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 Stephanie Ratanas on
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One time at Metropolis, this guy came in with his bike and his ipod in one ear, and he walks up to the register where I'm standing and starts rapping at me. He just kept doing it so I turned around and said, "uh hey-- there's a guy up here rapping..." and my co-workers just kind of looked up and then went back to what they were doing. Maybe they thought I was lying. Anyway this guy won't stop and there's no breaks, so finally I just lean forward and say "Hi. Do you WANT something?" and in the middle of his rap he says something like "Yeah mother fuckerrrrs--medium coffee--yo yo..." [I am not going to attempt to rap here]. I get him his coffee and change, rapping still going on, and then he's standing at the condiment bar rapping and swearing really loud out at everyone in the cafe, who are all kind of looking up confused. Finally, Tony and the other managers that were in the back having a meeting came out and kicked him out. The police came. He didn't show up for the court date.
I couldn't tell if I was being serenaded or not....
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Permalink Reply by Erica Green (ericagisme) on
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Oh, I know. I've gotten that one too (multiple times unfortunately) and my reply, after a confused pause and making sure that they don't indeed want watery drip coffee with a splash of badly foamed milk, is "No, but I'll make it how it's supposed to be made."
The Classy Cap.
(great thread btw, thanks for starting it. sadly it made my day)
rothko said: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 Mallory on
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oh my god. i laughed out loud at the narcoleptic scone incident. that's hilarious. what a situation. i mean, that's like... movie quote status.
hoo. hah. ha ha. heh. ho. ha. hem. thanks :D
Kyle Salmi said:1: "may i have a few ice cubes in my coffee? you know why i put ice in my coffee? my brother was in the army and stationed in alaska. he was on watch on one of the coldest nights, and when his shift was over he went to the mess tent. he gulped down a cup of coffee to warm up, and then he had another. because he was breathing in cold air all night, his throat was a little numb, and he didnt realize he was burning a hole through his throat."
2: "have you ever seen anyone eat a scone while sleeping in here? well you have now. i have Narcolepsy one minute i was sitting here with a scone in front of me, and the next i woke up with crumbs all over myself. the coffee doesnt help."
3: one time i made a lady a 16 ounce cappuccino handed it to her, she knocked it on the counter a few times to get some of the air out, took a big gulp, and asked for more steamed milk...
i was so shocked and impressed with the nerve of this lady, that i steamed up a little more milk for her and filled the cup back up for her.
4: while were on this subject, whats with customers adding milk from the condiment bar to their lattes? i know adding cream and sugar to coffee is a habit, but i wonder if these people realize that their drinks are already 90% milk?
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Dooley on
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oh my goodness, I can't stop laughing. Oddly enough a gentlemen came into the cafe I was working at and walked pass the line of people asking for a glass of water. Considering it wasn't the hottest day of the year I asked him to find a place in line and I would gladly serve him water. It's a long line and I just didn't want to frustrate anyone. Just as I finished chatting with him I also finished pouring a nice cap and set it down for the customer. As she reached for it he stepped in front of her and stirred it with his finger, licked his finger and said it "hmmm. good." I was so speechless, my jaw dropped and I vividly remember saying, "Sir, you can't put your fingers in someone else's drink." ...that's all i could muster out. He left shortly after that.
Stephanie Ratanas said:One time at Metropolis, this guy came in with his bike and his ipod in one ear, and he walks up to the register where I'm standing and starts rapping at me. He just kept doing it so I turned around and said, "uh hey-- there's a guy up here rapping..." and my co-workers just kind of looked up and then went back to what they were doing. Maybe they thought I was lying. Anyway this guy won't stop and there's no breaks, so finally I just lean forward and say "Hi. Do you WANT something?" and in the middle of his rap he says something like "Yeah mother fuckerrrrs--medium coffee--yo yo..." [I am not going to attempt to rap here]. I get him his coffee and change, rapping still going on, and then he's standing at the condiment bar rapping and swearing really loud out at everyone in the cafe, who are all kind of looking up confused. Finally, Tony and the other managers that were in the back having a meeting came out and kicked him out. The police came. He didn't show up for the court date.
I couldn't tell if I was being serenaded or not....
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Permalink Reply by Nathan Lyle Black on
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I once had a customer insist on having their americano extra dry. After an attempt at an explanation, I finally told them that it wouldn't be a problem and left two inches of room at the top.
I also have a customer who comes in every weekend and orders a traditional 4 shot latte. One weekend he was about to go camping and didn't want to be without his caffeine, so he asked for a 20 oz cup filled to the top with espresso. It took us a while to pull all the shots, and because it was in the middle of a rush, more drink orders were being placed. One of my coworkers addressed the group of people who were waiting for their drinks and yelled out "This man just ordered 20 oz of straight espresso!" Everyone was too shocked to say much of anything. The man then went home, poured it into a traveler mug, and put it in the freezer overnight. Over the course of the next three days he finished the whole thing.
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on
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Know his name? Sounds like a guy that comes into my shop like once a week. He's known (by almost every single person) around town as "Boombox" because he used to carry a boombox around on his shoulder (always... constantly, never seen without it) and rap out loud. He got it taken away by the cops because of noise violations. He now has an iPod, which is WAY less fun because I don't know what he is listening to, but he'll still rap out loud for you, even though he is the only one who can hear the music. Haha.
And it's great because when he comes in rapping and swearing and whatnot everybody just kinda shakes their head and goes "Oh Ronnie..." all together.
It's good times...
-bry
Oh... and he isn't "all there" so that's why no one freaks out. Super nice kid, just likes to rap at like 130 decibels, that's all... haha.
Stephanie Ratanas said:One time at Metropolis, this guy came in with his bike and his ipod in one ear, and he walks up to the register where I'm standing and starts rapping at me. He just kept doing it so I turned around and said, "uh hey-- there's a guy up here rapping..." and my co-workers just kind of looked up and then went back to what they were doing. Maybe they thought I was lying. Anyway this guy won't stop and there's no breaks, so finally I just lean forward and say "Hi. Do you WANT something?" and in the middle of his rap he says something like "Yeah mother fuckerrrrs--medium coffee--yo yo..." [I am not going to attempt to rap here]. I get him his coffee and change, rapping still going on, and then he's standing at the condiment bar rapping and swearing really loud out at everyone in the cafe, who are all kind of looking up confused. Finally, Tony and the other managers that were in the back having a meeting came out and kicked him out. The police came. He didn't show up for the court date.
I couldn't tell if I was being serenaded or not....
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Permalink Reply by Aaron McNany on
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I love it when a customer, whom you know ALWAYS orders a small cup of brew, walks up to the register and pretends to study the menu board (knowing full well what they will order.)
Of course, they go on to order their 'small for here.' :)
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Permalink Reply by Mark Bailey on
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My coffeeshop is located in Athens, Ga; and for those of you who don't know is the town that University of Georgia is in. That being said we get a lot of college kids in the shop. Almost every day we'll have a girl that obviously a sorority gil walk up to the counter and order a caramel macchito, and almost every day i have to say explain to them what a macchito is and suggest to them a caramel latte.
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Permalink Reply by rothko on
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face it: we will never win this battle.
Mark Bailey said:My coffeeshop is located in Athens, Ga; and for those of you who don't know is the town that University of Georgia is in. That being said we get a lot of college kids in the shop. Almost every day we'll have a girl that obviously a sorority gil walk up to the counter and order a caramel macchito, and almost every day i have to say explain to them what a macchito is and suggest to them a caramel latte.
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Permalink Reply by Chadwick Rookstool on
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Did someone mention the classic reply to, "How do you like your coffee?"
"Like I like my women, ground up and in the freezer."
A female co-worker at work proceeded to have me handle the rest of that order at the register :P
I am actually jealous of the kid who raps. We just get creepy old men who hit on our female baristas...
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Permalink Reply by Jesse -D-> on
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THat is ok so long as you don't put them back in the freezer after you get them out.
Chadwick Rookstool said:Did someone mention the classic reply to, "How do you like your coffee?"
"Like I like my women, ground up and in the freezer."
A female co-worker at work proceeded to have me handle the rest of that order at the register :P
I am actually jealous of the kid who raps. We just get creepy old men who hit on our female baristas...
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Permalink Reply by Brady on
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Mark Bailey said:My coffeeshop is located in Athens, Ga; and for those of you who don't know is the town that University of Georgia is in. That being said we get a lot of college kids in the shop. Almost every day we'll have a girl that obviously a sorority gil walk up to the counter and order a caramel macchito, and almost every day i have to say explain to them what a macchito is and suggest to them a caramel latte.
Do you find that this information is well received, or is it met with an annoyed eye roll?
In defense of both college kids and sorority girls, I bet you hear this request from just about any age and gender of customer that walks in the door. Probably because this is actually a drink, regardless of how we feel about the name it was given. At least the kids seem to be able to pronounce the word macchiato correctly :). Incidentally, don't forget the "a"... its macchiato, not macchito.
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