I stop at a motorway service station and find the coffee shop. It’s early and I’m the only customer. I order and sit down to wait… and wait. It’s been a really long time, so I go back to the counter.

Me: “Sorry, but is my coffee ready yet?”

Cashier: “Oh, sorry. What did you order?”

Me: “It was [order].”

Cashier: “Oh, yes. Err… it should have been made. Did you not collect it already?”

Me: “Pretty sure I would remember if I did.”

Cashier: “Oh, yes, of course. Let me check.”

She disappears into the back and she seems to be gone for a long time.

Cashier: “Your drink was made, but no one collected it, so I’m afraid it was thrown away.”

Me: “No one called me, and I was sat just there. I’m literally the only person here.”

Cashier: “I’m sorry, but you do need to collect your orders.”

Me: “How am I supposed to, I mean, if I don’t know it’s ready? Just get your boss or someone, please.”

Cashier: “He won’t be here for another fifteen minutes.”

Me: “You know what? I’ll wait.”

I waited twenty minutes and the manager turned up. He was initially sceptical until he checked the rubbish. No cups were binned matching my order. Then, he was very apologetic and paid for my drink and a snack for me. He promised me that he would sort out whoever lied about the drink, and he said to mention his name the next time I was there to get another free coffee!

I’m a medical professional. I’ve been dealing with people who think the health crisis is a hoax or not serious, etc. I walk into a coffee shop and distance myself on the little circles they have that are six feet away from each other. There are just a few people in the store and it’s pretty big so, overall, I feel safe.

I’m minding my business when this woman walks in. I don’t notice her until I hear a barista say:

Barista: “Excuse me. You need a mask to be inside the store.”

I turn to witness a look of horror on this woman’s face, as if she didn’t see the countless signs stating you need a mask, and or she didn’t realize there was a health crisis.

Woman: “All I want is a coffee.”

Barista: “I’ll be happy to make you one when you put a mask on.”

Woman: “But—”

Me: “Nope.”

Woman: “What?”

Me: “Nope. These workers don’t get paid enough to make coffee and babysit children.”

Woman: “Excu—”

Me: “Nope.”

Woman: “I—”

Me: “Out.”

She goes to speak again.

Me: “Nope, out.”

It feels like I am talking to a misbehaving puppy, and she looks just as sad. She turns to the only line of defense she has left.

Woman: “I’ll get you fired!”

Me: “I don’t work here.”

Woman: “I’ll find your boss!”

Me: “I am my boss.”

She short-circuited, made a weird, grunting, angry sound, and left.

About a year ago, I would regularly go out for coffee with some of my coworkers. I stopped doing so after a while. These two stories are why.

Story #1:

Male Coworker #1: “Hey, [My Name], how’s it going?”

Me: “Ehh, been better. My daughter’s boyfriend just broke up with her, so she’s really down.”

Male Coworker #1: “Don’t worry; she’ll find someone else.”

Me: *Touched* “Yeah, I suppose you’re right—”

Male Coworker #1: “Women have a knack for finding their next meal ticket. She’ll have another boyfriend by the end of the week, guaranteed.”

Me: “…”

On another occasion, a different male coworker made some really disgusting, racist comments about a political figure I admire, and when I called him out on it, he insisted that he was “entitled to his opinion.” I got up and walked away.

And I haven’t been back.

I’m a customer at a popular coffee shop. The drink I ordered is iced, comes in a clear plastic cup, and is dark pink in color. As soon as they call my name and the name of my drink, a man walks up and grabs it. I start to tell him it’s my order, but he takes a sip before I can say anything.

Customer: *Confused* “My latte is cold. Really cold. And it tastes fruity.”

Barista: “Uh, sir, that’s not a latte.” *Gestures to me* “And it’s actually hers.”

Customer: “Oh, I like it. It’s really good. I just didn’t expect it to be fruity.”

Barista: “Sir, that’s not yours. I have your latte right here.”

The man just walks away with my drink, muttering, “It’s fruity.” The barista and I just stare after him, dumbstruck.

Barista: *To me* “I’ll… make you a new drink.”

She offered to give me the latte, too, since she’d already made it and the man had paid for it anyway. I don’t drink coffee, so I told her to keep it. I offered to pay for the new drink, but she wouldn’t let me. I put a few extra dollars in the tip jar, instead.

I am working at a coffee stand inside an attraction. It’s a little expensive, as things tend to be when you have a captive audience, but I just work there; I am a peon who has no input on pricing. This happens shortly after we open.

Customer: “Can I get a large cappuccino?”

Me: “Sure, that’s £2.85.”

Customer: “Aren’t you embarrassed to be charging those prices?”

Me: “Do you have a season pass? There’s a discount for season pass holders.”

Customer: “I’m just saying, it’s ridiculous what you’re charging.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, would you still like the cappuccino?”

Customer: “Well, I don’t have any choice, I guess.”

Other than drinking a coffee before you get here, ordering a cheaper coffee, or drinking water which we will give you for free. Clearly no options at all.

Related:
Cappuccino-No-No, Part 2
Cappuccino-No-No