The people you encounter whilst working in a Coffee Shop
Anyone who has worked in hospitality will know that this field of work is as close to an emotional roller-coaster as it gets. The list of people that you encounter on a daily basis is never ending and includes the good, the bad and the ugly. This means that whilst there are lots of things that make you smile, there are also lots of things that you find you have to grin and bare through too. BUT, as with most aspects of life, you can’t appreciate the good without the bad.
The First Daters – It’s awkward but endearing and makes for great behind the bar people watching. Plus, the politeness I receive in a bid to impress your date is a bonus!
The Workaholics – You appear at the same time every day and leave at the same time every night, ordering the same drink every time. With such a solid routine, I salute you but you look like you need a break.
The Soya Decaf Latte – If you order this drink, you are a fake and a phoney and what you are drinking couldn’t be further from a coffee if you tried.
The Soya Milk Sceptic – I understand that you are lactose intolerant. I appreciate that therefore you cannot drink regular milk. I have made your coffee with soya milk exactly as ordered. You have no reason not to trust me. I have no reason to poison you. So why do you still not believe that your coffee has been made with soya milk?
The Extra Hot Latte – I can only steam your milk so much, and serving you a coffee with hints of burned milk is not ok. So, all I can suggest is that maybe if you drank it quicker, it wouldn’t go cold.
The Six Babycinos – They may be free, but the labour that goes into pouring steamed milk which is not too hot and not too cold, into six tiny mugs – is not. And please don’t let your child play their flute in the shop, ever again.
The ‘which one would you have?’ – What I would choose to order is completely irrelevant to what you are about to choose, plus I find making my own decision hard enough let alone choosing for a stranger too. Decide quickly and make both of our lives easier.
The ‘which table would you sit on?’ – Again, I honestly do not mind, nor care which table you sit on, Just. Pick. One. – so I can get back to making your coffee and deliver it to you when you do.
The one who just cannot make up their mind – There are only so many times I can change the type of coffee you would like from a latte to a cappuccino and back on the till without becoming a tiny bit fed up. Decide what you want, before ordering at the bar and peace will be restored.
The Lingerer – I am all for a friendly chat with a customer, however standing at the bar once you have received your order engaging in a lengthy chat about your recent bike ride whilst the queue gradually reaches the door, is not helpful.
The Faith Restorer – You can see we are busy. You can see we can only go as fast as we are going. You wait in line peacefully. You order your drink politely. You wait for your drink patiently. You leave swiftly.