<p>This might be a silly question, but if we have an interview at a local Starbucks or restaurant like La Madeleines, are we expected to order drinks? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Only if you’re thirsty, or think it might give you something to do with your hands! Actually, that’s kind of a nice, comfortable, lowkey environment for an interview.</p>
<p>I would at least get a bottle of water or something. I just feel a little funny sitting in a restaurant and ordering nothing. But the interviewer won’t care.</p>
<p>I would. I would feel like I was wasting the store’s space otherwise. If you’re at Starbucks and you want to save money, you could order a short which is like the extra small if tall is small, grande is medium and venti is large. Short isn’t available for all drinks though.</p>
<p>I decided not to. My interviewer bought something, so we were paying the Starbucks for using their space - and personally I’m just terrified that I’ll knock it over, spill it, etc. :P</p>
<p>I interview at a local cafe, and I usually offer to pay for a drink. Some decline and some accept. Others insist on paying their own drink. It doesn’t really matter to most, and interviewers (at least the normal ones) won’t be offended if you don’t accept, or if you don’t drink anything. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I absolutely refuse to accept an offer to pay from the interviewee. I’ve seen a few overeager ones do it. Advice: Don’t try it.</p>
<p>My interviewer offered to buy me a drink when he walked into the Starbucks, but I had arrived five minutes early and was standing around waiting for my order already. Ha</p>
<p>I had my Harvard interview today in a coffee shop at the mall actually. My interviewer paid for both of our drinks (I ordered something simply for the sake of it). However, I took a sip early in the interview and I scorched my entire mouth which was not pleasant. Consequently, I now cannot taste a single thing that I eat. The tea eventually took over an hour to cool to a comfortable level. The interview was terrific though.</p>
<p>An important lesson from the Harvard interview: if you get tea at Starbucks, tell them to put an ice cube in it.</p>
<p>Words to live by.</p>
<p>Another lesson…NO FOOD. It was very early in the day and my D arrived at Starbucks quite early (to be sure to be on time!), so she decided to get a quick bite before the interviewer arrived. But the interviewer ended up there early too…so my D is sitting there with…who knows what…oatmeal maybe?..sitting in front of her. Even pushed off to the side it’s still a bit hard to ignore that (baby) elephant in the room, but you certainly can’t EAT it. No biggie but still not optimum. So you’d best stuff some toast in your mouth before you leave home (but then check your teeth!). Muahahahahaha!</p>
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<p>Indeed. Perhaps for my next one (which happens to be a coffee shop as well) I will order something a tad bit colder. I still cannot taste a single thing that I eat.</p>