These are chronological. Note my progressive spiral into apathy and aggression.
Dude and his girlfriend walk in.
DUDE: I’m in a big hurry. Can I get a decaf?
ME: Oh, I’m so sorry. I just ran out and need to brew. Can you wait a couple minutes?
DUDE: No, I’m in a hurry. Just give me a decaf Americano.
ME: Okay.
I start on the drink. The girlfriend is trying to decide what she wants. She’s talking it over with him, I guess.
DUDE: Oh, hey. Can you put a little bit of foam on that drink?
Now, it was early in the morning. I didn’t have any foam because I hadn’t made any drinks yet that needed it — no lattes or cappuccinos. And I don’t just make foam and leave it languishing on the counter, hoping someone will want it. It’s against health code. And it’s gross. So it’s made on a per drink basis and an Americano is espresso and water, doesn’t take foam. Plus, he had said he was in a hurry, right? Okay.
ME: Oh. Well, I don’t have any made right now, so it will take a few more moments to make, is that okay?
DUDE (leaning over the counter and scowling at me): Look, I’m just asking for some service, all right? And you’re acting like it’s some big deal to make me some foam. How can you not have any foam made yet? I mean, what time did you open? Look. Okay. Just forget it. I don’t want the drink. Just give me my money back. What was it for our drinks? Four-something?
ME: Sir, I can make the foam — it’s not a problem — you just said you were in a hurry.
DUDE: No! Just forget it!
ME: Okay. Here’s 5 bucks back. This is my place and I think you should go now, okay?
I am fully convinced that there is just something inherently wrong with the coffee-drinking peoples of the world, trace.
Yeah….I’m a tea-drinker and I’m beginning to wonder if there is some kind of fundamental personality difference between coffee drinkers and tea drinkers. (or at least the hardcore kinds).
I suppose it goes without saying that you don’t deserve the treatment your customers are giving you….
This is the Zen koan of coffee – those who need it are disagreeable until they get it. If they had it, they would be nicer, but they would not need to be customers. Therefore friction is inevitable.
Then again, a little impulse control wouldn’t hurt. Instead of sniping like overgrown 3rd-graders on a sugar crash, ASK POLITELY. Jeepers.
There’s a karmic sentence waiting to happen on that guy.