Comments on: Every New Beginning Comes from Some Other Beginning’s End http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/ An Irreverent Look at the Glocalized World Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:26:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: rolandog http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61723 rolandog Mon, 01 May 2006 05:57:41 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61723 Mmmm... "abrazo and Indio". XD. Mmmm… “abrazo and Indio”. XD.

]]> By: oso http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61583 oso Fri, 28 Apr 2006 05:40:44 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61583 Idiot 4: Hi, can I have a tall latte Me (pointing to the cups): how tall do you want your latte Idiot 4 (pointing to the smallest cup): that one there Me: homes, even in the most napoleonic of terms, that ain't tall. what do they give you when you ask for a short one? Catatu-san, a blog awaits you - it's so obvious. Idiot 4: Hi, can I have a tall latte
Me (pointing to the cups): how tall do you want your latte
Idiot 4 (pointing to the smallest cup): that one there
Me: homes, even in the most napoleonic of terms, that ain’t tall. what do they give you when you ask for a short one?

Catatu-san, a blog awaits you – it’s so obvious.

]]> By: Catatau http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61582 Catatau Fri, 28 Apr 2006 04:56:26 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61582 Idiot 3 (pointing to the middle column of cups, the one in between the small sized cups and the large sized cups): “What size of cup is that there?” Me: “That’s the extra-extra-large.” Idiot 3 (shocked beyond belief): “Well, what is that cup to the right?” Me: “The extra-large.” Idiot 3: “And to the left?” Me: “The extra-extra-extra large.” Idiot 3: “Y’all don’t just have a medium?” Me: “We do, but it’s so small, you can’t even see it.” OK so I have a theory on this. As a fellow barista, this is something I too have seen, and I think I know what its all about. There is a correlation between avoidance of saying cup sizes (ie small, medium, large) and being a Starbucks regular. Really its part of the genius of their corporate strategy. Not only do you not feel somehow inadequate if you want a small, because its not small, its tall (or something like that), but they train you in ordering at their establishment in a way that you feel uncomfortalbe if you go somewhere else. You've completely forgotten how to order in plain fuckin English. If someone tells me they want a grande, they gettin a friggin large cup, and if they complain, thats their problem. The result, people realize that everytime they go to Starbucks they know how to order the Starbucks way, and everytime they go somewhere else they make a fool of themselves, and so they take refuge in their comfrot zone and stop going other places. Thats my two pennies. Idiot 3 (pointing to the middle column of cups, the one in between the small sized cups and the large sized cups): “What size of cup is that there?”
Me: “That’s the extra-extra-large.”
Idiot 3 (shocked beyond belief): “Well, what is that cup to the right?”
Me: “The extra-large.”
Idiot 3: “And to the left?”
Me: “The extra-extra-extra large.” Idiot 3: “Y’all don’t just have a medium?”
Me: “We do, but it’s so small, you can’t even see it.”

OK so I have a theory on this. As a fellow barista, this is something I too have seen, and I think I know what its all about. There is a correlation between avoidance of saying cup sizes (ie small, medium, large) and being a Starbucks regular. Really its part of the genius of their corporate strategy. Not only do you not feel somehow inadequate if you want a small, because its not small, its tall (or something like that), but they train you in ordering at their establishment in a way that you feel uncomfortalbe if you go somewhere else. You’ve completely forgotten how to order in plain fuckin English. If someone tells me they want a grande, they gettin a friggin large cup, and if they complain, thats their problem. The result, people realize that everytime they go to Starbucks they know how to order the Starbucks way, and everytime they go somewhere else they make a fool of themselves, and so they take refuge in their comfrot zone and stop going other places. Thats my two pennies.

]]> By: oso http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61427 oso Thu, 27 Apr 2006 06:41:48 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61427 Rolando, Funny, I was just reading your thoughts on the presidential debate earlier today. Always lovely bumping into old cuates on the net. Being on the barista side of the aisle, I think you really nail it with "customers want to feel unique." People get so possessive about their favorite cafe it's really pretty incredible. And you're right, sometimes I'm afraid of being too nice to someone 'cause I think it'll make them feel entitled later on. Un abrazo y una Indio, os Rolando,

Funny, I was just reading your thoughts on the presidential debate earlier today. Always lovely bumping into old cuates on the net. Being on the barista side of the aisle, I think you really nail it with “customers want to feel unique.” People get so possessive about their favorite cafe it’s really pretty incredible. And you’re right, sometimes I’m afraid of being too nice to someone ’cause I think it’ll make them feel entitled later on.

Un abrazo y una Indio,
os

]]> By: rolandog http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61418 rolandog Thu, 27 Apr 2006 03:42:14 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61418 Howdy Oso. Long time, no write... no read. Me sounding more, like Code Monkey song. Anyhow, your post drew my attention... perhaps the problem between baristas and customers is an issue of trust: Each party shows a bit of a condescending attitude towards the other... and it is all an issue of trust. Baristas don't trust in customers that seem to not know what they want. Customers want to feel unique and they trust themselves to find out what they want. But perhaps your experiences and those from other people could/should inspire a book of common knowledge: "The Complete Idiot's Guide To 'Being American'". With whole chapters dedicated to the standard sizes of cups... The genius invention of the 'spork'... and other important stuff. Best wishes (that your customers become less dumb...). A big hug from Monterrey... virtual beer enclosed in attachment. ;-) Howdy Oso. Long time, no write… no read. Me sounding more, like Code Monkey song.

Anyhow, your post drew my attention… perhaps the problem between baristas and customers is an issue of trust:

Each party shows a bit of a condescending attitude towards the other… and it is all an issue of trust. Baristas don’t trust in customers that seem to not know what they want. Customers want to feel unique and they trust themselves to find out what they want.

But perhaps your experiences and those from other people could/should inspire a book of common knowledge:

“The Complete Idiot’s Guide To ‘Being American’”. With whole chapters dedicated to the standard sizes of cups… The genius invention of the ’spork’… and other important stuff.

Best wishes (that your customers become less dumb…). A big hug from Monterrey… virtual beer enclosed in attachment. ;-)

]]> By: abogado http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61371 abogado Wed, 26 Apr 2006 05:13:09 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61371 <blockquote>post was good for laughs</blockquote> That's more than can be said for my posts. No tanks for me.

post was good for laughs

That’s more than can be said for my posts. No tanks for me.

]]> By: oso http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61367 oso Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:21:17 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61367 yirishud/said, I may be a looser, but yo momma is the loosest. HIYO! Indeed, tanks for your comment. yirishud/said,

I may be a looser, but yo momma is the loosest. HIYO!

Indeed, tanks for your comment.

]]> By: said http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61365 said Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:16:10 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61365 dude, really get another job, get a life. dude, really get another job, get a life.

]]> By: yirishud http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61363 yirishud Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:12:40 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61363 you complain about the attitude of the costumers, but you have an worst attitude than them. what a pathetic existence. wishing for some human contact, when all people want is their coffee. face it, you cant be friends with all tellers and be merry and happy all day. get over it looser. the same fot all the people who feel empowered when being served by a waiter or a "barista". pathetic. post was good for laughs, tanks for that. but not much else. you complain about the attitude of the costumers, but you have an worst attitude than them. what a pathetic existence. wishing for some human contact, when all people want is their coffee. face it, you cant be friends with all tellers and be merry and happy all day. get over it looser. the same fot all the people who feel empowered when being served by a waiter or a “barista”. pathetic.
post was good for laughs, tanks for that. but not much else.

]]> By: irasali http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/comment-page-1/#comment-61270 irasali Sun, 23 Apr 2006 22:57:32 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2006/04/18/every-new-beginning-comes-from-some-other-beginnings-end/#comment-61270 a very delightful post oso. you made me laugh. i could never understand why anyone would be rude to the person handling their food or in your case coffee. a very delightful post oso. you made me laugh. i could never understand why anyone would be rude to the person handling their food or in your case coffee.

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