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Permalink Reply by Sara Appleyard-Pekich on August 30, 2009 at 8:29am

Maggie! I read this and was laughing because I could not believe someone else had this happen in their store too! Then I realized you were the one that posted it!
Wow!

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Permalink Reply by Maggie Cook on August 30, 2009 at 9:41am

Hahahaha. Nice. I posted those stories because I figured other people had funny incidents that were similar. I especially love how nice that kid was about his shirt. No one here really picked up the thread though....


Sara said:

Maggie! I read this and was laughing because I could not believe someone else had this happen in their store too! Then I realized you were the one that posted it!
Wow!

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Permalink Reply by Jared Rutledge on August 30, 2009 at 11:00am

had a guy come into a shop i was working at a couple months back, big redneck dude, and asked me to change the music station cause he "wasn't in the mood for jazz." i thought that was pretty strange. i didn't change it, if miles davis offends you, you can leave.

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Permalink Reply by Kasey Klimes on August 30, 2009 at 2:26pm

Two young kids the other day came in, presumably brothers, maybe 8 or 9 years old. They paced back in forth in front of me for awhile, from the bakery case to the bottled drink case, looking at the menu board, and back. Finally, in a voice reminiscent of a stereotypical college professor, kid #1 ordered,
"Yes, we'd like a tall cappuccino, a muffin, and a biscuit. And I have this..." and then slides me a drink punch card with only 2 punches on it.

I punch the card, slide it back and say, "I'm sorry, we don't have biscuits"

Kid #1 looks at me like I'm nuts. "Okay then, a tall cappuccino and a muffin"

"Alright, that will be $5.50"

Again, the kid looks at me like I'm insane, for requesting money. "But we had that card," he says.

"Yes, but it wasn't full. You see, you get a free drink when it's full. But even if it had been, you'd still have to pay for the muffin."

Kid #1 turns to kid #2 and says, "Do you have the money?"

Kid #2 steps forward and hands me a pocket full of lint and a paper clip, as if it were money.

At this point I'm getting really weirded out, "I'm sorry... umm.. I need actual money"

Kid #2 look dejected and returns the lint and paper clip to his pocket.

Then Kid #1, the one that asked, "Do you have the money?" steps forward and hands me A MASSIVE WAD OF TWENTY DOLLAR BILLS. At least $200 in twenties.

Shocked, I just stare at it for a second - where the hell did this 9 year old kid get that much money?? And where are these kids' parents??

I tell him I only need one twenty. I give him his change and drink and muffin. They leave.

Then the entire cafe, which began watching this entire transaction early on, employees and customers, erupts, "What the hell was that!???????"




Weirdest customer experience of my life.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on August 30, 2009 at 4:17pm

Kasey Klimes said:

Two young kids the other day came in, presumably brothers, maybe 8 or 9 years old. They paced back in forth in front of me for awhile, from the bakery case to the bottled drink case, looking at the menu board, and back. Finally, in a voice reminiscent of a stereotypical college professor, kid #1 ordered,
"Yes, we'd like a tall cappuccino, a muffin, and a biscuit. And I have this..." and then slides me a drink punch card with only 2 punches on it.

I punch the card, slide it back and say, "I'm sorry, we don't have biscuits"

Kid #1 looks at me like I'm nuts. "Okay then, a tall cappuccino and a muffin"

"Alright, that will be $5.50"

Again, the kid looks at me like I'm insane, for requesting money. "But we had that card," he says.

"Yes, but it wasn't full. You see, you get a free drink when it's full. But even if it had been, you'd still have to pay for the muffin."

Kid #1 turns to kid #2 and says, "Do you have the money?"

Kid #2 steps forward and hands me a pocket full of lint and a paper clip, as if it were money.

At this point I'm getting really weirded out, "I'm sorry... umm.. I need actual money"

Kid #2 look dejected and returns the lint and paper clip to his pocket.

Then Kid #1, the one that asked, "Do you have the money?" steps forward and hands me A MASSIVE WAD OF TWENTY DOLLAR BILLS. At least $200 in twenties.

Shocked, I just stare at it for a second - where the hell did this 9 year old kid get that much money?? And where are these kids' parents??

I tell him I only need one twenty. I give him his change and drink and muffin. They leave.

Then the entire cafe, which began watching this entire transaction early on, employees and customers, erupts, "What the hell was that!???????"




Weirdest customer experience of my life.

That's fantastic.

Had a "customer" ask me for a plunger the other day. I figured someone had backed up a toilet in our bathroom. I said, "Oh... well I'll just get it. Upstairs or downstairs bathroom?"

He replied, "Oh, no I just don't have one at my house. I wanted to borrow one."

I explained to him for a second how unbelievably disgusting that was (well, I guess it is in general no matter what, but regardless) to let someone go unclog their toilet and then walk back through the shop and return the plunger. I sold it to him for $6 because we have like 4 of them in the shop for some reason.

Still a really weird "transaction."

-bry

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Permalink Reply by Maggie Cook on August 30, 2009 at 11:33pm

Kasey, that is by far the weirdest thing I've heard. But totally awesome. I wonder why those kids had wads of 20's. I know too many 9-year-olds to think they're totally innocent haha.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Von Kaenel on August 31, 2009 at 5:37am

Jared Rutledge said:

had a guy come into a shop i was working at a couple months back, big redneck dude, and asked me to change the music station cause he "wasn't in the mood for jazz." i thought that was pretty strange. i didn't change it, if miles davis offends you, you can leave.

Not sure how this is funny, but it does showcase your efforts to reinforce the stereotype of the rude, arrogant, barista. Did you just ignore him, or actually insult him to his face? Good job.

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Permalink Reply by Sara Appleyard-Pekich on August 31, 2009 at 6:11am

Wow! It is still unreal to me the things that happen in our spaces!
Has anyone else had struggles with loitering teenagers, drunk people, and the "not all there"?

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Permalink Reply by Maggie Cook on August 31, 2009 at 7:23am

Bob: I understand what you were getting at with your post, but along sort of different lines- don't you agree that it's hard to please everyone with what type of music you play? At our shop, the crowd really changes over the day (from older to mixed to younger etc). At certain times of the day if we played Jazz, for instance, it would sound really awkward!

Once though, the playlist stopped and before we could get to the ipod and choose new music, a tourist from somewhere outside the US asked me if we could play something because "some people in here feel like dancing". I thought that was both funny and awesome. They didn't dance though. :(

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Permalink Reply by Cherie on August 31, 2009 at 7:49am

Wow, I think I've had so many funny and weird shop stories I've forgotten most.
Hmm...
There is this one older couple that comes through our drive window about once a month or so, and they have these 2 small adorable dogs. The first time I waited on them, they got drinks and a scone. I asked if they wanted the scone warmed, and they said only a little. I then asked if their dogs could each have a dog treat (we have lots of dogs come through the window.) They looked at me like I was off my rocker and said no, thats what the scone was for and why they want it warmed only a little. I didn't know if they were joking, but sure enough when the drinks were handed out the dogs were already half done with their scone.
This was over a year ago, and each time they come through, the dogs get their fav scone and their human parents are always overjoyed to watch them eat it.

There are so many other exchanges ... if I think of any more that are worth noting I'll post again.
Cherie

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Permalink Reply by Meredith on August 31, 2009 at 8:12am

I think my personal favorite is "Do you serve coffee here?" My co-worker looked at one girl that said that one day and just said "No, I'm sorry, we don't" and the girl walked away. And this entire post cracked me up and made my day.

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Permalink Reply by Cherie on August 31, 2009 at 9:58am

Thought of another story.
One time we had a customer come in, she ordered her drink, and stepped into the restroom.
About 15 minutes later she comes out and over to the counter and says, "The toliet in the womans bathroom is clogged."
I respond, "Ok, we'll take care of it. Thank you."
She quickly says, "I didn't use it or anything, I just wanted to let you know." And walks away.

There have also been those times when we get customers who can't pronounce anything on the menu. Like scone is "Sc-on" or "Stone," Latte is "Lad-ah," 'Spro is often called "X-press-o" Cafe Au Lait "Cafe-A-late" etc.

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