the funny things people say...
So I was working at the coffee shop, you know making various beverages and sort of recollecting several conversations I have had with customers over the years and I remembered one particular that needed expounding. I don't want to "over write" this so I will share one event in the hopes of inspiring you all to share yours.
On a particularly touristy day a new face popped into the cafe but this guy was unusually chatty. We're not known to be pretentious barista's who are too cool to morph into character so I engaged with him. When he finally read through the menu out loud he got to the "truffle Mocha" we make with a special ganache and celebrated that request to me almost in song...here's the weird part and maybe where my pride was a little hurt. He came back up to the bar to bestow a compliment, "Wow, this is the best mocha I have ever had! Must be a great machine." Confused, and again just a little hurt I smiled with a "thankyou?" I think back to that and there really is no right way to turn that compliment around. Do I say, "yeah and one good barista too". Does the machine deserve all the credit?
When you go into a great restaurant and the dish is prepared to perfection to you ask for the chef and say, "Wow, great food, you must have one great oven!" or when you mum makes a great pie do you compliment the apples?
I have to say I have never read a restaurant review that credits the equipment for making such innovative dishes.
please share yours,
Sarah
On a particularly touristy day a new face popped into the cafe but this guy was unusually chatty. We're not known to be pretentious barista's who are too cool to morph into character so I engaged with him. When he finally read through the menu out loud he got to the "truffle Mocha" we make with a special ganache and celebrated that request to me almost in song...here's the weird part and maybe where my pride was a little hurt. He came back up to the bar to bestow a compliment, "Wow, this is the best mocha I have ever had! Must be a great machine." Confused, and again just a little hurt I smiled with a "thankyou?" I think back to that and there really is no right way to turn that compliment around. Do I say, "yeah and one good barista too". Does the machine deserve all the credit?
When you go into a great restaurant and the dish is prepared to perfection to you ask for the chef and say, "Wow, great food, you must have one great oven!" or when you mum makes a great pie do you compliment the apples?
I have to say I have never read a restaurant review that credits the equipment for making such innovative dishes.
please share yours,
Sarah
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on
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Kevin said:
I used to get the "French Vanilla Cappuccino" request a lot at a previous shop. Then they would freak out about the price. This actually wasn't funny at all now that I think about it, it just pissed me off."I would like a cappuccino" - The worst is when they actually say "can you make it like the one at the gas station?
"Caramel Macchiato please."
"Would you like a real, traditional one or one like you get at Starbucks?"
Explain the difference while showing them the cups.
They order the 'traditional macchiato.'
"Ooo... wow... yuck, this tastes like coffee."
Audible laughter can be heard by the entire staff and a 20-30+ customers.
"Double espresso."
"Actually, due to the size of the drink, among other things, we only do straight espresso in demitasse cups."
"But I want mine to go."
"Well we only make it for here, would you like one anyway?"
"WELL THAT IS F***ING STUPID! I DON'T KNOW HOW THE HELL YOU GUYS STAY IN BUSINESS!" (yelled to a shop that, at the time, had probably 70 in house customers and was so full we had customers waiting to sit down as he pushed his way through a line of probably 10 customers that were waiting to order). The shop went completely silent which is really, really weird for our shop that is normally at near yelling volume. Everybody looked up toward the counter. I quickly and ever so impolitely explained to him that all of the people that were looking at him like he was "f***ing stupid" at that moment were exactly how we stayed in business. He left :0)
-bry
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Permalink Reply by Lauren Rue on
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Certainly not quite as extreme, but i had a guy come in every night, hit on me, and order a cup of tea. Of course the day i was running late, didn't shower, and looked like crap he tells me how i look so great, and if he weren't so "hopelessly single he would totally hit on me". the guy i was dating at the time was sitting at the counter, but is deaf in one ear and missed the whole awkward exchange, leaving me helpless. A couple nights later he reached over the counter to "feel my dreadlocks" while i rang him up...awkward. I don't work there anymore, but i'm assuming he's been asked not to come back on account of other customers complaining about him using our wifi to watch porn in the center of our largest room. Sometimes i have a hard time with what i just see as being nice coming off as too flirty...or so i've been told. but it is a frustrating balance when you just want to be friendly, but people (aka guys) take it the wrong way.
Eric kk said:*** slightly adult humor/storys ***
1. although it didnt happen to me, it kinda did in context... so this guy, a regular, comes in and is talking to my friend(and fellow employee) who ill call "stan", and i could totally see them talking quietly out in the shop... i see my stans face contort and just go like "did this guy really just ask me that?" Stan stops talking to the dude and walks over to me shaking his head in shame and motions for me to walk back in the office so he can tell me something... basically in a paraphrase of his very long descriptive story this dude told stan that "stan was looking very sexy that day and that he would like to have a 3some with stan, the manager of our shop and him..." Turns out we go and tell our boss and our boss is like yeah this guy has been kicked out of like every other local shop and restaurant around for saying stuff like this, and was on the local sexual predators list as well as being a schizo ...
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Permalink Reply by paulito on
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at my most resent shop ive gotten several reqests for the wonderful "non-fat" americano that their friend always orders. after several attempts at polite education that just didnt take, i gladly provide the customer with the best nonfat americano in town on almost a daily basis and we both get our own little smile out of it!
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Permalink Reply by Zak Rye on
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oh god, i love this stuff....
ok- some of our recent good ones-
(woman ordering a milky way with extra caramel) "could you not tamp the espresso as hard? it makes the drink too thick"
the classic, "you have soy right? i have to have soy."
"yes."
"ok, good, can i have a soy mocha with whip?"
"sure"
"make sure you use soy."
"oh....i will..."
(when roasting) "oh, you guys grind your own beans? cool!"
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Permalink Reply by rothko on
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Kevin said:"I would like a cappuccino" - The worst is when they actually say "can you make it like the one at the gas station?
no!! someone actually asked you that?!?!!!??!!!
i just don't know what to say. i'm speechless. =:o
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Permalink Reply by Barat Smith on
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We get the occasional soccer mom who brings their kid in with them, orders a medium latte, then asks us if we have any milk for her child. Still confused by that one.
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Oh, someone asked me to add a little brown sugar to their shot before pulling it. So I put a dab of brown sugar in the bottom of the portafilter before dosing the espresso on top of it. I've never heard of that before, but maybe it's because I'm in Iowa. Anybody else heard of doing this?
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Barat Smith said:Oh, someone asked me to add a little brown sugar to their shot before pulling it. So I put a dab of brown sugar in the bottom of the portafilter before dosing the espresso on top of it. I've never heard of that before, but maybe it's because I'm in Iowa. Anybody else heard of doing this?
it's called a cubano. i've seen it made with the sugar on top of the espresso rather than underneath, but yeah.
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Permalink Reply by Jesse -D-> on
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ohh, poor portafilter.
Barat Smith said:Oh, someone asked me to add a little brown sugar to their shot before pulling it. So I put a dab of brown sugar in the bottom of the portafilter before dosing the espresso on top of it. I've never heard of that before, but maybe it's because I'm in Iowa. Anybody else heard of doing this?
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Ya, I gave it and the grouphead a good cleaning after that incident.
Jesse -D-> said:ohh, poor portafilter.
Barat Smith said:Oh, someone asked me to add a little brown sugar to their shot before pulling it. So I put a dab of brown sugar in the bottom of the portafilter before dosing the espresso on top of it. I've never heard of that before, but maybe it's because I'm in Iowa. Anybody else heard of doing this?
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i know, ugh -- i told my people never to make them for anyone. not that we had anyone that really ordered them much, but i was like "NEVER DO THIS." i have a hard time believing that it tastes much different than if you just put the sugar in the bottom of the cup and pull the shot on top of it...
Jesse -D-> said:ohh, poor portafilter.
Barat Smith said:Oh, someone asked me to add a little brown sugar to their shot before pulling it. So I put a dab of brown sugar in the bottom of the portafilter before dosing the espresso on top of it. I've never heard of that before, but maybe it's because I'm in Iowa. Anybody else heard of doing this?
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It must be better to put the sugar on the bottom, then you don't risk getting it in the group which could cause problems that I don't even want to think about. But yes.....never do this.
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