Where The Customer Is Unpaid Staff

Speaking of snappish baristas, this weekend we stopped by a neighborhood coffeeshop we've been visiting since 2003, and handed over a prepaid card good for our usual drink. A new-ish barista took it, looked it over, looked us over, sighed a little, and -- as if he were doing us a favor -- checked off one of the drinks. "You know," he said, "these cards are supposed to be signed by the baristas when they're sold. Yours isn't. So...if you ever buy one and it isn't signed, could you remind the barista to sign it?"

We nodded in a way that suggested we were making absolutely no note of this nonsensical request and moved on.

Isn't there some sort of limit to what a customer needs to do to get a cup of coffee? We already have to remind baristas that we ordered, what kind of drink it was, and that yes, sorry, we did ask for decaf. Reminding staff to sign off on things is our line in the freaking sand. Well, that and adjusting the grind.

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By MvB in Food on January 7, 2008 12:30 PM

Comments [rss]

MvB

groovinkim: So *that's* who goes to Remedy Teas. I've only been there once, myself. The tea/snacks were really good, I don't know why I don't go more often.

Maybe the guy did think I was in the loop enough so that it wasn't a thing. I just got the impression he was making a point about them not honoring unsigned and therefore dubious cards.

groovinkim

if i've been visiting a coffeeshop for 5+ years, i don't find it very tough to remember to do things like that or surprising that someone might mention it. at any business where i've been hanging out for that long, i typically already know the names of the employees, things that they're into, etc. (and vice versa). usually if they've known me for that long they are already giving me things like periodic free/discounted drinks and food, tips about new products or whatever else... so i view it more as a circular process vs. an employee not doing their job.

i won't frequent any coffeeshop where the baristas often forget that i ordered or what i ordered though. there's just so many great coffeeshops in the city that there really isn't any reason to go to ones which don't have awesome/perfect coffee, employees, atmosphere, etc. i'll absolutely go out of my way to go to the fantastic ones rather than going to a more geographically convenient substandard one.

an example of a place that i adore so much that i'll go well out of my way to visit is remedy teas on 15th on capitol hill.