A1 Level – Elementary
1. Do you like coffee?
2. What is your favorite place to drink coffee?
3. Do you go to a café with friends?
4. What sweet food do you buy at a café?
5. Do you prefer hot or cold drinks?
6. Is there a comfortable chair in your local café?
7. What time of day do you usually visit a café?
8. What is the difference between tea and coffee?
9. Do you like to read at a café?
10. What music do they play in a café?
11. How much does a coffee cost in your city?
12. Do you use the WiFi at a café?
13. Do you ever buy a pastry or cake?
14. What are the common types of milk?
15. Do you prefer a quiet or busy café?
A2 Level – Pre-Intermediate
1. What makes a good café atmosphere (music, light, seating)?
2. Describe the different types of coffee drinks you know (e.g., latte, espresso).
3. Do you think cafés are good places to study or work remotely?
4. What are the common etiquette rules when ordering or waiting in a café?
5. How does café culture differ between your country and others?
6. What is the difference between a small, independent café and a large chain?
7. Have you ever tried to make specialty coffee drinks at home?
8. What kind of snacks or light meals should a café offer?
9. What historical role did early coffee houses play in society?
10. Why do some people spend hours in a café after buying just one drink?
11. What are the health pros and cons of drinking coffee regularly?
12. Do you think cafés should allow people to make phone calls?
13. What is the difference between a café, a bistro, and a bakery?
14. How do you feel about the price of specialty coffee drinks?
15. What are the challenges of owning and running a small café?
B1 Level – Intermediate
1. Discuss the concept of the café as a “third place” (neither home nor work) in urban life.
2. How does the architectural design of a café encourage either conversation or solitary work?
3. What are the ethical issues surrounding the global sourcing of coffee beans?
4. Do you think the remote work trend has changed the traditional social role of the café?
5. What are the pros and cons of loyalty programs or apps offered by large café chains?
6. Describe how different types of background noise in a café affect your concentration.
7. To what extent should cafés be responsible for providing public services (e.g., free WiFi, clean restrooms)?
8. How does the quality of the tea or pastry affect your overall opinion of a coffee shop?
9. Discuss the social pressure to spend money or buy more items when working for a long time at a café.
10. What is the difference between coffee culture in Europe and in your home country?
11. How have coffee trends (e.g., cold brew, special milks) changed the industry?
12. What role do independent cafés play in maintaining the unique character of a neighborhood?
13. Should all cafés provide options for people with dietary restrictions or allergies?
14. How does the presence of an outdoor terrace or seating area change the café experience?
15. Discuss the psychological feeling of warmth and comfort associated with a good café.
B2 Level – Upper-Intermediate
1. How does the role of the café as a “third place” affect social interactions and mental health in the modern city?
2. What rules should cafés put in place to manage people who work remotely there for hours and only buy one drink?
3. What are the ethical questions about the fair trade system and how coffee farmers are paid globally?
4. Should people who are working in a café be expected to manage their phone calls and noise level more carefully?
5. What is the impact of large, global coffee chains on small, local, independent businesses?
6. Describe how the specific design elements (lighting, materials, artwork) of a café create a certain mood.
7. Do you think the custom of tipping in cafés should be changed, and how would that affect the workers?
8. What are the cultural differences in how people order and drink coffee in different countries?
9. Discuss the psychological effect of caffeine—how much does it truly help with productivity and focus?
10. What is the difference between a café experience in a busy urban area and one in a quiet suburb?
11. How do cafés unintentionally become centers for local political or artistic movements?
12. Should cafés use sustainable and local ingredients for all their drinks and food, even if it costs more?
13. What is the argument for and against bringing pets (like dogs) into a busy café?
14. How has the rise of specialty coffee become a hobby or passion for many people?
15. Discuss the idea that a café is an accessible, democratic public space for almost everyone.
C1 Level – Advanced
1. Analyze the socioeconomic factors that influence the price point and accessibility of specialty coffee culture.
2. To what degree should municipal planning incorporate dedicated “third spaces” like cafés into neighborhood design?
3. Discuss the concept of “flâneurie” (aimless wandering) and how the café enables observation of urban life.
4. Evaluate the impact of climate change on the future viability and cost of global coffee production.
5. How does the atmosphere of a café influence the creative process of artists, writers, and students?
6. Examine the historical significance of the café as a meeting place for philosophical and political discourse.
7. What are the ethical duties of café owners to protect the privacy and data of customers using their WiFi?
8. Discuss the philosophical question of whether the consumption of caffeine is necessary for modern intellectual life.
9. How do different national laws and cultural norms affect the legality and visibility of smoking on café terraces?
10. Analyze the interplay between the coffee industry and issues of land rights and labor exploitation in developing countries.
11. What ethical guidelines should govern the marketing of high-sugar or high-calorie café products?
12. Debate whether the increasing automation of coffee making (e.g., robot baristas) will destroy the craft culture.
13. How does the sensory experience of a café (smell, sound, sight) contribute to the formation of nostalgia?
14. Discuss the concept of “localism” and how consumers can support small-scale coffee producers.
15. To what extent does the café function as a necessary escape from the increasing isolation of home-based work?
C2 Level – Proficiency
1. How do you analyze the idea of the café as a “democratizing space” in terms of social class and access?
2. Formulate a critique of the global supply chain for coffee and its inherent vulnerabilities and power imbalances.
3. Analyze the intersection of urban architectural history and the evolving interior design of public gathering spaces.
4. Discuss the philosophical concept of “intentional rest” and whether the constant stimulation of a café undermines it.
5. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of “fair trade” certifications in genuinely improving the lives of coffee growers.
6. Propose a sustainable business model for a café that achieves both high-quality craft and environmental responsibility.
7. Examine the psychological function of ritualized, daily coffee consumption in stabilizing a person’s routine.
8. How does the semiotics of menu design and drink naming reflect broader cultural and linguistic trends?
9. Discuss the ethical challenges of using AI-driven customer profiling to personalize marketing within the café setting.
10. Analyze the historical connection between coffee houses and the rise of the Enlightenment and the public sphere.
11. Articulate the inherent tension between the desire for an authentic, local café experience and the convenience of global chains.
12. Debate whether the global expansion of coffee culture is a form of cultural imperialism or benign cultural exchange.
13. Assess the long-term impact of high caffeine consumption on public health and workplace stress levels.
14. Discuss the philosophical definition of ‘atmosphere’ and how it is intentionally created by a café owner.
15. How might future personalized nutrition technology fundamentally change the offerings and experience of a café?
