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Baristas frustrated by dithering customers

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I am sure some people will argue with this gripe, but so be it.  I have seen this from both the customer point of view and as a barista at a popular coffee shop.  I am sick and tired of idiots and time-wasters who cannot do something as simple as place an order and pay for it.

Let me put it this way...  How many times have you gone to a coffee shop and have been in a queue waiting patiently a few minutes, to order that coffee and treat you have been dying for all day.

The man or women in front of you finally gets to the front of the queue having been there about the same amount of time as you, and then when they're asked what they would like, this is the moment they actually take the time to look up at the menu that has been there the whole time.  Of course you have already chosen what you want whilst waiting.

after taking what seems like hours to decide...

Their lack of attention of course makes you wait even longer as they decide, umming and arring, asking questions about everything on the menu before actually making a decision.  The barista gives you an apologetic look and then after taking what seems like hours to decide, they change their orders and call more friends over to check what they want.  Meanwhile, you're stuck waiting and now half your lunch time has been used up.  Do you recognise this scenario at all?

A cup of coffee I know what you are thinking, don't coffee shops add a lot of faff to their cup sizes, drinks, syrups, extra shots of espresso and lots of options that can confuse and slow down the process?  Well most of them do try to make things as clear as possible and baristas are usually happy to help a new customer find what they are after.  At least that's my experience and as a barista myself.  But half the time these time-wasters are actually regulars who have been before!

Finally after all this is done, they've made their mind up and the barista looks as if ready to kill, they are told the price of their items.  A simple thing right?  Take out money and pay the annoyed looking barista.  Nope!  Realising they actually need their money/card to get these items, they either spend ages rummaging though bags to find their wallet/purse, or even worse you hear them say 'Oh, I'll just go get my money' because they have left it with their friends who are seated!  Both server and next in line have to wait yet again!

The baristas are the ones who have to keep smiling, be patient and apologise to all other customers who are complaining and giving them filthy looks, when all they really want to do is scream!  Let us not forget the poor person stood next in line who is stuck waiting for ages for the ditherer in front of them to grow a brain cell and do something as simple as order and pay for it!

Yes I am whining, but I am sick and tired of this stupidity.  Am I wrong to be annoyed by this?  Is it really so hard to place an order.  Remember at the end of the day, it is not just my time as a barista they are wasting.

By: Rogue's View


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Jim

Jim

I just take a flask to work. Costs about 5p a cup and I don't have to mix with people who sit and 'Tweet' on their laptops & read the Guardian.
07/04/13 Jim
-6
Teutonic knight

Teutonic knight

It hacks me off having to queue up at all for a coffee. And nearly 3 quid a cup??? Come on! I now go to a supermarket cafe where they charge half, AND there are always newspapers to read unlike my local coffee shop.
07/04/13 Teutonic knight
-9
Coffee Hound

Coffee Hound

Italian coffee. What rubbish it is. Whoever thought that the UK would want this garbage? Where are the Cona coffees of my youth? Where are the proper filter coffees? What dumb barista thinks that an expresso dumped into a frothy, kind of puffed up diluted milk drink constitutes a proper breakfast repast? Please go far away Italian coffee houses.
06/04/13 Coffee Hound
-3
A bored spectator

A bored spectator

This gripe is quite funny. I have not suffered from this problem myself, but one of my friends got banned from Costa Coffee in London because he got so mad with one dithering customer.
29/06/11 A bored spectator
-3
AOD

AOD

Oh, and one of my gripes about serving staff. It's easier to give you the correct money if we know how much to pay. Generally, I'll work it out and will know anyway, however, if something's been purchased last minute say an extra large, or 'I wasn't going to, but could I have one of those mffins please?' Some staff speak clearly, but quite a lot don't tell you how much you have to pay properly so you can hear them. A mumbled ###.95 doesn't quite work. I'd like to give you a close approximation of the correct amount.
16/05/11 AOD
-7
AOD

AOD

I pay with change sometimes, at lots of places, although I prefer the self-service machines at Tesco for that. I don't think there's a problem with paying using change. After all it's got to get used up sometime, but at the same time I wouldn't expect someone to count it out in two seconds. And when I say change, I mean no more than 10 or 20 coins. Any more than that and it looks like you've raided the piggy bank, which might be true, but it's still embarrassing. Besides, can't bust a £20 every day :-)

Folding notes up in a knot, now that's plain weird. There again there's all sorts out there huh?
15/05/11 AOD
-9
Hal's Had Enough

Hal's Had Enough

Rogue, I know what you mean when you talk about those people who try to pay in change when there is a big queue. I found that the ones who do it at the front of big queues are usually the same ones who give you that all that change and expect you to count it in seconds, then get annoyed if it takes you longer because now you're making them wait. Or the same reaction when they hand you a note that has been crumpled or folded into a small knot. The give you a dirty look as you try to unfold it, when a polite person would have handed it to you unfolded. And that's even if they've handed it to you, and not just thrown it onto the counter.
15/05/11 Hal's Had Enough
-6
Rogue's View

Rogue's View

Vin I am with you on both points(I am female but know many women are like your second point). When I am serving someone and they go through all that its more than a little bit annoying to us too.

It is even more annoying when people rumage around to give you their Spare Change. Even though there is a queue behind them, they take ages to count out £2.50 in 5p, 2p and 1p. Even worse when I can see they have £2.50 in their spare hand just incase they do not have enough! It drives me nuts.
15/05/11 Rogue's View
-15
Vin

Vin

Something which irritates me is when your at a till ready to pay for your items and the person in front fumbles around for 2 mins only to pull out a credit card. Thus adding even more time to (what should be) a swift transaction. Why not have separate tills for cash/credit card!? Then all the credit card people can waste as much time they like!

Or another thing that irks. Mainly females do this I notice: wait till they are asked for payment before sifting though a handbag for the purse, then each compartment in turn for cash! Most considerate people will have the cash ready BEFORE being asked. I mean, were you not expecting to pay?
15/05/11 Vin
-1
Pat

Pat

I have thought of one, how about Mike the mongol who enjoys bullying women and tells lots of lies?
15/05/11 Pat
4
MikeP

MikeP

"How the hell can you think you know what someone else is thinking? are you my fake phsycologist friend? what has this got to do with the thread? this rubbish you are spouting? get a life you interfering dogooder Undertstand?
Anyway im off for a cup of my special £250 a cup Coffee"

As others will have realised, I did not post this illiterate diatribe of drivelling nonsense, so whoever you are, if you try to imitate me, at least learn to spell and punctuate correctly. Have you not got enough brain cells to think up your own user name? Here are a couple of suggestions. How about 'Illiterate Ian', 'Dyslexic Dan', 'Chris the Cretin', 'Brainless Brian', or just 'Oxygen Thief'? Feel free to come back to me for further assistance if you are not happy with those.
15/05/11 MikeP
-2
Rogue's View

Rogue's View

Okay, off base much?
What has any of the stuff you guys are arguing about got to do with rude customers and their effect on others? Have you read the gripe?
14/05/11 Rogue's View
2
Sick of you

Sick of you

I may not like Mike P much but he can spell and punctuate. So, presumably you are one of the trolls who like to post in other posters names.

Oh my lord you are so rattled aren't you? Big mistake - showing how upset you are.

Well, troll, now we know, when you are annoying other posters, which buttons to push to upset you for a change.

What I posted has as much to do with this thread as the nonsense that you habitually post on all the different threads, in all the different names that you use.
14/05/11 Sick of you
-1
MikeP

MikeP

How the hell can you think you know what someone else is thinking? are you my fake phsycologist friend? what has this got to do with the thread? this rubbish you are spouting? get a life you interfering dogooder Undertstand?
Anyway im off for a cup of my special £250 a cup Coffee
14/05/11 MikeP
-7
Sick of you

Sick of you

“Joey Deacon” – you have posted before using the name Joey Deacon. I know you think it is exquisitely funny to mock an intelligent, disabled man who was locked up for most of his life by ignorant so called “professionals” because he could not communicate and was not given the tools to do so, but I also know that you are terrified that this kind of disability could happen to you or your mum or your child.

That is what makes you vicious and cruel. You think that , for example, if you were in a car accident and became disabled and unable to control your voice or movements like Joey, that some people would be like you. They would mock you and treat you as less than human, and you are right, some would.

You think if you had a baby brother or a child born with cerebral palsy, that people again would be nasty, dismissive and cruel, just like you. You are right because there are plenty of scumbags like you around.

You think that you could not cope and would want to die and, again, you are right. You are weak and could not cope with a serious disability. It might happen, you know - today, tomorrow or next week. Maybe in a few years when you are not expecting it?

Start treating the disabled with some respect and try to stop taking pleasure in other people’s misfortune. It may well be you one day or someone you love and, if it does, would you want the world to be full of pond scum like you or decent people?
14/05/11 Sick of you
-1

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