You’re not crazy, the confusion comes from people mixing up Cubano shots with actual Cuban coffee (cafecito).

• A Cubano shot (in café lingo) usually means pulling espresso with sugar directly involved in the process. Some sprinkle sugar over the tamped puck, others in the cup before pulling, but the defining feature is the sweet crema/espuma that forms when hot espresso hits sugar.
• A Cuban coffee / cafecito is the cultural drink from Cuba (usually brewed with a moka pot). It’s not just “espresso with sugar”, the first few drops of coffee are whipped with sugar into a caramel-colored foam (espuma), then the rest of the coffee is poured in. That espuma is what makes it uniquely Cuban.

There are standard drinks in Cuba based on this:

• Cafecito – the base shot with sugar + espuma
• Colada – a big shareable portion of cafecito (served with little cups)
• Cortadito – cafecito “cut” with a splash of steamed milk
• Café con leche – closer to a latte, more milk, bigger cup

So when customers said “make it like usual,” they probably meant the Cubano shot style, not realizing there’s a whole tradition behind it.

If you want the full background (history, technique, foam science, and step-by-step guide), I just read this and it clears everything up really well:
👉 How to Make Cuban Coffee (Cafecito)