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Information before-hand:

I work at a rest stop Starbucks.

We are only a licensed store, not corporate;

As in we do not get partner numbers, and we are not under Starbucks rules, only the rest stop rules.

We do accept Starbucks cards and apps, but there are limitations.

That includes travel mug discounts. At corporate Starbucks you receive a discount for bringing your own cup. We do the same, but it is only a 10 cent discount. We have no other option.

Obviously we get a lot of people upset and confused over this, but I just wear the apron, I have zero say.

*Customer approaches my register with a travel mug*

Customer: Just a coffee.

Me: Of course! *Retrieves coffee*

*Charges for only a small, even though his mug is easily a Venti. And then hits the 'travel mug discount' button.

Me: That'll be $2.00.

Customer: No. Where's my discount? I'm not paying that.

Me: *Internally: Heeeeere we go again* Sir, we are only a licensed store, not corporate, so our discount is only for 10 cents.

Customer: No. You're charging me too much. Its supposed to be only a few cents.

Me: *Repeats what I just said in simpler terms*

Customer: Look, I go to my Starbucks all the time, you rung it in wrong.

Me: I can't do anything about the discount, if you'd like to speak to a manager, I can go get somebody.

Customer: No, I just want my coffee.

Me: Yes, of course, but I have to charge you $2.00.

This man ended up paying the $2.00, and very rudely walks away. Where we finds a manager in the lobby.

My manager told him the exact same thing.

I would LOVE to charge you less in this circumstance. But there is literally nothing my POS system will allow me to do.

I do not make the rules, therefore I can not break them, or rewrite rules myself.

I hate that the people out there handling customers are the ones getting the hard time. Over rules we did not make.

On another note, our tall coffee is worth $2.10 orginally, and you bring your own cup and expect to pay only 10 cents, you're now saying you're paying $2.00 for our paper cup alone in a regular transaction.

When we give those away to people who ask for an extra cup.

Since I work at a 24 hour rest stop, before I open the store the gate is down for Starbucks, and people can use the bathroom and visit a 24 hour restaurant there. The building is quiet, but alive at 5am. Except for Starbucks. At 5 am the main lights in the store are off.

A group of girls poked their heads through the gate, and squinted to see me in the dim lighting, and then asked, “Are you open?”

I looked at them and kept doing what I was doing.

They thought I didn’t hear them. So they asked again.

I can’t.

“No, we’re obviously not open. The lights are off and your poking your head around the closed gate.”

An elderly woman orders apprehensively, “I would like a short coffee, in a tall cup, with a shot of espresso and extra whipped cream.”

Me: Sure, anything else?

Customer: 😮 You understand??

Me: Yes, of course, did you want anything else?

Customer: No, that’s all. I’m just thrilled that you know what I wanted!

Me: It’s no problem.

Customer: No, it is! Everytime I order that no one knows what I mean! Thank you!

Me: You’re welcome:) You’re total is $2.11.

Customer: That’s it??? *Hands me three dollars*

Me: For you, of course ma'am! (Trying to make this appreciative soul feel special)

Customer: Oh wait, I have a penny for you.

Me: Sure no problem there. *I did the math in my head* simple stuff.

Customer: Wow! You know what change to give me now? Even though you already put my pay in the register??

Me: Absolutely :)

Customer: Well, you are just lovely, thank you so much for understanding and being so helpful. Have a great day honey.

Man complains to me that he’s been waiting 10 minutes for his double espresso, and asked what’s taking so long.

I was so bent out of shape already, that I couldn’t even answer politely.

All I said was “I’m only one person.”

I hand out a drink, and the woman it belongs to takes it and thanks me.

She held eye contact, and said to me, “Honey, is it always like this?”

I breathed deep, and said yes ma'am.

She looked very upset, and said, “Well, you are moving very fast, and you’re doing a good job for being so understaffed.”

I thank her and open up to her, “You know, I just get so overwhelmed sometimes, I’ve been at this for hours, and no one understands that I’m one person and I can only do so much.” The woman leans in and says, “Well you’re doing great, don’t let them get to you, just hang in there and have a good day okay sweetie?”

(All the while the man who was rude to me is listening in)

I thank her whole heartedly, while continuing to work.

While I was busy doing something else, a woman was ordering from my coworker. She ordered an Asiago bagel, toasted, with cream cheese. This particular coworker gets distracted easily and loves to talk. So, she failed to tell anyone about said bagel. About 10 minutes later this coworker approaches me and asks that I get her a toasted Asiago bagel, and that she forgot about it. I begin toasting it, and ask my coworker if it was with butter or cream cheese. (Because I was not there during the ordering process) She tells me it is with nothing. So I toast the bagel and get it to the customer quickly. The woman tells me she wants the cream cheese she asked for.

So I apologize (although it is my coworker’s fault entirely), and return promptly with cream cheese.

This woman snatches the bag of cream cheese (I gave her extra to make ammends of her having to wait) and rolls her eyes.

When I say she snatched it, I mean she literally grabbed it out of my hand.

Instead of taking the time to explain to her that it is not my fault in any way, and that the only reason I am involved in her order at all is to help, and to get her her order as fast as possible after having to wait. Instead of explaining all this and clearing away some of her ignorance, I allowed her to walk off mad at ME, instead of my irresponsible coworker.