Tuesday, May 06, 2008

A different kind of gourmet coffee

I have favorite stores. A favorite Target, favorite Wal-mart, favorite Starbucks. If you aren't a Starbucks junkie, you are probably thinking that every Starbucks is the same.

You are so wrong.

There are good Starbucks, mediocre Starbucks, and there are really bad Starbucks that you will go to only if you are desperate for a coffee.

My favorite Starbucks has Miriam. I see her several mornings a week after dropping daughter off at school. Miriam shows me pictures of her grandchildren. She tells me when she is going on vacation and when she'll be back.

Miriam knows I'm a venti mocha, non-fat, add the whip. She recognizes when I'm having a rough morning. (Maybe the bags under my eyes give it away.) Miriam can tell when I need an extra shot of espresso.

This morning, Miriam must have thought I needed something a little stronger...

"Good morning, this is Miriam. How can I help you?"

"I would like a Venti non-fat mocha, add the whip, with an extra shot."

(silence)

Order on the screen-

Mocha
non-fat
Venti
add whip
extra shot mocha

"Actually, I would like an extra shot of espresso. Not an extra shot of mocha."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you said extra sauce."

"I'm sorry. I should have been specific."

"Oh, no M'am. Don't apologize.... your total is $4.77 at the window..."

Drive around. Wait at window.

"Now you've got me hitting the sauce???"

chuckles out loud from Miriam

Giggles out loud from me, along with mental note, "Blog this when you get home."

4 comments:

Susanne said...

You are so right. The service makes or breaks it.

Roxanne said...

I am not a coffee drinker. . .but I agree about the service. For instance, I love it when I say "Thank you." at Chik Fil A and they respond, "My pleasure."

I have no idea what "add the whip" means. . .but I'm sure I could come up with some.
HA! HA!!!!

Roxanne said...

And look at your and your sassy hair. . .you are just precious. . .you remind me of my friend Robin.

Tammy said...

I hadn't been by for awhile...and look- it's a photo of you in your sidebar! You're just as cute as I pictured you, Melanie!

Yep, service with a smile is everything...and it also helps if they make a good mocha...easy on the sauce! ;)