Is bringing an iced coffee to a job interview a harmless habit or an unprofessional misstep? New research from SHRM suggests that workers and HR professionals have different views on the matter.
According to SHRM’s October 2026 Current Events Pulse survey, 56% of U.S. workers believe bringing an iced coffee to an in-person job interview is inappropriate, including 32% who consider it definitely inappropriate and 24% who say it is somewhat inappropriate. Only 21% believe the practice is appropriate to some degree, while 23% are neutral.
HR professionals, however, appear considerably less critical. Half of HR respondents expressed neutral views on the practice, while 40% considered it inappropriate, including 17% who deemed it definitely inappropriate.
The findings highlight a disconnect between workers’ perceptions of professional etiquette and the attitudes of the HR professionals who may be evaluating candidates.
A Question of Professionalism — or Outdated Expectations?
The debate over bringing beverages to interviews reflects broader questions about workplace etiquette and how much weight employers should place on candidates’ behavior outside their qualifications.
For those who consider the practice inappropriate, an iced coffee may signal an overly casual attitude toward a formal occasion. Job interviews have traditionally been governed by unwritten expectations around appearance, preparation, and professionalism. Arriving with a takeaway drink could be perceived as treating the meeting too casually or failing to recognize its importance.
There are also practical considerations. Carrying a beverage into an interview can create opportunities for spills, distractions, or awkward interactions, particularly when candidates are greeting interviewers with a handshake or handling documents.
Others, however, may regard such concerns as unnecessarily rigid. Coffee is a routine part of many workplaces, and bringing a drink to an interview does not necessarily reflect a candidate's competence, preparedness, or respect for prospective employers.
The issue also raises questions about generational differences and changing workplace norms. As employers increasingly embrace more casual dress codes and flexible working arrangements, traditional expectations surrounding interview etiquette may be losing some of their relevance.
Notably, SHRM’s findings suggest that HR professionals are less likely than workers generally to view bringing iced coffee as a serious breach of etiquette. While 2 in 5 HR professionals considered the practice inappropriate, half expressed no opinion either way.
For candidates, the safest approach may still be to leave the iced coffee behind, particularly when interviewing in a more traditional professional environment. For employers, however, the findings offer a reminder that judgments about professionalism can be subjective — and that a candidate’s choice of beverage may reveal little about their ability to perform the job.
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