What’s The Buzz? Tell Me Where My Coffee Is! What’s The Buzz…

I stop at a new coffee shop in my area to check it out. The place seems decently busy, and from all appearances, everything seems to be flowing smoothly. The shop appears to use buzzer devices for orders that can’t be finished while the customer is at the counter.

I get to the counter and put in my order, and I get my buzzer. I then find a small table to set up and wait for the buzzer to go off. And wait… and wait… and wait.

After fifteen minutes and watching several customers who ordered after me get their orders and find tables or leave, I go back up to the counter with my buzzer in my hand to ask about my order.

Cashier: “Welcome to [Shop]. What can I get for you today?”

Me: “I actually put in my order fifteen minutes ago, but I haven’t gotten it yet.”

Cashier: “What was your order?”

I tell her what my order was.

Cashier: “Oh, that? We threw it away when you didn’t respond to the buzzer.”

Me: “The buzzer never went off, though.”

Cashier: *Starting to get snippy* “We rang the buzzer. Did you put it in your backpack or a pocket or something? Maybe you just didn’t hear it or see the light flashing.”

Me: “No, I put it on the table right next to my laptop. It never went off. Anyway, can I please get my order remade?”

Cashier: *Entering my order into the computer* “Okay, that’ll be [cost].”

Me: “Wait, no. I’m not going to pay again. I’ve been here this whole time, and the buzzer never went off. This is not my fault.”

Cashier: “I can’t give you free food. If you don’t know what the buzzer sounds like, I can show you so you’re ready this time.”

With that, the cashier checks the number on my buzzer — which is still in my hand — and hits a button on a console behind the counter. When the buzzer fails to go off, she pulls a deer-in-the-headlights face and hits the button a few more times.

Cashier: “What did you do to the buzzer?”

Me: “Nothing at all. It’s either been in my hand or sitting on the table the whole time.”

I handed the buzzer to her, and after a few looks, she opened the battery compartment, replaced the batteries, and hit the button again. Lo and behold, the buzzer worked now!

The cashier immediately apologized and promised to put my order in as a rush and at no cost (beyond what I had paid the first time). I still asked for a manager because of her attitude in blaming me rather than looking into any other possible explanations.

In the end, my order was good, but I still haven’t been to that coffee shop again yet.