The WORST service is at places like this. I want to assume the expertise and competency of every person I interact with. Especially in the service industry. The best service I get is terse, direct, and professional. I don’t need my fucking barista to pretend they like me. I need them to get through the 15 fucking orders before mine in a timely fashion so I can get on with the rest of my day. And if some dickhead doesn’t know what a machiato is, he can get his happy ass to the back of the line and order it again.
Barring allergies or medical issues, shut the fuck up and move on. If getting the wrong coffee is the worst thing to happen to you in a day you’re living a pretty charmed life.
But then again, I did get fired from Starbucks as a teen.
I want to assume the expertise and competency of every person I interact with. Especially in the service industry. The best service I get is terse, direct, and professional
I don’t understand why more people aren’t like this. When I am interacting with someone who is at work, the trait I want to see the most is knowledgeable, not friendly.
If I’m dealing with you in a professional capacity it’s because I have something I need from you. I’m looking for a result, not a conversation. And if my dumb ass is wrong about something then I want to be told why. That will force me to question my assumptions and possibly save me from mistakes in the future.
This is why I much prefer restaurants in places where tipping doesn’t happen.
There’s no BS about the waiter/waitress pretending to be your friend. There’s no organizing the restaurants by sections with one waiter/waitress covering only their section, whoever’s available when someone needs something deals with it. When your food is ready, any waiter/waitress around will grab it and bring it to the table. Also, because the places don’t depend on tips, they don’t care as much about how the waiter or waitress looks. That means people tend to stick around for longer, they know the food, they’re good at the job, and because they don’t need to keep flattering you, they can be honest.
But given the choice of dealing with someone who is competent but unfriendly, or incompetent and friendly, I would take the former over the latter 10 times out of 10
Thats okay. I got fired from Starbucks because I told everyone who would listen that forces people to write an endearing message on every cup completely ruins any impact they may have.
assume the expertise and competency of every person I interact with. Especially in the service industry.
the turnover at these places is insane, because they hire shit people, due to offering shit pay. there IS NO expertise, and rarely competence. if you ask a question about the product, they’ll say “i don’t know” and walk away. this is largely the fault of management and training, but also–would you give a rat’s ass about the 15th guy in line’s hurry when you’re getting paid jack shit per hour? i fucking wouldn’t. the attitude is you’ll get it when you get it; if you stopped at starbucks when you’re already running late, that’s a you problem
But then again, I did get fired from Starbucks as a teen.
You can still be competent at a shit job. But yes, if you pay shit pay you get what you paid for. We absolutely agree that it’s not the person behind the counter’s fault. They’re trying to get through a shift, not craft the perfect coffee order to your exacting standards. They can’t even control the grind or pull or steam temp on the new machines. You’re better off going to a fucking vending machine.
the only 2 things i ever get from starbucks anymore (maybe 2 or 3 times a year) is brewed coffee or iced americano. unless something’s wrong with the machines, it’s pretty much a) push a button, b) wait for coffee to pour, c) put a lid on the cup. very difficult to fuck up at any point in that procedure
as much as i shit on starbucks as a company, those clover coffee machines are fucking legit
I used to work in cafe, and love to go to cafes now still (like actual cafes - I say with pride and joking snobbery, coming from a country where starbucks isn’t really considered a cafe) and I honestly still have no idea why people go to cafes in the first place, if they’re only there for the coffee.
Instant coffee tastes okay (with milk) and is a whole lot faster and cheaper than a getting a coffee from a cafe.
Cafes sell customer service, a nice ritual, and a nice place to hang out, with nice beverages included. In my opinion.
The WORST service is at places like this. I want to assume the expertise and competency of every person I interact with. Especially in the service industry. The best service I get is terse, direct, and professional. I don’t need my fucking barista to pretend they like me. I need them to get through the 15 fucking orders before mine in a timely fashion so I can get on with the rest of my day. And if some dickhead doesn’t know what a machiato is, he can get his happy ass to the back of the line and order it again.
Barring allergies or medical issues, shut the fuck up and move on. If getting the wrong coffee is the worst thing to happen to you in a day you’re living a pretty charmed life.
But then again, I did get fired from Starbucks as a teen.
I don’t understand why more people aren’t like this. When I am interacting with someone who is at work, the trait I want to see the most is knowledgeable, not friendly.
If I’m dealing with you in a professional capacity it’s because I have something I need from you. I’m looking for a result, not a conversation. And if my dumb ass is wrong about something then I want to be told why. That will force me to question my assumptions and possibly save me from mistakes in the future.
This is why I much prefer restaurants in places where tipping doesn’t happen.
There’s no BS about the waiter/waitress pretending to be your friend. There’s no organizing the restaurants by sections with one waiter/waitress covering only their section, whoever’s available when someone needs something deals with it. When your food is ready, any waiter/waitress around will grab it and bring it to the table. Also, because the places don’t depend on tips, they don’t care as much about how the waiter or waitress looks. That means people tend to stick around for longer, they know the food, they’re good at the job, and because they don’t need to keep flattering you, they can be honest.
You can be both, ya know? You can be competent and okay to be around.
oh, absolutely. Friendliness is not unwelcome.
But given the choice of dealing with someone who is competent but unfriendly, or incompetent and friendly, I would take the former over the latter 10 times out of 10
Boy do I have a rant for you to enjoy!
Great, now I have to watch classic Fry QI for the next 3 hours.
If they’re all fake smiles and acting friendly, somebody is trying to sell crap at top dollar.
Because they don’t come for coffee, they come to be waited on.
Thats okay. I got fired from Starbucks because I told everyone who would listen that forces people to write an endearing message on every cup completely ruins any impact they may have.
the turnover at these places is insane, because they hire shit people, due to offering shit pay. there IS NO expertise, and rarely competence. if you ask a question about the product, they’ll say “i don’t know” and walk away. this is largely the fault of management and training, but also–would you give a rat’s ass about the 15th guy in line’s hurry when you’re getting paid jack shit per hour? i fucking wouldn’t. the attitude is you’ll get it when you get it; if you stopped at starbucks when you’re already running late, that’s a you problem
You can still be competent at a shit job. But yes, if you pay shit pay you get what you paid for. We absolutely agree that it’s not the person behind the counter’s fault. They’re trying to get through a shift, not craft the perfect coffee order to your exacting standards. They can’t even control the grind or pull or steam temp on the new machines. You’re better off going to a fucking vending machine.
the only 2 things i ever get from starbucks anymore (maybe 2 or 3 times a year) is brewed coffee or iced americano. unless something’s wrong with the machines, it’s pretty much a) push a button, b) wait for coffee to pour, c) put a lid on the cup. very difficult to fuck up at any point in that procedure
as much as i shit on starbucks as a company, those clover coffee machines are fucking legit
I used to work in cafe, and love to go to cafes now still (like actual cafes - I say with pride and joking snobbery, coming from a country where starbucks isn’t really considered a cafe) and I honestly still have no idea why people go to cafes in the first place, if they’re only there for the coffee.
Instant coffee tastes okay (with milk) and is a whole lot faster and cheaper than a getting a coffee from a cafe.
Cafes sell customer service, a nice ritual, and a nice place to hang out, with nice beverages included. In my opinion.