This picture is blurry. That's right. That's because the commoner's relationship with Starbucks has gone from 'in a relationship' to 'it's complicated'. That's right some of my best commoner stories come from my daily visits to starbucks but sadly they are no more.
Today's very ordinary trip started like no big deal. Park the car, reload the card, order the drink wait for the drink. There was no one in front of me on line and three people waiting for drinks. No big deal right? Remember my bike riding story how I wrote that I was treated as quite an uncommoner at the Spin classes? Well maybe that spoiled me.
Ordered the drink-waited, waited, waited, played words with friends, waited, checked my email, waited, check facebook, waited, checked the sephora obsession of the day, waited. Are you getting this.
Finally I decide to be more alert and I notice one person at the register, one making drinks, one doing the other stuff and I hear a lot of rinsing, rinsing, rinsing. I notice now I've been here a long time. About 25 minutes at this point. And then the switch.
What switch? I have this internal switch and this switch used to mean I would cause a scene, but I have lived in California a long time now. Plus so many people recognize me from school so I have to be careful. No yelling, no cursing, no stamping of feet-I simply walked up to the cashier and said, I can't wait anymore I'm leaving. No refund no nothing. Out of there!
I get to work, I make my green tea-which I don't have a cup for. Take 3 paper dixi cups and triple them and drink my tea. I facebook the event, and then call Starbucks because you know what? I want my refund-
Luckily I'm a gold card member so they can see everything that I do at Starbucks. They give me a rounded out 5 dollars to make up for the inconvenience but NOT before a 20 minute interrogation about the experience. I'm not sure but I think I was water boarded at one point. I also didn't really want to get Starbucks people in trouble, I just wanted my 2.95 back.
Well I go about my day and am teaching my class with my dixie cup of tea when I notice a parent coming to my class. Mrs. Javid (LOVE HER) was delivering a VENTE Green Tea Latte. (I told you the parents in my class are the best). My class is super smart so I told them the story and they clapped for the happy ending.
Except for one little boy who's mom works at Starbucks in Target. He was like hey-my mom works there. I was like no no no not her Starbucks-she doesn't open until 8! He says then why does she leave at six? I'm like oy vey-this is one sharp group.
The lesson here commoners? If one day you are treated like something special it ruins it for a long time-because you have to remember that you are still a commoner and must wait for your latte in line for however long it takes.
I think it's a Starbucks thing. There's a Starbucks here in Kildare (in a she-she shopping center) and they only ever have three people behind the counter too . . . coffe maker, cashier/bakery counter person and an extra in case they get busy. They're usually restocking the bakery counter. There are always people waiting for drinks at the end of the counter. And of course, they display so much nonsense in front of the pick up counter you can barely reach in for your hot beverage. 20 minutes is a bit OTT though. I would have complained in the store at the time. Chances are I'm the one who's voicing the opinions of many because most people just roll over and take bad service. But apparently Starbucks isn't hurtin for businesses that they're worried about losing $5. It's well for some, I suppose. I'm glad you finally complained in the end. And what a great classroom story!
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