Dirty Barista

Today a lady refused to be served by one of our Barista's. He has quite long hair and his apron had a few stains on it from the days work but he looked fine. 

She said that he was too dirty and did not want her beverages made by him so another Barista had to make them. He was pretty upset about this and understandably so!! I would have been really upset. But then again there's just not pleasing some people.

Greek Salad Wrap - Starbucks

Went for lunch in Starbucks today was lovely. I had a really nice greek salad wrap thing that only had 265kcals in it!!!!! I highly recommend it!

Robotics

I am in danger of becoming a Barista robot. I say the same thing to almost every customer:

Me: Hi there how can I help?

Customer: Can I have a cup of coffee please

Me: To have in or take away?

C: To go

M: What size would you like?

C: Small

M: Would you like your coffee black or white?

C: Black please.

M: Can I get you anything else at all?

C: No thank you.

M: That will be £.. please

C: Can I pay by card?

M: Of course if you would just like to insert your card in the chip and pin device, here... Press the green button please and it will ask for your pin and then press the green button to enter it.

C: ok

M: The first receipt is mine, yours will follow in a second. There you go, thank you very much! Bye!!

This is how every single one of my conversations goes, unless I know the customer etc. It's like there is a flow chart in my head, in/out, size, customisation, food etc etc

Americano Lady

I haven't seen annoying Americano lady for agesss! (I know I said no more negatives...)

She is annoying because she is very particular about her drink, will only let certain members of our staff actually make them and comes behind the bar to make it herself most times!!

I wonder what has happened to her she was such a regular.

Vanilla Extra-Hot Latte Lady

She is so rude!!!!!! 

She came in the other day and ordered a vanilla latte, paid and collected her drink. On receiving her drink she demanded "I wanted it HOT" although it was clearly 'Hot' my colleague corrected her asking her if she meant that she had intended to order it 'extra hot'. She said yes she wanted it extra hot and she wanted a new one. My colleague politely informed her that she should in future ask for it to be so when she ordered her drink.

She came back in today with a friend and ordered it correctly (asking for extra hot) and then stated talking snidely to her friend. She asked "I didn't realise that if you order a coffee you have to ask for it to be HOT it's ridiculous!" and looked over at me and my colleague. Her friend didn't back her up, which was nice.

Anyway must stop dwelling on those customers that annoy me.

Early mornings

If you work in any food service industry early mornings will be something that you are more than well aware of. The more I do the early shift, the more I hate it, I will never ever get used to getting up early.

At the crack of dawn this morning I was hauling myself out of bed and trudging to work in the rain. I am not a morning person so it's a good job I work in close proximity to caffeine.

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My fellow employees

I really get on with almost everyone I work with and its is usually a pleasure to go into the store, either to work or to grab a drink. We all chat and get along yet we never really go out together, we used to before the core members of our team left (very sad!) and there were parties and things.

The most upsetting thing to happen to our team was the opening of a new store not far away, this meant that our team was split in two. I still haven't gotten over the loss of so many close work mates and because of the lack of team activities and outings I hardly ever get to see the one I don't work with!! 

I think it is lovely that a group of people thrown together from all different backgrounds and ethnicities can get along, create a great atmosphere and above all, create great coffee!

My Favourite Drinks

As a Barista I have tried and sampled with customers all of the drinks that my particular coffee shop has on its menu (as well as some made up ones), but that does not mean that I have a strict allegiance to my coffee shop - I am a fan of them all. 

Each coffee shop specialises in something and has at least one outstanding drink, I will detail the highs and lows of the main high street coffee brands for you; Caffe Nero, Costa, Starbucks and Coffee Republic. 

1) Caffee Nero (www.caffenero.com)

-The best drink by far is a latte with vanilla syrup, Caffe Nero uses the best syrups in the world! And, they are generous with them.

-On the website you can buy cute 'Barista Kits'

-A regular semi-skimmed latte from Caffe Nero with contain 69 kcals (on website)

-Won the Which? magazine coffee survey (www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3245914.ece)

-They put 2 shots of espresso coffee in every coffee drink unless you ask otherwise - this can be good or bad..

-It is rumored that they re-steam milk...

-Nero have a really good loyalty card, buy nine drinks get one free! 

2)Costa Coffee (www.costa.co.uk)

-My favourite drink in Costa is the hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, Nero and Starbucks do not give marshmallows and Coffee Republic give pathetic ones.

-They do good syrups :)

-Costa seem reluctant to give out drink nutritional advice, could not find it on their site.

-Don't always grasp the Decaf concept - emphasise it!

-Pretty and clean stores

-Can get a 'Costa card' to load money on to

3)Starbucks Coffee Company (www.starbucks.co.uk)

-My favourite drink in Starbucks is the Caramel Macchiato. Starbucks describes this as "foamed milk marked with espresson and vanilla, then topped with a distinctive caramel pattern. Sweet, buttery and intense." Perfection!

-Tall semi-skimmed latte has 148 kcals. Is Nero lying? How can it have so few calories??

-Does not re-steam milk

-Free papers in most stores

-Quick service and the little green apron donning staff call you drink out really loud so you know it has been ordered right.

-The syrups suck

4)Coffee Republic (www.coffeerepublic.co.uk)

-My favourite drinks are the cold drinks, they do like Rolo shakes and Jaffa shakes, so they are really good for the non-coffee lovers, or those with kids.

-Can't find nutritional info :(:(

-They make the paninis etc fresh behind the counter 

-Usual have free news papers

-Don't put the lids on to go drinks, good or bad? you decide

Celebrity Coffee Drinkers

We are lucky enough in our store to get a few celebrity sightings. Does anyone remember Jon Tickle from Big Bro and a presenter on Brainiac? Well he came into our store and asked for a cup of hot water.. we hoped we were helping an experiment, not being experimented on!

Sick Days

I really wish people would not abuse the system and call in sick if they don't need too, it just screws it up for the rest of your team. 

I visited my local coffee shop today only to find it in utter chaos with two members of my team pulling double shifts to cover for two students that had called in sick (It's exam time). The whole place was overrun with irate customers and I could only look on glad I was not on shift!

Oh on the way out smily man opened the door for me, how very kind, I must remember to smile extra when I serve him next.

Mr Latte and Mr Extra Shot Cappuccino

Mr Latte and Mr Extra-Shot Cappuccino are such a lovely couple, they always come in and order the same drinks with a huge smile and great fashion sense. Mr Extra-Shot Cappuccino is a gym bunny and is always asking for calorific information which I am more than willing to discuss as calories are my personal enemies and therefore my specialist subject! Mr Latte is not as nice as his lovable partner and always seems a little grumpy. 

And perhaps now I know why, today I spied with my little eye Mr Latte out and about walking three dogs (all absolutely adorable) and carrying a 'poo' bag daintily and disdainfully between his thumb and forefinger and holding the terrible thing as far from himself as possible. Where was Mr Extra-Shot Cappuccino to help him out...?

I suck at making pretty coffee, unlike some people..

It has been in the news of late that some people can do some pretty cool stuff with coffee. However, I am not one of these people as yet, I will endeavor to become a coffee artist and create masterpieces like this:

A confession from a coffee connoisseur

Tasting different coffees is an important if not essential part of any Barista's job. We must know their body, their aroma, their acidity and which foods may compliment it (upselling, upselling, upselling). 

My confession is of the worst kind and for which I should be tarred and feathered... I can barely tell the difference between different coffees. I know that there is a difference, but to me it is simply coffee and that is how it will remain.

People Watching

One of my favourite on the job things to do (that is most certainly not work!) is people watching.  I have seen people on first dates, business meetings, writing books, reading the bible and the ever important 'dumping' date. As the provider of the ever essential caffeine, one becomes almost a confidant and with several meetings pictures build of of that person's life. There are some people that I will see several times in a day, these people I will see often more times than people I actually know. 

Today my most interesting people watching experience was of a regular customer, I know where he works and who his friends are, he is the typical salesman know-it-all with attitude. We have had a rocky customer-barista relationship, he was particularly unhappy with me one time I couldn't remember if he had handed me a £5 note or a £10! Well today he came in with a lady friend and smiled happily as he handed over his panini. It is of no importance that the lady friend in question resembled a horse. Anyway, he did not commence his usual routine of requesting his drink by leaning towards me intimidatingly and whispering his order as though we were sharing a great secret. I think that love may be in the air for this coffee loving salesman...