25 August 2009

All I Want is a Cup of Coffee

Given that I have already established how difficult it is to get a cup of coffee at McDonalds, when I was up in Ojai the other day watching Queen of Spain and Undomestic Diva decide on their latest tattoos, I decided to visit a locally owned coffee shop for my iced coffee.

Java & Joe. That should have been a tip-off. Java AND Joe? Aren't those both nicknames for coffee? Why AND? Why not either Java OR Joe? But no.

Being an excellent, ecologically conscious-type person, I sat my stainless steel togo cup on the counter and ordered my iced coffee from the stocky blonde woman.

"That's a 16 ounce cup," I said, helpfully. I always try to be helpful. Because I am so excellent.

"Looks like 18 ounces to me!" said the lady, turning to get my coffee.

I stared at her back in disbelief. This coffee wench was busting my chops over two ounces of coffee. It wasn't like I brought in a 64-ounce Big Gulp and insisted it was six ounces.

"Well," I said with my voice all clipped and tight. "It says 16 ounces on the bottom of the cup, so that's what I have always gone by. Bitch." (Ok, I didn't say "bitch," but it was definitely implied and right there below the surface.)

So what did she do? She PICKED UP my cup and looked at the bottom. To check on me. Over TWO ounces of coffee.

The bottom of the cup is black rubber and the 16 oz. mark is tiny and dang, she looked like an idiot peering at it.

She gave me my coffee. Then the kicker.
IMG00030.jpg

Over the years, the rubber grippy thing around the cup has slid up, and it ain't coming down. It is tight on the cup and immoveable to me.

"The rubber thing on your cup is in the wrong place," said Blondie. "It REALLY bothers me."

You know what bothers ME? Bad customer service! Like questioning your customers over two ounces of coffee and shaming them over a stupid coffee mug! But hey, thanks for this excellent experience! Next time, I'll be at one of the eight other coffee places in town!

What a world, what a world.

8 comments:

Average Jane said...

Sounds like *somebody* needs to reconsider her job in the service industry. Whatever happened to "the customer is always right"?

Rachel said...

Ridiculous!

Elaine said...

Did you ask to speak to a manager? I think you should definitely inform Blondie's manager of how excellent she is.

Yesterday morning at Peet's coffee one of the employees was telling the other employee about her infection and need for antibiotics and the word "obgyn" was freely tossed about. NOT WHAT I WANT TO HEAR AT 7:00AM FROM THE CHICK POURING MY COFFEE. I sure was glad I had not ordered a latte, extra foam.

logtar said...

Some people pay extra for that kind of service!

Kaylia Metcalfe said...

Ha! too funny! I mean... it "really" bothered her... REALLY....

What a tool!

Mignon said...

I have the same cup (going on 13 years!), and the same problem with the sliding rubber thingy. And the same problem with surly sanctimonious coffee jerks.

flutter said...

bad customer service makes me stabby.

super des said...

I think I would have checked the bottom too - not because I didn't believe you but because I have a habit of lookng at things when people talk about them.
But I would have been nice about it & made a joke or something. SHe definitely shouldn't have told you the thing was in the wrong place. If she said that to me, I'd say "so's your face!"

Probably not, but I would want to.

Back to top