Coffee Shop Conversations

At least once a week, my girlfriends and I try to get together for what we call “sanity pauses” in which we either meet up at our houses, a wine bar, or a coffee shop and just take a step back from the insanity of our hectic lives and talk. This week since one of our best friends who moved up North to attend Cal Poly was in town for spring break, we gathered at Sacks-a local brightly colored coffee shop just steps from the beach in Redondo.

As the five of us settled down at our table-two tables pushed together-we began conversing. I let them know that I would like to take note of our conversation for this blog post. Paige, a twenty-year-old spitfire who could very well be Snow White’s twin sister-with her gorgeous pale skin and soft black locks- looked up and said, “Man do I have something to vent about. This is something that everyone needs to know. Customer service, manners and etiquette.”

From her already frustrated tone, one could easily tell something had happened at work. For those who don’t know, Paige works as a receptionist at a Karate school as well as a pizza place in Redondo, all the while going to school full time too. (We’re all a little nuts like that I suppose).

Lauren-the 24-year-old artsy one of our group- with turquoise curls and makeup always perfect, sips her drink anxiously. “What happened babe?”, she asks in her maternal and protective voice.

“I had the worst week at work. From my coworkers at both jobs slacking off I’m having to work double for little to no pay. On top of it, I got screamed at by a customer when I was working at Village Pizza the other night.”

Alexis-the other 24-year-old- is the brilliant aspiring engineer of our group aka the one who is in town from Cal Poly. She pulled back the leash of her adorable black lab, Giovanni, who was too curious about the Labradoodle (Labrador and Poodle Mix) dog down the way. She asks, “what do you mean screamed at? Like he actually screamed at you or just passive-aggressive talking”?

“ I mean actual screaming. Screaming at me in front of people walking outside the restaurant, inside the restaurant. He ordered me around like I was a slave. I’ve never felt more helpless. I looked like a damn ragdoll”, Paige explained.

“Okay start from the beginning, what happened that made this guy freak out”, askes Girl Conner. We actually have to call her Girl Conner sometimes because Lauren’s ex’s name is Conner, and oftentimes it gets confusing in regards to who we are talking about.

As each of settled down into a comfortable position, Paige begins talking:

 “So before going to work at Village I was at home all day like moping around and crying and I just didn’t want to go to work. But as someone who has to pay the rent-and because no one would cover my shift, I went. At work things were hectic and we were understaffed, really understaffed. Not only did I not want to be there but I also had to train a girl while handling the customers and everything. At one point a man comes in and orders a combo-  a slice of pizza and a salad. In five minutes, I bring his salad out for him at his table. The restaurant got hectic again and before I knew it I realized that the man outside never got his slice of pizza. I go to the kitchen and see that THE TOPPINGS WERE RIGHT THERE BUT IT WAS NEVER MADE. So, I’m screaming at the kitchen, and I go outside to apologize to the man, but I wish I didn’t.”

“He starts screaming at me in front of everyone-saying how horrible and useless I am. Mind you that there are other customers sitting around and people walking outside. Everyone is witnessing this man verbally attack me. No one said anything. So after this whole ordeal he comes inside- asks for his money back and even REACHES INTO THE TIP  JAR AND GET HIS TIP BACK AND MORE. I didn’t even say anything. I felt so horrible and just kept looking at the ground the whole time.”

We all talked quickly and angrily for about five minutes. Alexis who then emerges with, “so you basically got screamed at for something that wasn’t your fault…”

Fox News reports in their article titled, “New study reveals that 79 percent of restaurant employees make fun of annoying customers”, that “food service employees generally do their best to provide a positive experience for customers," said Penney, who once worked in food service herself. "However, they are human too, and the strain of dealing with extremely rude, demanding or difficult customers can manifest in ways that do not benefit customers."

“Yeah”, Paige replied. “I really think people need to learn how to talk to employees because a lot of the times it’s not our fault something didn’t go as planned-we just deliver the food more than half the time.”