Does Coffee Choice Reflect Personality? Here's What Psychiatrists Say About Your Favorite Drink

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Everyone may have a favorite coffee, whether it's black coffee, cappuccino, milk coffee, latte, and others. For some people, coffee choices are not just a matter of taste but are also believed to reflect a person's personality. Is this assumption true?

Psychiatrist Dr. Priya Raghavan explains that coffee choices can relate to routines, sensory preferences, and emotional associations formed through experience. However, she states that coffee orders cannot be used as a psychological test or an accurate method to determine a person's personality.

"Coffee is often associated with specific routines, such as drinking the same coffee before starting work, ordering a particular drink when meeting friends, or choosing something soothing in the midst of a stressful day. So, coffee choices are more related to preferences and how one faces certain situations, rather than personality," said Dr. Priya as quoted by Hindustan Times on Saturday (17/10/2026).

Dr. Priya noted that ordering black coffee does not necessarily indicate that a person has an intense or highly ambitious personality. Likewise, choosing sweet coffee does not automatically signify that the person is overly indulgent.

According to her, someone who continuously orders the same drink may also find comfort, especially when their daily life feels heavy or full of uncertainty. Conversely, someone who often experiments with various types of drinks may enjoy new things and variety.

"However, labeling them as adventurous solely based on that behavior would certainly be an overinterpretation," she stated.