We were the pig in the slaughterhouse, the fish who swallowed the hook, the emperor with no clothes…..and we had to utter the five words that plague all barista’s dreams: We are out of coffee.
You see, Starbucks’ corporate offices recently decided to implement a new brewing strategy that would virtually eliminate all possibility of running out of regular, bold, or decaffeinated coffee. Essentially, the innovation is a bright idea based on a rotation of urns with a new type of coffee being brewed every eight minutes. However, what this new system doesn’t fully take into account are the variations in demand for coffee during the morning rush. Thus, by the time it’s decaf’s turn to be brewed, we’re already out of regular, and any sidestepping of the new strategy throws the rhythm completely out of sync. Apparently, there are still some kinks to be worked out with the new method of brewing, but we’ll get it down soon, I assure you. A side note for all you coffee experts: there will be a subtle freshness added to the flavor of our coffee, as it is now freshly ground before each batch rather than all at once in the morning.
The details above lead me to recount a customer interaction I had this morning while on register around 9 a.m., smack dab in the middle of our busiest time.
A semi-regular customer (let’s name him Phil) walks up to me and asks for a grande Pike Place. Apologizing, I inform him we are clean out of regular coffee and ask if he wouldn’t mind waiting a few minutes for it. Phil begrudgingly mumbles an assent and once again buries his head into his Blackberry. Hating to not have coffee available, I tell Phil that he can have his morning brew for free in exchange for his waiting. However, this seems to vex Phil all the more and, without a word to me, he leaves, complaining to Amanda (a fellow barista) that the story is always the same in DUMBO Starbucks.
Phil, I’m sorry we ran out of coffee this morning. I promise you we’ll amend this new brewing system until your ears never have to hear the words “We are out of coffee” again.
In other news, I redecorated my hat…it was looking a bit grungy.
Rwanda is delicious…I’ll review it sometime very soon.
Spread the word! 🙂
Who can resist?
the many minute musings of a barista 