How to order 'kurang manis' and actually get it at kopitiam?

The trick is understanding the lingo. 'Kurang manis' relies on the uncle's judgement so results vary wildly. For guaranteed control: use 'kosong' (zero sugar). And know the milk difference, regular 'kopi' uses sweetened condensed milk (susu pekat manis) which is loaded with sugar even before they add more sugar. Switch to the 'C' version (kopi C / teh C) which uses unsweetened evaporated milk (susu cair), then order it 'kosong' and add a tiny bit of sugar yourself if needed. So 'teh C kosong' is your friend. Also, for iced drinks the sweetness hides more, so be extra clear. It took me a while but now the kopitiam near my office knows my 'kopi C kosong' by heart. Being specific beats the vague 'kurang manis' every time. Good on you for cutting sugar.

Ha, the eternal struggle! 'Kurang manis' often gets ignored because it's so common they auto-pilot the normal recipe. The real magic words: order 'kopi C kosong' (that's coffee with evaporated milk and NO sugar added) then add your own sugar if you want a little. 'Kosong' means zero sugar, that's the one they take seriously. For tea, 'teh C kosong'. The 'C' uses evaporated milk which is less sweet than condensed milk (the condensed milk is pre-sweetened, that's the sugar bomb). If you want it truly controlled, 'kopi o kosong' is just black coffee no sugar no milk. Say 'kosong' clearly and confidently, 'kurang' is too vague and they'll still dump sugar out of habit. This changed my life for cutting sugar.