> I think one only risks being rude by making eye contact and trying to exchange some small conversation outside of simply conveying one’s order Ok, so dehuman

> I think one only risks being rude by making eye contact and trying to exchange some small conversation outside of simply conveying one’s order Ok, so dehumanizing is the polite thing to do. Got it. In seriousness, that is a customer facing profession, and you don't need to enjoy people, but you sure do need to be able to act like you do. And most people would consider a warm, personal interaction the ideal. If it makes a barista uncomfortable, it's probably more likely because it highlights how rude every other customer is.