This morning a customer brought in some Stumptown Panama Esmeralda Especiale to share. What customer kindness are you thankful for?

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When I was pregnant, several of my customers brought gifts. Several. The truly special ones are the hand-crocheted blankets and hand-made quilts. <3
That is so cool...That reminds me of the gifts people gave, five years ago when my son was born!

Lacey Reichwald said:
When I was pregnant, several of my customers brought gifts. Several. The truly special ones are the hand-crocheted blankets and hand-made quilts. <3
Like you Mike, customers often bring me special coffee they have brought while oversaeas or on business/pleasure in other parts of Indonesia. I have been blessed with kindness form so many of my customers that its hard to point at just one nice act....
One customer gave us a corn plant for our new home, and a baby gift for our third daughter. Another brought me loose teas in plastic baggies to sample (hey, promise, it was tea!)
It's amazing all the acts of kindness through the years that come to mind, "God in a Cup" can mean more than the complex flavor present. This mornings gesture reminded me of the gift it is to be a barista, serving a bit of sunshine.

Alun Evans said:
Like you Mike, customers often bring me special coffee they have brought while oversaeas or on business/pleasure in other parts of Indonesia. I have been blessed with kindness form so many of my customers that its hard to point at just one nice act....
Haven't been in business too long but one customer of ours gives me a $20 tip from time to time. This for making her usual $3.50 drink. Also brings me vegetables from her garden. Good tips are always welcome, but we give all tips to different local non-profits on a weekly or bi-weekly basis depending on the size of the organization or the cause. We believe things come back tenfold for the most part.

Equally important are the constant remarks such as "best I've ever had"... "have tried other places but always come back to you"... "hook me up, I'm now addicted"
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Austin Graham Amento said:
Wow thats awesome man ! Lucky You, Brian and I are gunna come visit you soon! be ready!
Homemade baked goods are great. I also have a customer that makes frozen custard and brings in some for me... to be fair, she does know that I'll use it to make her an affogato. Coffee from places they've visited is the best - one couple brings me stuff from Alterra every couple of months.

Customers are great sometimes...
One morning I had a customer (not a regular) make a joke about how I put the 2 pennies of change that the previous customer had given me into the tip jar. Laughing, I replied that every penny counts when you are paying for an education. So then he was curious and we started talking about what Masters program I was in and what I wanted to do with it. I rang up his order and he went down to the end of the bar to pick up his drink from the barista. A couple minutes later he returned on his way out the door and asked me if I had purchased my books for the semester yet. I hadn't. So he held out his hand and made me promise to put it toward my books. I promised and he handed me some money. I thanked him and he went out the door. I looked down and I was holding $100.

I think of this as one of those 'pay it forward' situations. I was SO appreciative, and it just increases your awareness of the little ways that you can help those around you or just brighten their day.
invited me to lavish parties, heard me complain about a headache and gone and bought me advil, flew back with 10 pounds of coffee in their luggage from their european vacation for me to pull in the shop the day that they got back, raised money for me to get my car fixed, donated money to my "moving fund".
a girl who is a regular at my shop said she was going to jamaica and I jokingly said, "bring me some coffee" as she was walking out the door. the next week she showed up with a half pound of blue mountain. yes!
We are more than servers of coffee, caffeinators, and warmers of cooled hands.To many we are a smiling face and kind word, a place of community. Not to say we are entitled,.. but cared about.

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