When it comes to coffee shops, it’s rare to stumble upon an establishment that truly stands out from the crowd. Yet, for one travel nurse and her boyfriend, a routine search for a caffeine fix in Washington led them to a coffee shop that was anything but ordinary. The surprise? The baristas are serving up lattes, all while clad in bikinis.
Delaney Minear (@delaneyminear_), a travel nurse currently stationed in Washington, shared her unexpected experience on TikTok. The video, posted on Jan. 31, has since garnered over 202,400 views. In the clip, Minear recounts her surprise upon discovering that the baristas at the coffee shop she and her boyfriend had chosen were dressed in revealing lingerie.
“So we get there, the first thing I noticed is taped on the window is like a picture of like a sexy school girl, and it says something about tips,” Minear explains.
She continues, “And so next thing I know is the barista is like, honestly, wearing like the thinnest lingerie, like just a sliver of clothing.”
The revelation was a “culture shock” for Minear, who admitted she had never heard of such a concept before. Despite her surprise, Minear expressed no judgment towards the baristas, stating, “Make your money how you make it, you know what I mean? Like, I think it’s amazing.”
@delaneyminear_ Bikini barista ¿? #seattle #travel #travelnurse #coffee ♬ original sound – Delaney Minear
Interestingly, the comments section of the video was flooded with claims that this was a phenomenon specific to the Pacific Northwest.
One user wrote, “As someone that has made this exact mistake, it’s a PNW thing, never heard of it outside Oregon/Washington.”
Another added, “It’s so normal to us in the PNW that I forget it’s shocking to others.”
“It’s a PNW thing, which is funny because it’s mainly cold and rainy here. You’d think it would be a warmer area kind of deal,” a third commenter said.
“Arizona has them now well at least phx it’s called bikini beans,” one more remarked.
According to a Thrilist article, “Bikini barista stands—like bikini car washes and bikini landscaping services and bikini sushi spots before them—are indeed a thing, and they’re all over the Pacific Northwest, with the greatest concentrations in the Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, Spokane, and metro areas.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Delaney Minear via TikTok comment.
