Gripe #2
Ok, so I am a bit touchy about my food, I also have a HUGE problem with parents that do not control their children. You know, the mother and father come in with two kids about age 4, then allow them to run and jump on the couch, jump and walk the recliner and wait till you see what they do with the rocking chair. I am at the point where I want to say "Hey can you control your kids?". But I just stew and keep my mouth shut. This is a pretty common occurance, there are three sets of parents that bring their kids in, the kids will invariably turn on the 42inch HD TV, usually on (GASP) Disney. Then scream and yell and keep increasing the volume so they can hear the tv. Nevermind that I might have "The Elders" on the surround sound stereo, or that there are two adult couples quietly enjoying a Tippachino (My Creation). SO again, I am NOT a curmudgeon, I just had this vision for my coffee house and slowly it is eroding!!! HELP???????
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Al Sterling on
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Chuck...... you're serious? It's just that you're verbalizing what I sometimes think when I'm that customer sitting quietly and trying to enjoy. If you're not a "kid friendly" shop, then post a friendly sign asking for children to be "attended to and with parents at all times." And as for the TV, I'd be running my music system with matching graphics on the screen. Unless you're a sports bar, or it's World Series time, the TV wouldn't be a customer accessable item. Maybe I'm missing something? I'll go back to your profile page. I think you mentioned it was more of a "come in, sit down and stay awhile" style cafe? That certainly makes it sound more like you're ".....following your dream" . But as I'm more business oriented, I'd be adjusting my rates more consistent with "bed and breakfast."
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Permalink Reply by Jarred Hoffpauir on
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Hay Chuck, I am new to this forum as well as new to the industry. However I am not new to the issues of running a business or customer service. I looked over your posts (this one and the the "urge to kill") and I think you have the same type of issues most people find when they run their shop with such passion and love. I believe you can to one of two ways and still retain your sanity. The first is go the way of the eccentric soup Nazi and make lots of rules for people to follow. You will maintain order and discipline as well as the quality of your product. However that option leaves you with many who may not patronize your business because of that.
The second option is to embrace the idea that your shop truly belongs to your customers and your charge as the shop owner is to mold the atmosphere and provide the best possible product for your customers. Think about what your customer will see when they come in and set up your shop to help mold them into the course of action that you want to see. If you want people to sit and stay give them something to sit in and stay for. If you want people to enjoy music and sip coffee play good music and eliminate other sources of stimulation like the TV, or at least set up the TV to accommodate your vision. The thing you dont want is to have people "feel at home" if they wanted home that is where they would be. I believe you can give them something better then they could achieve at their home.
If you have not sat in your own lobby as a customer, do that for a few hours on your busy days. Observe, take some notes on how you feel, on how others are behaving and what they are doing. Then compare that to what your vision is. You can also pay others to do this for you (like me lol) but its is likely much more valuable if its done by you.
I hope some of that helps and leaves you feeling like you can take back the power to reclaim your vision. Work hard and be vigilant. And most importantly serve hot fresh Chef Stack Pancakes (that is my advert).
Jarred
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Permalink Reply by Mike McGinness on
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Agree not having TV control accessible to customers, especially kids.
Also suggest posting one of these signs.
Then if parents don't take the hint take them aside, privately, and ask them to help you keep the atomosphere pleasant for all your patrons.
If that still doesn't work, maybe make a sign something like "Babysitting/Daycare rates are $100 per hour per unattended child"... (haven't tried that one, just thought of it:-)
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I do like that sign!
miKe mcKoffee aka Mike McGinness said:Agree not having TV control accessible to customers, especially kids.
Also suggest posting one of these signs.
Then if parents don't take the hint take them aside, privately, and ask them to help you keep the atomosphere pleasant for all your patrons.
If that still doesn't work, maybe make a sign something like "Babysitting/Daycare rates are $100 per hour per unattended child"... (haven't tried that one, just thought of it:-)
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Permalink Reply by Jason Shipley on
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I Like the sign
Unattended children will be given espresso and a Puppy.
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I liked Puppy versus Kitten too but haven't found one that looked as good so bought the kitten signs...
Jason Shipley said:I Like the sign
Unattended children will be given espresso and a Puppy.
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Since Chuck's post seems to sideswipe the issue of "kid friendly" cafes, I thought this might be worth a quick read. While it wouldn't be my objective, here's a cafe I visited maybe 3 years ago while on a business trip in Portland. I never forgot how they had purposfully incorporated kids into their business plan. Next visit I need to get some photos. My traditional cappuccino was excellent, by the way. I believe they were brewing Stumptown on a 3 or 4 group LM Linea. Here's a short description of the place. January, you're in the Portland area, right? Maybe you've visited the shop? I haven't seen another shop like this since.
What’s a discriminating mum to do with her savvy offspring after the twenty-five-thousandth “I’m bored”? Sometimes you just need to get out of the house, but come August you’ve run out of creative choices. Well, say no more. We’ve just met the au courant mecca for moms. Welcome Sip and Kranz...a new hot spot for hot moms and their hep kids. This place is the bomb. It is such an amazing, swanky modern space with delectable snacks (not your typical milk and cookies). They have an entire glass-enclosed play area, where mom can relax and sip a latte (and soon even have a glass of vino) while the kids busily play around them.
And you don’t even have to have kids to go here. Since the kiddles are in their sound-proof room, where incidentally they can do all the graffiti they want along the huge wall, other regular (and dare we say, “hot” guys) sip their coffee and strum their computers (yes, wi-fi!) in the mod easy chairs.
Between the décor, the incredible food, the delish coffee, the atmosphere (which in our opinion is nearly everything) and the kid-friendly element, this is our new favorite place in the whole wide world. Plus you can stop by Nolita for some jeans (which are now on sale) just next door, and skip through the Jamison Park fountain. Re-route the playgroup! This outing can consume a whole day of fun…in style
Sip and Kranz
901 NW 10th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
www.sipandkranz.com
GUESS WHAT..... I rechecked the website, and now remember that the joint was bought and reformed into a more Euro theme. And guess what, if I'm correct, they kicked out the kids!!?
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Permalink Reply by Denise Smith on
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Our bank teller had a sign: All unruly children will be given a triple shot of espresso and a puppy...
I could do the that with a feral stray cat from my back door neighbor.
My mother always preferred telling us that shop owners would sell unruly children to the gypsies. I never really understood what she meant but the way she said made it sound terrible.
We recently had a woman and what appeared to be a friend or nanny come in with one little boy. Now with two adults you would think they would be able to keep an eye on him and keep him under control.
After he nearly broke my cocoa and spice shakers and jumped up and down on the furniture he proceeded to shut the front door in the faces of some our customers and then hit them... neither woman doing anything to stop him...
Yes, for the safety of my other customers I WILL say something to them the next time they don't control him!
And if mommy ever comes in bare foot while I'm in the building I Will ask her to leave!
I was in the office doing paper work when it happened and my crew were all in shock so they couldn't come get me.
The now know S.O.P. is Get Miss Denise!
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Permalink Reply by chuck celentano on
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Point of clarification: We do sell ice cream here and occasionally I make Brownie Pops, so we are no on a tirade against kids. We just don't appreciate it when they use our furniture to jump on or rip stuff off the doors and walls. (Yes, this has happened quite often), the parents blankly stare or mumble in a wimpy voice "Johnny don't touch that". I am concerned that a sign might allienate some parents, my inclination is to just verbalize something like "Oh son, please don't jump on our furniture, you could fall and get hurt". Only thing is saying it with clenched teeth might not sound too friendly. ROTFLMAO!
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Permalink Reply by Mike Spence on
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As a parent of a 6 and 4 year old, I'd be shocked if anyone let kids get away with some of this stuff. My kids are not perfect (great but not perfect), but my wife and I expect them to act civilized when out in public. We have left on 2-3 occassions when the kids were babies and I have had to inact a quick 20 second time out right outside a store before. The sad thing is that the parents just don't care. If it helps - some of us do realize how hard you guys work to keep a shop going!
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Permalink Reply by Jay Caragay on
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The Spro's coffee bar is located in a public library so kids are a common occurrence for us. Mostly, the kids are behaved but once in a while, some are unruly. While most parents try to manage their kids, I have very little qualms about intervening when I deem necessary. For example, if a child is acting belligerent and disrespectful to the mother, I'll step up with a word of authority. Or if the child is behaving badly, I have no problem telling that child that kind of behavior is unacceptable.
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Permalink Reply by barista247 on
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It shocks me how parents let there kids run .I have a 10 year old, I raised her the way my parents raised me,they could take me anywhere and EXPECT me to behave.
We have a drive thru and a walk in shop, kids also behave badly in the drive thru when they dont get a drink.
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