I work with a client who has had a complaint where a member of the public claims to have scalded herself on a hot drink.  Their coffee machine was broken so they had to make instant coffee using an urn.  It's understood that the drink is likely to have been around 96°C.

EDIT: this is not a care, health provider, etc. setting.

This does sound hot.  But, from speaking with another safety professional, a pub-co they used to work at would serve drinks around this temperature.  Converseley - one of my colleagues used to be a barista in a large coffee chain and his recollection was that the max. temp (for drinks) was around 72.

There is no recommended temperature range (that I can find).  My client has a primary authority agreement - they know of no recommended temp. range either.  And there, of course, needs to be a compromise between quality and safety.

The cup, also, had a disclaimer (which is not as important as making sure the drink is served at a reasonable temperature).

Would anyone, who is working in catering, care to share the temperature range they serve hot drinks at (whether that be from urns, espresso bars, etc.)?

Edited by user 29 April 2025 10:45:26(UTC)  | Reason: Clarity

The temperature is determined by the preparation, not the service. If you research ideal temperatures for brewing hot beverage: coffe is 90 - 96 C although some claim that for instant this "burns" the coffee and often add milk first before the hot water, black tea (Chinese style) is 95 - 98 C, white tea is 80 C, milk for white coffe and hot chocolate is 60 - 70 C

Obviously adding warm milk cools hot coffee - latte to 70 C, cappucino to 60 C

That disclaimer on the cup is to remind the drinker not to immediately take large gulps of liquid - even 80 C is too hot to leave the roof of your mouth in tact.

Beware comments like "had to" - a broken coffee machine is actually an opportunity to say sorry a hot drink is not available at this time. Too often people mistakenly undertake actions that in reality should be avoided.

Unlike a barista does your client have all the equipment (in addition to the water urn) to carefully monitor preparation and service temperatures?

Breaking news it is perfectly acceptable to tell a client or customer NO.

Originally Posted by: peter gotch

Hi Ian

I am not convinced that just because the coffee machine was broken that your customer should not have served up hot drinks from an urn insteaad UNLESS the customer would be clearly of a vulnerable nature, so perhaps if the setting was e.g. a care home.

Before everyone started buying coffee machines online most of us used to pour our hot drinks from a kettle that had just boiled and perhaps partly out of trial and error learned that even if adding a splash of milk from the fridge, the hot drink would be TOO hot to gulp down just after pouring.

....and we don't live in the US and UK Courts are much more likely to take the view that the customer should exercise some responsibility. McDamages denied in UK | block blast adventure | The Guardian  

Hot drinks in catering are typically served between 60°C and 70°C for safe consumption. Temperatures above 85°C can pose a scald risk, especially if spilled. While urns often heat water to around 95–96°C, it’s common practice to let drinks cool slightly before serving.

Pulty1991 REPORTED - it's rude to change someones post to include your hyperlink