"Cannot" vs. "Will Not": The Cappuccino Lady

[Dria]

Yesterday I was busily making various expensive coffee drinks when someone at the put-your-own-durned-cream-in counter speaks up with a complaint.

The following exchange is recalled from memory as best I can.

Cappuccino Lady: *holds up cappuccino* I can't drink this. (some reference to the foam)
Me: *thinking the cappuccino was made too dry, it happens around here* I can put some more steamed milk in if you'd like...
CL: No, I can't drink this foam.
Coworker: Ma'am, a cappuccino is up to here *pointing at a cup* with espresso, here with steamed milk, and here with foam.
CL: I've never ordered a cappuccino before, I usually go to Starbucks, blather blather blather, I can't drink all this foam.
Coworker: *explains latte*
Me: *queues this lady's replacement latte, 'cause we're nice and it's Black Friday and suckitude levels are already too high*


I hate it when people get "cannot" and "will not" confused. "Cannot" implies a physical impossibility, which can be a problem for some people with perfectly normal drinks, yes; but usually it's just a SC who objects to the way their coffee is made.

At least she didn't throw it in my face. (And yes, we do have the relevant Cyanide and Happiness cartoon posted in the back )

[Tutorgal]

She will be in for a rude awakening at Starbucks, where a cappuccino is at least half foam, more like 2/3 foam for the largest size (I used to work there).

[Mighty Girl]

So what- is it your fault the moron can't remember what her drink of choice is called? A very condescending tone of voice would definitely be justified in such a scenario.

[Dalvenja]

[QUOTE=Dria;53920]
CL: I've never ordered a cappuccino before, I usually go to Starbucks, blather blather blather, I can't drink all this foam.
QUOTE]

Read: I usually get gas station cappuccino, but want to sound important and smart.

[RailroadMonster]

And yes, we do have the relevant Cyanide and Happiness cartoon posted in the back

I love Cyaide and Happiness... haha I know the ones you're talking about with the latte and cappucino too.

[Becks]

Read: I usually get gas station cappuccino, but want to sound important and smart.

What's wrong with gas station cappuccino? I'd rather waste my money on that than go to Starbucks.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

What's wrong with gas station cappuccino? I'd rather waste my money on that than go to Starbucks.

I don't see anything wrong with them either. The double mocha is always good, so is the French Vanilla. Goes well with a blueberry muffin or danish.

I think there's a Pumpkin spice cappucino available now, but I'm not brave enough to try it.

[BusBus]

What's wrong with gas station cappuccino? I'd rather waste my money on that than go to Starbucks.

I don't think the problem is with gas station cappuccinos. The problem seems to lie in the fact that a lot of coffee-based beverages in fast-food joints, gas stations, convenient stores etc etc are labelled as some form of cappuccino drink, even though they are basically coffee and sugar. I suppose it's because calling it a cappuccino makes it sound fancier than "sugar coffee". So when folks who drink these capuccino beverages go to coffee places that make the drinks properly and order a cappuccino (we will assume for simplicity's sake that Starbucks fits into this catergory), they are often surprised to find out what cappuccinos really are.

If I want a cappuccino or an espresso-based beverage, I'll go to a coffee place. If I just want coffee and sugar, nothing beats 7-11

-BB

[Dria]

The problem seems to lie in the fact that a lot of coffee-based beverages in fast-food joints, gas stations, convenient stores etc etc are labelled as some form of cappuccino drink, even though they are basically coffee and sugar. I suppose it's because calling it a cappuccino makes it sound fancier than "sugar coffee".

We had a "cappuccino" machine that we used as a hot chocolate dispenser because it was foamless and we make *real* cappuccinos. I'm not sure how "Café Latté" written in fancy text is insufficient for dressing up the gas station sugary coffee; it has fancy foreign syllables (unless you get the dreaded "lattie" pronunciation) and even fancy expensive-looking accented letters.

[Thrifty]

"they are often surprised to find out what cappuccinos really are"

I am soo guilty of that. I love gas station cap. but when I drank one I got from starbucks I didn't like it all because I wasn't used to it. I wasn't mean though, figured there was a difference between the two, I just made my fiancee drink it.

[protege]

What's wrong with gas station cappuccino? I'd rather waste my money on that than go to Starbucks.

Ah, Starf*cks Is it just me, or do many of the same people who go there to pay $5 for coffee...then turn around and whine about the gas prices?

[chainedbarista]

i'd rather have the quasi cappucino from a coffee shop (starbucks, not starbucks, i really don't care) than that crap from a machine, which is mostly sugar-it tends to make me sick.

but i'll take a tea over any of it if given the choice.

[tintaglia]

mmmmm tea (earl grey; hot )

[Severen13]

That's why I get Frapuccinnos instead of Capuccinnos. No foam!

[Dreamstalker]

I don't see anything wrong with them either. The double mocha is always good, so is the French Vanilla. Goes well with a blueberry muffin or danish.

I think there's a Pumpkin spice cappucino available now, but I'm not brave enough to try it.

7-11 here now has a York peppermint latte. Not bad, I like it much better than the pumpkin cheesecake thing.

*waiting for them to attempt Gingerbread*