It's Just Coffee

Here's the thing. It's just coffee. It isn't the end of the world. Your life does not actually depend upon how much you like your beverage. We are not out to get you. You have nothing to prove to us. The safety of the free world does not depend on the amount of caramel in or on your blended beverage.

Most of us baristas are just trying to do a job the best way that we can. Shouting, sneering, snarky comments, and back-seat-baristaing does NOT HELP.

Just as we cannot know what sort of day you've had, you can't know what sort of day we've had. We're happy to remake your drink if you don't like it, honest! But if there are other customers in line, or if we're switching shifts, please be patient. And thank you.

Wrist Bands, Oh yeah....

So I was gone for a few days, and upon returning, I discover that not only has Coffee Shop X provided us with colorful new aprons, but also....Wrist Bands! Oh yes my friends, we are moving into full-swing marketing for the summer. We have to appear "young and hip." Too bad the wrist bands (like..sweat bands) seem to have been made for KIDS and cut off your circulation. Oh, Coffee Shop X. You are so special.

On a side note, I realized tonight that I give back forty-one cents in change a LOT. Now I'm curiously obsessed with what the most common amount I give out for change is. I'm a weird bird.

Undergarments and Other Surprises

Firstly, I'd like to take a moment to recognize the fact that I have now been a barista for slightly more than a month. Yay me! I work with pretty nice people, so it's hard to be certain, but I feel like I'm doing well.

Now on to my enticing title. While I can't say there is never a dull moment at Coffee Shop X, I can say that there are frequent, and oft interesting, surprises. Today, for example, was a slightly odd day. Most of the day was me, someone from another store, and a very tired supervisor who stayed late. Just after she left and another person (from my store this time) arrived, I took a trip to "the little barista's room". In the bathroom, I found a pair of leopard print and black satin/lace/bows panties on the floor. Crumpled up. Just...there.

Of course I didn't want to touch them. So I told one of my female co-workers and she used a pair of plastic gloves to put them in a small bag. Just in case someone...came back for them? I mean, I can't imagine that happening, but we felt we had to cover our butts just in case. Er, so to speak.

One just never knows what one will find in this line of work. Something amusing, today, to help keep the day from seeming too long. Who knows what it will be tomorrow?

Consideration

I am a chronic migraine sufferer. Sometimes I can take medicine and work through the pain, and sometimes I can't. It helps, though, if my co-workers are considerate. Last night, I worked my first weekend closing shift, and I did it with a migraine. I medicated myself, and luckily, my co-workers were both amazingly supportive.

And to make things even better, the customer flow was light, and most of the customers were really quite considerate. I never said anything about how I felt, but it's impossible to hide how awful I feel when I'm having a migraine. And it slows me down, makes it harder for me to do simple tasks, etc. And almost none of the customers were snarky or rude or impatient. I was really very grateful.

So if you are ever a customer at a coffee shop, and your barista looks a bit green around the gills....the best thing you can do for him or her is just be considerate. Odds are, they don't want to talk about it. They probably don't want to talk, period! But having nicer than average customers really helps.

Working a Shift in Another Coffee Shop

Today's post is all about etiquette. When you work for a large company, like Coffee Shop X, it is possible that someone from another store might have to fill in to fill out a shift on any given day.

I have not yet been sent to another store to do this, probably because of how new I am, so I am writing all of this keeping in mind that I don't have any first hand experience as "that person."

However.

There are some basics that I really feel like should be understood by everyone. Should really be followed by everyone, without anyone having to suggest it. Some examples may be useful.

*Don't demean the store you are filling in at
*Don't spend more time "correcting" the people you're working with than working
*Don't comment on how amazing your own store is more than three, maybe four, times
*Do try to do anything you can to help, even if you are normally a supervisor
*Do find positive things to comment on (even if it isn't directly about the store)
*Do be friendly with the regulars when they speak to you
*Don't flirt with someone to the extent that you don't hear a drink being called

Basically, I think what I'm saying here, is it's just common courtesy to be considerate when you visit another person's "domain". I mean, smiling and speaking in a pleasant voice is good. But it doesn't cut it. There has to be some substance. You can't come in and take over. And you certainly can't come in and be bossy to the extent that work is hampered when what is really needed most is a helping hand.

I'm sure my day will come. The call from the manager that I need to cover a shift at another store. And I hope I will be able to follow my own guidelines. Because let me tell you: two and a half hours of my day today were unnecessarily long and frustrating.

Ordering and Cell Phones

I have observed that people seem to be of the opinion that it is perfectly acceptable to place an order at Coffee Shop X whilst on the phone. It's not a bad thing, really. But it can be a bit of an issue when you mouth your order soundlessly at the barista and then continue your phone conversation.

Just in case you weren't sure, baristas (at least the vast majority of us) are not actually telepathic. And if it's something simple like, "latte" or "small coffee" it's not too bad. But if it's a "grande orange mango banana smoothie with matcha powder and a shot of espresso" (yes, yes that really was ordered)...well, things get a bit tricky.

So maybe just...y'know...tell your fellow conversant to hold on for a moment while you make your order, and then keep talking. Otherwise, who knows what you'll get. Or pay for, for that matter.

"That'll Be..."

It was a rather frustrating day at Coffee Shop X today. I think pretty much everyone was having a bad day, and that included me. It makes it really hard to be pleasant and do things like care about your beverage. No offense.

As I was working register (not any easier than bar, really) something happened a few times that has been bugging me for a few weeks now. A customer would make an order, I'd give them the total, let's say $7.95, and then the customer would give me a $10. I always pause for a moment to give the customer time to get change in case they want to, and then I ring up the order and make change. (Keep in mind, none of this is an issue if you're using a credit card.)

Lately, I've been waiting the requisite few seconds, ringing up the order, and just as I'm making change, the customer stops me with, "oh wait, I think I have change!"

.............-_-

There isn't any way to go back and change what's in the POS system. Also, it means doing quick math in my head, at which I FAIL. Add to this, the customer almost never has exact change: usually, they hand me a quarter for five cents, or something similar. UGH I say!

So please, if paying with cash, either be prepared to break your bills, or go ahead and get your change out. Don't wait for the person behind the register to already be counting out your change and then suddenly discover thirteen cents in your back pocket or the bottom of your purse! It's frustrating, confusing, and makes the till count at the end of the shift all wonky. And wonky isn't good when it comes to money.

Chances Are...

...chances are, if you've run by the coffee shop to grab some caffeine on your lunch break, so has everyone else. It's amazing how many people seem to think that only they have to get back from an hour long lunch break between the hours of noon and 2 p.m.

We make 'em as we get 'em, folks. No skipping your drink ahead because you have a meeting. No letting your beverage "cut in line". And please, please do not come behind the bar to ask us to do either of those things.

PSA for Creepy Old Dudes

Baristas (both women and men, really) are freaked out when you try to grab our hands and smother them with kisses, and then press them to your chest while you mumble incoherently. It's even more freaky when you do it on a regular basis. So, no matter how awesome a regular you are, please "just say no" to grabby-hands.

Thanks. >.>

On the Ordering of Blended Beverages

Okay interpeeps, I get it. It's getting toasty out there. The pollen count is high. It's Spring Break for many of you. But it is at no time a good idea to enter an establishment fifteen minutes before closing time with your entire extended family and order SIXTEEN blended beverages.

Also, as a side note, if you order a frappucino, don't let it sit for long before drinking it because it will start to seperate; parts get slushy and other parts get watery. This may seem like common sense, but you would be shocked by the number of people who order a frapp, take it outside, chat for ten minutes, and then bring it inside and complain that it's too watery. And then are upset when they're told we'll remake the drink, but only after making the drinks already in queue.

This is my second night closing, really closing, and not just as a trainee, and for the second time we've had droves of people coming in ten, even five minutes before closing with huge orders. Just as a heads up for those that may not know, it takes a MINIMUM of thirty minutes to clean and sanitize everything after closing. If you can't do some things while the store is still open, it's going to take you a good hour, and the bosses do NOT like that. And no one wins then!

Tips on Tips

Being new to food service, especially the variety that involves tipping, things like tips are a revelation to me. I've always tried to tip, and tip extra when the service was exemplary. What I didn't know was how those tips were distributed. I'm sure that each place has it's own procedures. At my workplace, the tips are divvied up evenly between every employee, with the only allowance being made for hours worked. More hours=more tips.

There are pluses and minuses here. The plus is that even if you spent most of your time working on tasks that keep you away from the customers, you still get your share of tips. The minus (from the customer's standpoint) is that the extra dollar you tuck into the tip cube for the barista who was so funny and added that extra shot or bit of whipped cream when you asked, even though there was a line, may not go to that barista.

My "tip"? Tip! Yes, that ten cents change you got for your frappucino helps, but ten cents divided nine or ten ways..? If you are an occasional visitor, it's not as big a deal, at least in my opinion. But regulars should certainly be generous. Especially those of you who hang out for hours, getting fifty-three cent refills, reading or smoking or talking on your phone or even working (you know who you are!). Before leaving, those persons should put a few bucks in the tip cube.

I got my share of tips for the first time this week, and it allowed me to get a tank full of gas instead of just $5 worth, and also a frozen meal for eating on my break instead of just a baggie of pretzels. Tips are wonderful! And if you can't tip? (Because let's face it, sometimes we just can't.) You would be shocked how far a genuine "thank you" or "have a great day" goes towards making an 8 hour shift seem a little shorter.

First Things First

Hello, and welcome to my wee slice of coffee land! Before I delve into this blogging endeavor, I felt I should make a few things clear. I am going to do my best to keep my employer, fellow employees, and regular customers anonymous. That said, it probably won't be hard to figure out where I work. I am dedicated to the anonymity of my coworkers and customers, so with very few exceptions, you'll be reading a lot of "Mr. X" and "Ms. Y" here.

Feel free to ask questions, I'll do my best to answer. I've only been on the job for a few weeks, but I have so many stories I couldn't possibly not blog about my experiences! So read on! And expect a lot of "Tips For A Consumer".

And with that, I break the metaphorical bottle of champagne across the bow of my blog-ship! Let 'er....er...sail. >.>