Coffee with an attitude, what’s the point?
I’ve noticed a trend that hasn’t set well with me for a while, so it’s time to put it out there and see if I’m the only one who’s noticed or feels this way.
There’s a couple of coffee houses in town, two in particular, that deliver an attitude with their coffee. The person behind the counter is expressionless verging on annoyed. When a customer asks a question they get a flat answer with no elaboration. The thing that saddens me is they serve great coffee. And they know it! It’s almost as if they think they can act that way because their coffee is that good.
I walked into one of these establishments recently and asked if they had a coffee of day because I had always gotten espresso or cappuccino. Expressionless, emotionless, annoyed, “We freasfhasfhehtahhfeooo.”
“I’m sorry?”
“WEEEEE Freeeennnnnch PRESSSSS….TO…..ORRRRDERRRRR.”
Now I have to decide: Do I (a) react and tell him how he has failed miserably at basic communication and customer service, or do I (b) play dumb and see if I can annoy him more. I chose the latter. “Ohhhhhh, so your saying I can choose any of these coffees up here and you’ll French press it for me?”
“Yeah”
So I took my time, him-hawing over which coffee to choose. I chose a Guatemalan. He picked up a bag he had behind the counter, ground it, boiled the water, poured the water, set the timer, then walked into the back room. Nothing was ever said again between him and I.
So what’s the point? Am I supposed to prove to you that I know enough about coffee for you to treat me as an actual customer? Are you willing to lose customers to another coffee house that will smile as people walk up to the counter? Instead of telling people only how you do it, why not explain WHY you do it? Why not elaborate on how French press brewing gives a more full-bodied flavor, and how with more coffee to water contact time you get a fresher, crisp taste?
Yeah your coffee is good and your baristas have skills, but it’s not worth being treated like an idiot.
So my friends abroad, is this a local phenomenon? A sign of the times? Or do baristas actually think that because they know more than the average consumer they have the right to treat them as lemmings?
Michael Brown
http://www.JitteryCoffeeCupRoasters.com