Just because you say "decaf" doesn't mean you'll get it

And while coffee is usually associated with waking up, or getting a caffeine rush, decaffeinated coffee is becoming increasingly popular.

Some people order decaffeinated coffee so they can get rest. Others can't have caffeine because of medical reasons.

But as ABC2 news consumer reporter Denise Dory found out, just because you say "decaf" doesn't mean you'll get it.

Sometimes, it's easy to tell if you're not getting what you asked for... You can easily see if your bread's been toasted, or if your steak is well-done.

It’s harder determine whether your coffee is regular or decaf.

So what really is brewing?

"It’s part of people's routines."

For many people, drinking coffee is not just the best part of waking up...

It’s the only way to wake up and bring the day into focus.

"I have to have my coffee to get started."

"Without it, you're not ready. Without coffee, not ready for the day."

Americans drink about 350 million cups of coffee each day.

"We sell a lot of coffee, that's for sure."

Filling cups to the brim with everything from Sumatra to French Roast.

"Most people in the morning, come for coffee, grab coffee and leave.

At Lou's bagel's, 150 cups of coffee are sold each weekday...

But not everyone sipping java does it for the jolt, that's why Mariam always keeps the decaf clearly marked.

"This is the decaf. Move the whole thing."

Some people order decaf for the taste, others, to avoid caffeine.

"I usually drink decaf towards end of the night so I’m not waking up."

But how do you know if what's in your cup is really what you wanted?

We decided to test out the decaf to see what's really in a cup of joe.

Call 2 Action stopped at coffee shops, fast food joints, gas stations and restaurants throughout our area ordering decaf coffee.

We poured the coffee out, and sent it to a lab where the caffeine was separated, extracted, and measured.

"We should see caffeine levels in brewed decaf coffee between 1-5 milligrams per 5 ounce cup."

But that wasn't always the case.

Out of ten cups, 5 had elevated levels of caffeine or more than 5 miligrams per serving.

Of those five, 1 had so much caffeine, 57 miligrams. It could be considered a real, full-throttle cup of coffee.

We went back to Bun Penny in Columbia where we bought that coffee to ask storeowner Jeff Ditter what may have happened.

"Human error, lots of ways, coffee might not be decaf, as simple as person calling the drink didn’t say decaf."

While this mistake may be merely an inconvenience for some.

"I would be awake all night."

It could pose a mild risk for those who are avoiding caffeine for medical reasons, like women who are pregnant or nursing.

"A single limited exposure to caffeine probably may not be detrimental, but the acute effect or the immediate effect is that it may increase heart rate, cause shakes."

Most places you would buy coffee have several systems in place to keep the regular and decaf coffee from being confused. And Bun Penny plans on using colored handles to differentiate the two.

"After you called, made me think about what more we could do, and we've never had orange handles on coffee."

"It’s going to be that much easier to pour a cup of decaf."

One way to help make sure you are getting decaf is to double check when you're handed you're back drink.

This is especially true if the person handing you your beverage is not the same person who took your order.

One way to help make sure you are getting decaf is to double check when you're handed you're back drink.

This is especially true if the person handing you your beverage is not the same person who took your order.