The First Church of Starbucks....and a small self sighting, I think...

[lupo pazzesco]

So, I had to get a few things at Target on my way home tonight and stopped off for a small drink in the Target Starbucks because I was on my way home and hungry, and if I ride the bus on an empty stomach I get queasy with the bumpiness. Now, the poor barista was looking REALLY harassed. He had been dealing with a stupid customer himself, and had to make her drink 5 times before she was happy.

I admit I got a little bitchy, after having had such a shitty day at work, and I just wanted my iced latte!!

Me:
SB: Starbucks Barista
CML: Crazy Mocha Lady

SB: <After yet another try, puts the blender on the base to whip up a frapuccino.>
CML: Please make sure you get it right, this time! It has to be PERFECT! (seriously, she was acting like the drink had to give her a religious experience. Craziness...)
Me:<While waiting for her frap to blend> Hi! could I place my order while waiting for the fifth incarnation of her mocha messiah...
SB: <Looks like he wants to laugh> Sure, what can I get started for you today?
CML: <Looks at me like I'm a serial killer trying to take her purse>
Me: <Just gives my order cheerfully>
SB: <Starts my order, and finishes the lady's frap, handing it over> Here you are, ma'am, I'm so sorry for the delay, that'll be $X.xx.
CML: <Sips the frap and frowns> No, this STILL isn't right, you idiot! How many times do I have to tell you!? It's a MOCHA frapuccino! TWO extra shots! EXTRA Mocha! And EXTRA whipped CREAM!
SB: <Sighs> That's exactly how I made it ma'am.
CML: Obviously NOT! It still tastes horrible!!
Me: <Butts in> Look, ma'am, with all due respect, I've watched him make your drink FOUR times! By all rights, he COULD charge you for all four because of the materials he's used. If it's not perfect, then you should probably go make it yourself!
CML: YOU shouldn't be butting in to other people's business! I'm a paying customer!
Me: <bites my tongue on that one!>
SB: Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to pay for your drink, please, I do have other customers waiting.
CML: <Pays, but leaves grumbling the whole time about how hard it is to find someone to make a PERFECT frapuccino.>
SB: <He finally gets me my drink made, and then he sort of stares at the register trying to remember how to ring it up, and apologizes after a second, telling me it's been a long day>
Me: Oh, sweetheart, it's ok. I know how that goes, trust me. I work at a college textbook store. And classes just started.
SB: <He actually SHUDDERED!>
Me: <Still feeling evil and a little bitchy, but in a playful way this time> Hey, wanna trade?
SB: Well, I also have to teach the little buggers so let me think for a second, NO. I don't.
Me: Ok, just thought I'd offer. I mean, I don't want to interrupt any quests for holy frapuccinos, but if you ever need a break, I work at The Bookstore by University

I pay, and he hands me my change, and then makes the sign of the cross in the air

SB: Oh,and by the way "In nomine patris, et fili, et spiritus sancti <He actually said it in Latin> I think you're going to need that...
Me: <I laugh> Thanks, darlin, hope you have a good weekend



So, I evoked sympathy in a Starbucks Barista to the point he felt the need to bless me in Latin. And despite being a harried barista who teaches high school part time...he still doesn't want my job. Kind of sad, in an amusing sort of way...

[mattm04]

I generally avoid bucks' for that reason and I really don't like their coffee. I got a gift card and went to the local Starbucks. I watched as they made a drink 6 times for one custoemr, each time he didn't like it, the remade it, even double and tipple checking withe the SC. And you wonder why their coffee is so expensive.

[JLRodgers]

I probably would've told tha lady, "actually you haven't paid yet, so you arne't a paying customer. I on the other hand...." I doubt I could've held my tongue.

[draftermatt]

No small self sighting. You had a lot more tact than I would have.

[jedimaster91]

I've been extremely happy with the Peppermint hot chocolate and pumpkin loaves I used to get at Starbucks. But then hubby put me on a budget, so I don't get those much anymore.

Kudos to you, Lupo!

[PepperElf]

... self sighting?...
if you consider making the barista smile and want to laugh as sucky... then yes


but oy... just think... he deals with little hellions all day long and then gets crapped on by their parents at the second job. yuck

[otakuneko]

but oy... just think... he deals with little hellions all day long and then gets crapped on by their parents at the second job. yuck

and yet he still doesn't want LP's job!

[candyshopgirl]

I like starbucks but I only drink it like maybe every 4-5 months. Too many calories. Anyways(I know I'm going to get heat for this)but I think some people use it as a status symbol.
Let me explain:
It's Usually the idiots with the louie Vuttion handbags and expensive sunglasses,they carry the cups with the starbucks symbols out(as to make sure its seen.) And they usually carry the cup like 8-10 inches from the body.Once again to make sure its seen. I don't know maybe they think paying 3-5 dollars a cup of coffee make you cool. What do you guys think

[otakuneko]

'tis true. Starschmucks they are.

[lupo pazzesco]

... self sighting?...
if you consider making the barista smile and want to laugh as sucky... then yes


but oy... just think... he deals with little hellions all day long and then gets crapped on by their parents at the second job. yuck

I was more referring to the fact that I sort of interrupted her and snapped at the lady, but yes, she deserved it!

and yet he still doesn't want LP's job!

<sigh> So true...

How sad is that???

[Sliceanddice]

wait you didnt give him the site?!?!?!

[Tutorgal]

When I worked there, we had a customer who ordered his milk steamed to exactly 140 degrees. However, he was very nice, tipped well, and was ok with a bit of over/under on the temp. So we considered him easy.

But this one woman. Oh my god. The corporate guidelines say that shots of espresso have to take 18-22 seconds to pull, or be thrown out. Anywhere else (guides to brewing, manuals, etc) says 18-23, with 17 being just fine too. You only start to hit trouble after 23, and the coffee can get bitter.

Anyway, this woman had to have 18 second shots. And ONLY 18 second shots. Now, how fast shots pull depends on a lot of things, humidity being a big one. The standard grind setting would almost always give a shot in the right period of time, with maybe some adjusting on how hard you tamp the espresso. But sometimes getting those shots to hit 18 seconds exactly was really hard. And she was ordering 4 venti drinks at a time, so thats 8 shots at once. That's 4 chances for "imperfect" shots. And espresso has to be used within 10 seconds, or dump it out.

And god forbid you should make one drink to completion so as not to waste those perfect 18 second shots. Oh, no. That would be "HIDEOUS." So you load all 4 at once and hit the buttons quickly and pray. All the while this nasty shrew was leaning over the counter with this crazed look on her face, just convinced someone would try to slip her a 19 second shot. She would whine about how they had to be 18 seconds over and over and get really shrill and lean till her boobs were practically in the milk pitchers, whining over and over about how they had to be 18 seconds, as if we could possibly have forgotten. And if they didnt come out the first time she would start becoming visibly unhinged and would get more and more anxious until her 4 precious drinks were just perfect.

There were days that I must have pulled 20-30 shots of espresso just for her 4 stupid drinks (especially on very hot and humid days). And no, we couldn't throw her out. The idiots at corporate had make a guarantee that every drink would be made to the customers satisfaction every time. She had already bitched to corporate, so the manager told us we had to put up with her.

What's the taste difference between an 18 second shot and a 20 second shot? NOTHING!

Jeez, just thinking about that woman again makes me want a martini.

[Snowbird]

And if they didnt come out the first time she would start becoming visibly unhinged and would get more and more anxious until her 4 precious drinks were just perfect.

It really sounds like she needed to be medicated and the kind of pills they would give her wouldn't be the sort one can drink with coffee.

CML: Please make sure you get it right, this time! It has to be PERFECT!

Oy. If she's that picky, she needs to find the person that did it once for her and get them to make it. Or try to, I'm not sure if that kind of perfection can be seen more than once in a lifetime, sort of the Halley's Comet of coffee.

[Jadedcarguy]

All of the Starbucks around here have a sign that says "If your drink isn't perfect every time, let us know". I wondered what kind of suck that would generate. Now I know.

I usually just get a black iced tea with no sweetener. Kind of hard to mess that up.

[Rapscallion]

It really sounds like she needed to be medicated and the kind of pills they would give her wouldn't be the sort one can drink with coffee.

I more think that she's the sort of person who really doesn't need any form of caffeine.

Rapscallion