What IRKS you while you work? - Barista Exchange2024-03-29T16:01:18Zhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A960064&feed=yes&xn_auth=no1. Cell Phones, espessially w…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2013-09-05:1688216:Comment:14824902013-09-05T09:38:08.597ZJames Perinihttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JamesPerini
<p>1. Cell Phones, espessially when they just come up and ask for a latte without specifying size, sugar, here or to go ect and when you ask them they are so engrosed in their phone conversation that they ignore you and there are people waiting behind them</p>
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<p>2. sunglasses indoors </p>
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<p>3. people who get to the counter and haven't decided what they want even though they have been in line for a while and have people behind them</p>
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<p>4. people who just ask for…</p>
<p>1. Cell Phones, espessially when they just come up and ask for a latte without specifying size, sugar, here or to go ect and when you ask them they are so engrosed in their phone conversation that they ignore you and there are people waiting behind them</p>
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<p>2. sunglasses indoors </p>
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<p>3. people who get to the counter and haven't decided what they want even though they have been in line for a while and have people behind them</p>
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<p>4. people who just ask for coffee yeah its a cafe no shit you want coffee which coffee?</p>
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<p>5. customer: "latte to have here"</p>
<p>me: "sure would you like small or large"</p>
<p>Customer: "medium"</p>
<p>me: *facepalm* </p>
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<p> </p> When we call out orders (with…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2013-08-13:1688216:Comment:14797932013-08-13T10:21:27.831ZDanny Heisshttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/DannyHeiss
<p>When we call out orders (with first names) and someone else comes up and just hijacks it. Yea...thanks.</p>
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<p>We have baskets for our food. And people throw them away...constantly. Why? We have a sign ON THE TRASH CAN that says, "Please don't throw away baskets". And yet...they're always being thrown away. </p>
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<p>When someone asks for a latte with "no foam". When people ask for a caramel white chocolate Cappu. I understand that ignorance is bliss. I usually make a wet cappu…</p>
<p>When we call out orders (with first names) and someone else comes up and just hijacks it. Yea...thanks.</p>
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<p>We have baskets for our food. And people throw them away...constantly. Why? We have a sign ON THE TRASH CAN that says, "Please don't throw away baskets". And yet...they're always being thrown away. </p>
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<p>When someone asks for a latte with "no foam". When people ask for a caramel white chocolate Cappu. I understand that ignorance is bliss. I usually make a wet cappu with flavor and make a recommendation on delivery for a different beverage. But still. It's more when my staff just makes it traditional with those flavors...and the customer is pissed because it's too bold.</p>
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<p>This morning I made the wrong size of a mocha latte. I did the right thing and told her I would make another. This particular customer demanded that the beverage be at 120 degrees exactly...which I'm not sure why? It's difficult to focus on a nice texture if I'm wigging out about 120 degree's. I make her the second beverage and ask her for the other one. "Oh. I thought I could keep it! I drank it all." Yes. I was going to throw it out. But dang! I made that drink in 90 seconds and she KILLED that first latte.</p>
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<p>When my smoking customers leave cigarette butts on my patio....AROUND my butt tower. Yea, thanks.</p>
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<p>When customers use a stack of napkins to stabilize a table when all they need to do is adjust the legs. Or ask me to fix it. Petty? Napkins cost money too.</p>
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<p>When customers snarl at me when I charge them for whipped cream that I make here in house. Or when I charge them for more flavor. Or when I charge them for chips. Or when I charge them for extra dressing. Or when I charge them for extra condiments. Or when I charge them 25 cents for a pickle spear that costs me 14 cents. If anyone can tell me where I can get this stuff for free.</p>
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<p>When customers bring in a full meal from another restaurant, and eat it in my store. And use my internet and chairs and bathroom. And don't buy ANYTHING. And then they don't understand why I ask them to leave.</p>
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<p>And best of all, when my customers continually tell us we have slow service because we don't have their food minutes after they order it. Average time is 6-10 minutes an order for food. We make everything to order, and everything is fresh. Who exactly are they comparing us too? If someone orders 4-8 specialty drinks, that also takes time if it's going to be done well.</p>
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<p>No one complains about the quality. I love my customers. But it's going to a little while before they get used to how we do things. </p> I had a customer plop their b…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2013-06-01:1688216:Comment:14684102013-06-01T19:17:02.080ZRebeccah Ruscettahttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/RebeccahRuscetta
<p>I had a customer plop their baby down on one of our tables and change his dirty diaper. To make it worse, they asked me to throw it away.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Thomas Ervin-Ward said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?id=1688216%3ATopic%3A465504&page=7#1688216Comment534617"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><br></br><strong>Oh and breastfeeding.</strong> I dont need to hear about that while i am pouring a latte.…</div>
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<p>I had a customer plop their baby down on one of our tables and change his dirty diaper. To make it worse, they asked me to throw it away.<br/> <br/> <cite>Thomas Ervin-Ward said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?id=1688216%3ATopic%3A465504&page=7#1688216Comment534617"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><br/><strong>Oh and breastfeeding.</strong> I dont need to hear about that while i am pouring a latte.</div>
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<div><div class="xg_user_generated">1. When customer's assume a small, local coffee shop would offer cash-back.</div>
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<div class="xg_user_generated">2. Vague orders. I had a customer order a small latte "but with less." "Less what? Milk? Espresso?" "I DONT KNOW, JUST LESS!" </div>
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<div class="xg_user_generated">3. One word: regular. <span>"I'll have a regular mocha." "Regular?" "Grande, soy, EXTRA chocolate, no whip & make it 120 degrees. Hell, lukewarm." "Oh, that regular"</span></div>
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</div> the bathroom hawks are my rea…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2012-02-16:1688216:Comment:13532022012-02-16T15:57:35.375ZJason Campbellhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JasonCampbell840
<p>the bathroom hawks are my real pain in the tail.....i see it coming from across the room...the "i just need to use your bathroom" </p>
<p>the bathroom hawks are my real pain in the tail.....i see it coming from across the room...the "i just need to use your bathroom" </p> that seems to be the one ques…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2012-02-16:1688216:Comment:13534582012-02-16T15:49:42.451ZJason Campbellhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JasonCampbell840
<p>that seems to be the one question i flinch at....i have condiment bars on both sides of the pick up counter.....and my shop is only 400 square feet.....i point folks to both of them, but scratch my head at that question and laugh to myself a bit....</p>
<p><br></br> <br></br> <cite>Mickael said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?id=1688216%3ATopic%3A465504&page=3#1688216Comment467377"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">another…</div>
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<p>that seems to be the one question i flinch at....i have condiment bars on both sides of the pick up counter.....and my shop is only 400 square feet.....i point folks to both of them, but scratch my head at that question and laugh to myself a bit....</p>
<p><br/> <br/> <cite>Mickael said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?id=1688216%3ATopic%3A465504&page=3#1688216Comment467377"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">another is when they ask where the condiment bar is..... its not like we hide it..... turn your head around..... its the little stupid things over time that get us</div>
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</blockquote> The small things like warming…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2012-02-16:1688216:Comment:13531042012-02-16T05:05:28.148ZSarah Lhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/SarahL
<p>The small things like warming my ceramics on top</p>
<p>or keeping the portafilters in the machine, cleaning the steam wand after EACH USE and pitchers kept cold in the fridge are important to me, but not everyone at work follows</p>
<p>my methods... drives me insane. Just cleaning up after pulling a shot, or steaming milk should be just plain habit, when I have a few people walk in and there are half full pitchers of milk on the counter top & portafilters still full of espresso it…</p>
<p>The small things like warming my ceramics on top</p>
<p>or keeping the portafilters in the machine, cleaning the steam wand after EACH USE and pitchers kept cold in the fridge are important to me, but not everyone at work follows</p>
<p>my methods... drives me insane. Just cleaning up after pulling a shot, or steaming milk should be just plain habit, when I have a few people walk in and there are half full pitchers of milk on the counter top & portafilters still full of espresso it really kills some time that I have to chat with customers. I work in a teeny-tiny coffee house, counter space is a major problem, somehow this must not bother my co-workers.</p>
<p><br/> <cite>Laurence said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work#1688216Comment466115"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">I am the only barista that keeps mugs and tea glasses on top of the espresso machine at work. every one else puts them on a shelf. they don't practice cup warming. All our tea cup crack as hot water is poured in them. I never have that problem because the cups are on a hot surface. They also brush espresso ground from the counter into the floor drain. That drain always cloggs and I am the one who cleans it.</div>
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</blockquote> It's not really an irk but I…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-11-08:1688216:Comment:9609942010-11-08T23:43:10.409ZAmandahttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/AmandaBirdsong
It's not really an irk but I think it's funny when a couple will come to the counter and one will whisper their order to the other one just so the other one can tell me.<br />
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It is an irk when someone comes to the counter and asks "Is your coffee good?" Really, what do they expect me to say?
It's not really an irk but I think it's funny when a couple will come to the counter and one will whisper their order to the other one just so the other one can tell me.<br />
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It is an irk when someone comes to the counter and asks "Is your coffee good?" Really, what do they expect me to say? Some of our customers have ac…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-11-08:1688216:Comment:9608552010-11-08T20:25:00.431ZAshley N Rubyhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/AshleyNRuby
Some of our customers have actually recruited babysitters from my staff - just the other day actually, someone left her name and number on a post-it for our employee bulletin board!<br />
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<cite>Thomas Ervin-Ward said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A960659#1688216Comment534617"><div><cite>Cedric said:…</cite></div>
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Some of our customers have actually recruited babysitters from my staff - just the other day actually, someone left her name and number on a post-it for our employee bulletin board!<br />
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<cite>Thomas Ervin-Ward said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A960659#1688216Comment534617"><div><cite>Cedric said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?x=1&id=1688216%3ATopic%3A465504&page=5#1688216Comment471508"><div>How about how we turn into babysitters when parents leave their kids running around the store.</div>
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<br/>THANKYOU! I cant believe it took 5 pages before someone bought this up. The cell phone thing i can handle. Our customers will still acknowledge or thank you with a nod at the very least. It is the void parents that think it is acceptable for their children to scream, run around BEHIND the counter, bang on the glass pastry cabinet, glass door & glass windows, tip sugar on the floor with no recourse or acknowledgement that they this isnt actually their kitchen, it is yours. Oh and blocking the door with their strollers. It is generally the lack of comprehension and regard for their responsibilities and respect for others that miffs me. But in the end 90% of the parents that come in are great and make it worth it!<br/><br/>Oh and breastfeeding. I dont need to hear about that while i am pouring a latte.</div>
</blockquote> Bratty kids are the worst! My…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-11-08:1688216:Comment:9608532010-11-08T20:21:08.026ZAshley N Rubyhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/AshleyNRuby
Bratty kids are the worst! My shop is in a tourist area so we get them ALL - but even worse yet are the parents who pretend that their kids aren't hellians!<br />
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<cite>Andre Guimond said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A960659#1688216Comment960829"><div>I've experienced a lot of these!<br></br><br></br>The sugar is a big problem at our location, a lot of MUCH MUCH older people come to our store and…</div>
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Bratty kids are the worst! My shop is in a tourist area so we get them ALL - but even worse yet are the parents who pretend that their kids aren't hellians!<br />
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<cite>Andre Guimond said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/what-irks-you-while-you-work?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A960659#1688216Comment960829"><div>I've experienced a lot of these!<br/><br/>The sugar is a big problem at our location, a lot of MUCH MUCH older people come to our store and there's some sight issues I believe...frustrating but still not a huge deal.<br/><br/>Our espresso machine empties into a big overflow bucket (is this a typical practise?). One night, the girl decided not to empty it. As I worked, the bucket accumulated, and eventually overflowed, right up through to the machine on counter top ...anyways, in shop swimming pool.<br/><br/>People who yell at me about the price. Get real bud. If you want low price shitty coffee, go to Tim Horton's. "4.50? For that?!" :@ "You're the tough guy who got whip cream on your coffee." said the next customer in line. It still hurt my feelings.<br/><br/>"Do you serve normal coffee here?" No ma'am, all our coffee is mutated. (Oh the things that pass through your head)<br/><br/>Bratty kids. kids are meant to be cute. Not bratty. I'm 19 years old but I will fight you.</div>
</blockquote> I've experienced a lot of the…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-11-08:1688216:Comment:9608292010-11-08T19:45:31.006ZAndre Guimondhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/AndreGuimond
I've experienced a lot of these!<br />
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The sugar is a big problem at our location, a lot of MUCH MUCH older people come to our store and there's some sight issues I believe...frustrating but still not a huge deal.<br />
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Our espresso machine empties into a big overflow bucket (is this a typical practise?). One night, the girl decided not to empty it. As I worked, the bucket accumulated, and eventually overflowed, right up through to the machine on counter top ...anyways, in shop swimming pool.<br />
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People who…
I've experienced a lot of these!<br />
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The sugar is a big problem at our location, a lot of MUCH MUCH older people come to our store and there's some sight issues I believe...frustrating but still not a huge deal.<br />
<br />
Our espresso machine empties into a big overflow bucket (is this a typical practise?). One night, the girl decided not to empty it. As I worked, the bucket accumulated, and eventually overflowed, right up through to the machine on counter top ...anyways, in shop swimming pool.<br />
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People who yell at me about the price. Get real bud. If you want low price shitty coffee, go to Tim Horton's. "4.50? For that?!" :@ "You're the tough guy who got whip cream on your coffee." said the next customer in line. It still hurt my feelings.<br />
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"Do you serve normal coffee here?" No ma'am, all our coffee is mutated. (Oh the things that pass through your head)<br />
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Bratty kids. kids are meant to be cute. Not bratty. I'm 19 years old but I will fight you.