alexthebarista's Profile

This has been a common thing in Australia for decades; so if it's a silly trend, it's a pretty damn persistent one! You'll never get them with coffee in them, though.
Not all cafes do it, but most do. I've actually only been to a couple of cafes that actually charge anything for it - normally they're free.
If you have a neighbourhood cafe you'll wind up serving quite a few of these as all the young mums come in during the week for their morning coffee/gossip sessions with their young bubs in tow. I think more than anything else it just gives the kids something to do while the mums can chat. I guess it's also a bit of a treat for them, and frankly it's better than the all-to-common treat of "hey kids! Who wants a HappyMeal?!"

Normally (In Australia and the UK, at least), a cappucino will be in about a 5oz cup. A flat white will often be in the same cup as a cappucino but with only a very small layer of foam and often with a double-shot. In Australia the cappucino will always have some chocolate powder on top.
A latte will be in a bigger cup or glass. Often around 6 or 7oz. So the cappucino and flat white will be proportionally stronger.
A cortado is in a smaller glass to a latte, often about 9oz. It is similar or identical to an Australian piccolo.

So... Flat white = 1:4 ratio of espresso to steamed milk, the cappucino has the same ratio but with more foam, the lattle has a ratio of about 1:5 or 1:6, and a cortado or piccolo has a ratio of about 1:2.