please don't hit on me (long)

[Green_Fairy]

so...today was rather eventful. it was pretty slow, for a monday morning. never really have a line...had most of our pastries ('cept blueberry muffins but whatever)...but...there are always exceptions...

speaking chinese, or please don't hit on the drive thru girl
so we had a line once this morning, for about five minutes. woooow. apparently, that wouldn't work for these two guys in a truck. they started honking. then, when they got to the speaker box, the driver ordered, but i couldn't hear him very well. it was loud in the lobby; there was a blender running behind me. so i asked him to repeat his order. then the passenger leaned across from him (there's a camera on are speaker box. so...i seeeee yooou ) and started being an idiot.
"we've been here for 15 minutes blah blah blah something something something." i thought he was ordering something so i asked him to repeat himself.
"what, am i speaking chinese or something?"
no, you have a thick accent, are on the other side of the car, and are competing with a loud lobby. so...cue the uber cherry "so that'll be two cappuccinos i'll see you at the window!"
they pull up and look genuinely surprised as i take they're money. the two guys are doing the whole "look at each other, then look at me" thing. then they start actively checking me out as i'm taking another order. they're practically leaning in the window. i'm like whatever and go get them their drinks. as i hand them out, the passenger says "has anyone ever told you that you're veeeeeerry beautiful?"
...yes. yes they have. and you're creepy. you remind me of the hand lotion guys at the mall. i don't like them either. please. GTFA (go the fuck away). "thank you! have a nice day!" *slam the window shut and walk away*

careful! it's full!
today the gal on bar filled up a customer's iced coffee a little too full. as i handed it through the window to her, i said "careful! it's a bit full. hehe getting your money's worth, eh?" and i handed her some napkins. then i watched her put it on her passenger seat.
she came back through not five minutes later. "yeah i just came through and ordered a coffee. you filled it up too much. now there's coffee all over me and my car."
*le sigh*
i almost felt bad cuz the coffee was full...but at the same time, i saw that she had perfectly good cupholders, but instead, she chose to use...her passenger seat. i dunno about her car, but in mine, the passenger seat doesn't double as a cupholder.
at lease she was happy with some napkins and didn't demand a refund or something.

want me to move mountains while i'm at it?
so whomever's working drive throu also does dishes. because it's been steady, i haven't had a chance to start on them. my manager, "C" asks me to start working on them and i'm like "yeah i'll get right on that. after i help these customers." so i'm scrambling around trying to do dishes, grab pastries, and help customers. and what's she doing? chatting with customers. "GF, have you started those dishes yet?"
i looked at her and said "yeah. i did. then i got distracted by customers. my bad."
she just kinda looked at me and went back to chatting with the customers. yanno...if you see the sinks are getting full...you could help. i'm just sayin.

allergy attack, anyone?
so we put whipped cream on stuff. if you order a non-fat white mocha, you'll get a pile of heavy whipping cream on it unless you say otherwise. apparently, we're not allowed to ask if they want whipped cream. it takes to much time. so if they order something non-fat or even soy for you lactose intolerant folks out there, you'll get a pile of fattening dairy on top of your drink unless you ask otherwise. cuz damnit, it takes to long to ask "do you want whip on that?"
and get this...this is my favorite part about this new policy. we aren't allowed to remake your drink. it's your fault you ordered it wrong. "they'll just learn for next time," says my manager. yeah. if they come back. no wonder our customer satisfaction's so low. my manager's a bitch!

's cool...didn't want to enjoy my lunch anyway...
so i went on my 30 minute lunch break and grabbed a chicken tarragon sandwich (omg yum) to much on. as i was standing in line to buy it, this guy starts asking me what's good. mind you, i'm not wearing my green apron, i'm texting, and i have my knitting and a sandwich in my hands. i'm obviously not working. so i mention a few things i like. and he takes a step closer. he keeps asking about the food we carry, inching closer. i keep backing up and trying to end the conversation. after about 15 minutes, he buys his stuff and leaves. M, the girl at the register was like "wow...and here i was thinking i was the one working right now..." so i got 15 minutes to eat my sandwich, talk to The Boy, and knit a few rows of scarf. grr. not like i wanted the full 30 or whatever.

a glimmer of hope for humanity
i was gonna post this yesterday, but kinda forgot. i took a bathroom break and when i went in, i saw a purse a lady had left. so i grabbed it and went to put it under the registers for when she comes back in to claim it. as i'm doing so, a guy comes in, freaking out that his wife left her purse in the bathroom. i remember the couple, so i hand him the purse. he's thanking me and thanking me as he backs out of the store. a few minutes later he comes back in and i'm thinking "uh oh...was something missing?" he asks "so who was the girl that found my wife's purse?" all fingers point to me.
he pulls out his wallet and hands me $10. "i just wanted to thank you. we would've been in so much trouble. there was a few thousand dollars in that purse."
me: uh...that's really not necessary...it's no big thing...
guy: no really! i insist!
me: uh. okay...*takes money* well...i'm glad we found it. have a fantastic day!
guy: oh you too! and there will be more coming to you, i can assure you of that! *leaves*
me:...was that a threat of good things to come? i'm unnerved by that *puts money in tip jar and goes back to work*

*le sigh* i'm just gonna eat my soup and pretend today didn't happen.

[EvilEmpryss]

Due to my narcolepsy, I can be very absentminded at the worst of times. I *always* make sure to find a way to give something to the person who finds my purse and returns it intact. If it was an employee, I make sure to tell a manager how thankful I am, too. Good deeds and decency are getting rare, so it's my duty to encourage them whenever I encounter them.

[Amina516]

you're creepy. you remind me of the hand lotion guys at the mall. i don't like them either. please. GTFA

You may have just given me my first sig line ever. Permission to use?

And im thinking the only way to have a real lunch break would be to leave your store altogether, b/c people will recognize you and word molest you anyways.

[Seshat]

and he takes a step closer. he keeps asking about the food we carry, inching closer. i keep backing up and trying to end the conversation. after about 15 minutes, he buys his stuff and leaves.

There is nothing wrong with saying "Go away."

It's perfectly polite (on your side) to have an exchange that goes something like:

Him "So what's good here?"
You "I like X and Y."
Him "The Z sounds good."
You "If you like chicken, the Q is better."
Him "What about blah blah blah?"
You "Oh look, my food is up. Nice talking to you."
Him (tries to continue)
You "Excuse me, I'm on my lunch break. See you another time."
Him (tries to continue)
You (firmly) "I would like to be left alone now."
Him (tries to continue)
You (firmly) "Go. Away."
Him (tries to continue)
You (hands up in front of you, near-shouting) "GO. AWAY."
Him (tries to continue)
You (yelling to co-worker) "Please call the police. This guy will not leave me alone."

If he still tries to continue, you grab your stuff (or abandon it, use your gut instinct) and get behind the counter (since you're staff) or next to the counter (if not).

Even someone with limited social instinct would have the message by now. Anyone who continues TO this point can be considered to have something malicious in mind. Anyone who continues past this point should be considered a threat.

[Green_Fairy]

You may have just given me my first sig line ever. Permission to use?

lol go ahead.

and seshat...eeeh...wasn't really that bad. just annoying. i could tell he wasn't trying to be creepy or intrusive.

[Hobbs]

Egads. And thus is why I tend to always treat my baristas nicely. Also because they recognize me, apparently O_o

[Seshat]

seshat...eeeh...wasn't really that bad. just annoying. i could tell he wasn't trying to be creepy or intrusive.

He still occupied fifteen minutes of your time.

There's nothing wrong with a firm "go away".

[Snowbird]

"GF, have you started those dishes yet?"
i looked at her and said "yeah. i did. then i got distracted by customers. my bad."
she just kinda looked at me and went back to chatting with the customers. yanno...if you see the sinks are getting full...you could help. i'm just sayin.

Ask her for help next time? You're only one person and can't be in two places at once. Otherwise she'll probably get the impression that you can and will continue to take advantage.

allergy attack, anyone?
so we put whipped cream on stuff. if you order a non-fat white mocha, you'll get a pile of heavy whipping cream on it unless you say otherwise. apparently, we're not allowed to ask if they want whipped cream. it takes to much time. so if they order something non-fat or even soy for you lactose intolerant folks out there, you'll get a pile of fattening dairy on top of your drink unless you ask otherwise. cuz damnit, it takes to long to ask "do you want whip on that?"
and get this...this is my favorite part about this new policy. we aren't allowed to remake your drink. it's your fault you ordered it wrong. "they'll just learn for next time," says my manager. yeah. if they come back.

Yeahhhh no. This goes right up into my 'holy crap that's stupid' list. If I was allergic and wasn't asked if I wanted whipped cream, then told I couldn't get a replacement, I'd be going to upper management if I wasn't given a refund. I'd imagine my response would be one of the nicer ones in that regard too.

Why bother putting the whipped cream on at all if they don't want to waste time asking? They'd save themselves time and the cost of the whipped cream instead of ticking off good customers. People who want it will ask for it if it's not put on first. Simple.

[Magpie]

allergy attack, anyone?
so we put whipped cream on stuff. if you order a non-fat white mocha, you'll get a pile of heavy whipping cream on it unless you say otherwise. apparently, we're not allowed to ask if they want whipped cream. it takes to much time. so if they order something non-fat or even soy for you lactose intolerant folks out there, you'll get a pile of fattening dairy on top of your drink unless you ask otherwise. cuz damnit, it takes to long to ask "do you want whip on that?"
and get this...this is my favorite part about this new policy. we aren't allowed to remake your drink. it's your fault you ordered it wrong. "they'll just learn for next time," says my manager. yeah. if they come back. no wonder our customer satisfaction's so low. my manager's a bitch!

While I agree that this is a stupid policy, those of us with dairy allergies (sensitivities, whatever) tend to have a knee-jerk "and no toppings with that" or "is there any whipped topping of any kind?" on anything that has a chance of being contaminated. The only times I've had a problem were when the server already knew about my allergy, and had been really good all evening, so I didn't bother to mention that I didn't want the ice cream, and the time that I couldn't, for the life of me, remember how to phrase what I wanted. I ended up with pie that had no pretty sauces on top, but whipped cream with it. Fortunately my husband is always willing to eat the mistakes for me.

That, and if it's cream I'm not going to be really affected by it, not as if it was milk - cream is heavier in fat, and therefore has less protein.

[chainedbarista]

if you work for who i think you work for, i'm surprised that your manager still has a job; i was under the impression that taking care of the customer was that company's main objective.

time to write her supervisor?

[trailerparkmedic]

I'm really surprised by your manager. I've seen people at my local green apron coffee stores bend over backwards for customers. This morning, the customer in front of me ordered a nonfat gingerbread latte when she wanted a sugar free vanilla cappuccino. Customer got crazy mad that she got what she ordered, and they made her a new drink. So glad I wasn't handling that customer!!

[Green_Fairy]

it's weird...normally, she'll do whatever the customer needs. if someone orders something and doesn't like it, she'll remake it no problem. but if they don't want whip and forget to mention it...no go. i don't get it. like today...a guy sent his secretary in for a drink and apparently ordered it wrong and he came in a few hours later and she made his drink for him, no charge. i think she's crazy or something.

[Andara Bledin]

Yeahhhh no. This goes right up into my 'holy crap that's stupid' list. If I was allergic and wasn't asked if I wanted whipped cream, then told I couldn't get a replacement, I'd be going to upper management if I wasn't given a refund.

I suggest telling anyone that gets caught by that (although anyone with an allergy should know to ask anyway) to complain to corporate rather than the manager, since it's the manager's policy.

As for the dishes, I'm with Snowbird; If you don't have enough time, then say something, because you're not super-woman, and shouldn't be expected to act like you are.

I'm lucky in that my work actively encourages the people to ask for help if they need it.

Alas, the co-irker that works at the desk that most needs to keep up on everything freaks out half the time when I ask if she needs help. She's afraid that I want to take her job (I've been there 15 years and the bosslady doesn't want me doing that job, so it's not even an option), and sometimes totally flips out on me. I think she either self-medicates, or fails to take meds she's actually been prescribed.

^-.-^