Last night was...interesting. So we have these fruit smoothies that are incredibly popular and they come with an option called a ‘lemon twist’ that adds lemon powder to the smoothie that gives it a nice tart/sourness. Most of the locals who come to our coffee shop are familiar with it and love it but forget to order so I always ask. It was the beginning of my shift when an older woman walks up to order.
Lady: Can I have the Mango smoothie please?
Me: of course, would you like to add a lemon twist to that today?
She then got so frazzled and just ended up yelling I DON’T KNOW.
Me: Um, are you trying it for the first time? I’ll go ahead and make it the regular way so you can try it.
She pays and then goes and waits for her drink to be made.
Right after her another guest comes up and orders a large strawberry smoothie and an iced coffee. Ring him up and then he goes to wait for his stuff to be made as well and because I have no one else in line, I go to help make drinks because my coworker on bar, we will call him Mark, isn’t the strongest barman and it’s nice to help when you can.
I make the iced coffee for the gentleman while Mark is busy making the smoothies and once the mango smoothie is done, I put it on the counter and call it out. The guy proceeds to take the straw out and put it in the smoothie...the smoothie that wasn't his. To be honest this happens a lot more than you’d think because people usually aren’t paying attention and while it’s annoying, it’s not the end of the world.
Me: Um, sir that isn’t yours.
Him: huh?
Me: That isn’t yours. That’s a mango smoothie. You ordered a strawberry one. It’s hers, behind you.
He turns around, sees her standing there looking absolutely HORRIFIED. She literally starts shrieking “YOU TOUCHED IT OMG YOU TOUCHED IT! I DON’T WANT IT YOU TOUCHED IT!!!” in the meantime, I’m trying to tell her that I’m going to make her another one but she just is on the verge of having a full on freak out.
The guy even apologizes to her, says he wasn’t paying attention and she just keeps shrieking about how she can’t believe he touched it and that she doesn’t want THAT one and that I’m going to make her another one.
I go to make her another one and do it myself since I’m faster on bar than Mark is, he doesn’t do well with pressure, especially when there’s a crazy lady shrieking and I just want her to leave at this point. I make it for her, hand it to her and tell her to have a nice rest of her day.
I then watched her pick it up, BY THE LID, watched the cup come out from under it, and watch it spill all over my counter, completely covering everything on the hand off station.
Lady: THE LID WASN’T ON CORRECTLY. I PICKED IT UP AND THE WHOLE THING JUST FELL APART WHY WOULD THIS HAPPEN WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT THE LID ON CORRECTLY?!
Me: Ma'am, I saw you pick it up by the lid. That's why you're supposed to pick it up by the cup and NOT the lid. Don't worry, I'll make you ANOTHER ONE.
At this point, I'm getting frustrated, Mark is overwhelmed, I have guests waiting to have their order taken and I just want her to leave.
Lady: I can't believe they have to make it a third time why is this happening? They had to make it three times! Why can’t they just do it right the first time?
I make her the damn smoothie, put it on the hand off bar and go "Here you are. Your mango smoothie." She then proceeds to just stare at me.
Me: MA'AM. YOUR SMOOTHIE.
Lady: Mine?
Me: Yes. Yours.
Lady: oh um okay.
She inched forward to get it, almost as if she thought it was a dangerous animal or something.
Lady: This is mine right?
Me: ...yes.
Lady: um, okay uh... *slowly reaches for it* thanks.
Me: NO PROBLEM HAVE A GOOD NIGHT
