Everyday People features the people who make the greater Ingleside neighborhood a special part of San Francisco.
Sandis Sitton pours every cup with a positive foot forward at Philz Coffee.
After living in Tahoe and traveling abroad, Sitton needed a change of pace. He made the move to San Francisco three years ago and started his barista journey at the coffee chain’s Ocean Avenue location.
“I like the regulars, the people who come from all over town just to come say, Hi,” Sitton said. “They could say the same thing every day and I make them the same drink every day. It doesn’t matter.”
Whether he’s serving coffee or taking public transit to the Castro, the Ingleside resident finds balance in working and enjoying his favorite things like going across the street to Beep’s Burgers but what keeps him coming back to Philz Coffee is his coworkers.
“More than anything else, the crew that you work with makes the place,” Sitton said. “Look for a good crew. It’s the people you work with, not the business itself.”
The Ingleside Light met with Sitton to learn more about his journey as a neighborhood barista.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Do you have a go-to drink at Philz Coffee?
I try to keep it simple. Just any old coffee with cream. If I recommend one thing too many times, then I get sick of it.
What does a typical shift look like here?
Busy, busy mornings, and then just like cleaning and repetition. Making a bunch of coffee all day. Getting the day started is mostly just making sure that whoever's going to be here has everything that they anticipate or need. I've gotta make sure all the creams are in place, all the froth, all that kind of stuff. You don't want anyone showing up to work and looking around for something that's supposed to be right here and then it's just an empty space. It's like a checklist from the beginning to the end of the day.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to become a barista?
You got to not take things personally and just try to be nice and happy. Whatever you can do for yourself to stay happy because it's customer service. If you have a really, really busy day, it can be draining. Someone else could show up on a bad day. There's always 50 different things going on then you've got stuff like this [serving multiple customers] where you’re just juggling. I try to keep it upbeat because it makes my life easier.
Anne Marie Kristoff (she/her) is a recent graduate from San Francisco State University's journalism program. She enjoys writing about the arts, entertainment and nature.
