Once again, when I ordered decaf, I got regular coffee.

Even though I couldn't tell the difference at the restaurant, my body knows the difference because I am wide awake right now.

So, has this happened to you, and what did you do about it?

I don't think there is much you can do about it, and figure that 90%+ of the time, you'll probably get what you ordered. There are so many things that can "go wrong" in the distribution of that coffee - from the employee loading up the wrong grounds into the wrong canister, to the employee taking coffee from the wrong canister without noticing, or the employee putting the decaf pot in the coffeemaker under regular grounds, to the employee just putting regular coffee in your cup without paying attention.

If one has a health situation (other than sleeplessness from caffeine), then it would be wise never to order coffee in a restaurant, unless it was Sanka, in a packet. (Oh, memories of old relatives in coffee shops 40 years ago!)

I think it's a huge crapshoot. My SO worked as a waitress in a Denny's in college, all the servers mixed the decaf regular pots so often that it was almost comical. The patrons would get a 50-50 caf decaf, the other waitresses would always say.

One of my relatives would always bring her own decaf packets to her local cafe and ask for hot water. When one manager asked her why, she said everytime I've ordered cafe here, I've been wired for 2 days straight, are you going to make me a fresh pot of decaf? The manager replied No. She said then please pour me a hot mug of water.

I actually gave up ordering coffee with/after an evening meal many, many years ago as it was evident that oftentimes I would end up with leaded when I had ordered unleaded. As the OP stated, you really can't taste the difference, but at 3:00 a.m. when you're still WIDE awake, you know very well you did not receive what you ordered.

The only way you can be sure is either not order it at all, or take your own in a sachet.

Drinking coffee in the evening actually doesn't keep you awake, in contrast to popular belief, but makes you wake up earlier in the morning..

How can you make a generalization like that (with a straight face)?

Google it if you don't believe me

Ah, but the stress of thinking you may have ingested caffeine is what keeps you up all night? I'm not buying it.

At a previous employer, I had the decency to post a sign above the coffeemaker that the orange handled pot signified nothing and that there was, in fact, no decaf brewed on the premises. I saw more than one visitor turn away from the coffeemaker without pouring a cup and felt that I had done my good deed for the day.

$10 or so for a set of 20 so you can test your coffee first. You can usually find them discounted on maternity type websites

Hi,

Wow! You learn something new everyday!

I never even thought there would be a caffeine testing strip!

Thanks for the image! ^

Regards

TBS

Cite?

I have a friend who used to work at a moderately upscale restaurant as a waitress. She confessed to me that should would routinely pour coffee coffee for people who ordered decaf for a number of reasons. First, decaf wasn't that popular so you would have to brew an additional pot to serve it. Second, she would often forget if folks ordered caf or decaf. Third, she was lazy.

Wow - you probably use one end of the strip to see if you are pregnant, and if so, the other end to see if the coffee is decaf

In an average person ~ 13% of caffeine is eliminated each hour; thus, total caffeine elimination usually occurs just short of 8 hours.

citation: Georgetown.edu

Not too surprised. Regular roasted coffee costs less inviting skulduggery.