like us to talk about next, let us know in the comments below!