@Truculence: If customer wasn't happy with the store's policy, he could have said, no thanks, and have taken his place elsewhere. Insisting the store go against their policy to please the customer's preference and then threatening arson after receiving chastising from barista is uncalled for. The original blog entry from said customer is an eye-opener.
I'm siding with the owner of the coffee shop. Why not hold up the "craft of coffee?" Isn't every little mundane thing elevated in the food industry and then celebrated for just that anyway? Besides, the customer in question screams of sense of entitlement, which might just be me fed up with people who feel that they "deserve" this or that. Not amused.
Wasn't there an article in the NY Times last year about the different fizzy water makers? I think Soda Club was featured there. And sorry, but when you say, "I'll be bringing you recipes for homemade water," -- that makes no sense. homemade flavored water? Yes, duh, of course.
Duff from Charm City Bakery cooked some potatoes and maybe something else on one of his episodes a few seasons back...
palate or palette?
Uh, since my oven can't exactly hover at that temp, not to mention that I don't want to heat my teeny apartment during the summer by keeping the oven on for four hours to get perfect hard-boiled eggs... I think I'll pass!
I recently discovered Cabecou-- soft and fragrant raw goat's milk cheese. Absolutely delicious... I bought some Crottin too, from a warehouse sale of a french food importer who flies in fresh cheese from France every 2 weeks. Very mild and smooth. yum.
I thought the whole point behind Trader Joe's was that they'd work with manufacturers and pass the savings down? I've seen plenty of things that are sold at TJ's for a lot more elsewhere, even though it's the same product. See Mini-toasts. See beers, Gordon Biersch.
Wait, why does was this even a post? I thought this was (fairly) common knowledge.
With my Soda Club machine, I can inject so much CO2 into it as to make it almost hard to drink..."pinpoint bubbles" means something a little difficult to me as I sell wine for a living. Those kind of bubbles rarely occur other than naturally (champagne vs. cheap sparkling wine, for instance).
Not everyone wants to make a "ghetto latte" - some people just want a stronger iced coffee drink. An americano is, by definition, more diluted than espresso, and that makes for one weak iced drink.
The whole problem could have been avoided if the barista had simply said, "We don't serve espresso over ice here. But how about an iced Americano instead?" (And as the customer found out, he did enjoy an Americano the second go-round -- he just didn't know he could order it the first time.)
This is far better than the provocative "This is against our policy." You can still preserve the integrity of your business while offering good customer service.
One incendiary comment leads to another -- both coffee shop and customer were at fault for passive-aggressive douchebaggery, and for blogging it out of proportion.
I had a Syphon years ago that used little cartridges of C02. But the seltzer was never as fizzy as bottled seltzer water. Can some one let me know if this really has pinpoint bubbles in quantity???
A few days late, but I'm so psyched to read about this. I went straight to the site and ordered one (along with extra bottles ... and no I don't work for them). I generally buy cases of Vintage/cheap seltzer through Fresh Direct, but saving a little money and not recycling as many bottles will likely only piss off the guy who goes through my building's recycling bins. I see some people mentioning that their soda syrups suck, but how about the seltzer flavor essences. I'm not big on lemon-lime, but like orange. I'd love to be able to make cherry.
I would actually be more likely to frequent a business that sticks to their guns like this. Similarly, there is a restaurant in L.A. that does not cut their pizzas, and offers zero substitutions on anything on the menu. There are plenty of places that pander to bullshit requests, and people should go there instead. Would I reject a request for a welldone steak? Depends on how badly I needed the business. If I'm a hopping neighborhood joint and I'm getting the good stuff, Marin Sun Organics or something like that, hell no I'm not going to insult the life of that animal or the farmer by serving it well done. Money is not a substitute for integrity.
@gabbs -- i think you're onto something! that's the only way in which this whole thing makes sense. otherwise it seems irrational from a quality perspective that they would offer an iced americano and not an iced espresso.
"Customers are not entitled to have whatever they want at any time, just because they're customers."
But reasonable accomodation is key to return customers. The publicity generated by this non-incident is massive.
I am ambivalent on the immediate subject. But I find myself deeply uncomfortable with the phrase "ghetto latte". Yes, it's Googleable, but that doesn't make it any more excusable.
Can we be a little kinder here, please?
My issue is that this place does make iced coffee beverages, and one with espresso no less. Why they are making a fine distinction on this one point is beyond me.
But hey, it's there right, and their business. Just don't expect to see me there -- I'm one of those awful iced espresso drinkers, because between the hours of breakfast and dinner, I like my coffee -- all coffee -- chilled. That's just the way I am.
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