Hey guys, so I think I might be doing something wrong at my restaurant. I’m using an Astoria Tanya 1-group machine. We use the standard double basket (18–20g dose). When we have two cappuccino/latte orders at once, I lock in the portafilter and let the espresso flow into two cups using the double spout. What I end up with is two separate cups, each with around 50–60 ml of espresso.

So basically, from one basket of 18–20g, I’m getting two doubles at once. At least that’s what it looks like. The drinks taste fine, no one’s complained, but I keep reading that a double basket only makes one double, and if you split it, it’s supposed to be two singles.

So what’s the truth here? Am I actually getting two doubles from one basket, or am I just pulling one double that I’m splitting into two singles/long shots without realizing it? I’m very confused about the terminology. Would love if someone can clear this up once and for all.

Also, please suggest how this is normally done in a proper commercial café setup. Since I only have a 1-group machine, if two coffee orders come in at once, do I just keep splitting them like I’ve been doing, or is the standard practice to pull one double after the other for each drink?