Retail Hell Underground

Ski-Thru Starbucks

  

 

 

Coffee Angel: Man Delivers Free Coffee To Chemo Patients Weekly

 

 

House Blend

So true...

 

 

 

 

Barista Coffee Company Banks on Sexy Costumes

From HuffPo:

Baristas Coffee Company is making a bet that even if you prefer your coffee iced, you'll appreciate a bit of hotness in your coffee shop experience. The growing chain of drive-thru cafes, based out of Seattle, Wash., has been described as a cross between Hooters and Starbucks. And true to that moniker, it is staffed only by "attractive female baristas" wearing "a variety of appealing costumed-themed attire" -- think skimpy French maid uniforms and lingerie bedecked with angel's wings.

The original store opened in 1996. The 15 years since then may not have brought growth comparable to Five Guys or Starbucks, but they've still been good to the company; it now operates a total of seven stores in Washington and Texas. Baristas has also inked deals with local development companies to open several more outposts in New Jersey, Arizona and in the Tampa area.

That said, Baristas has had its fair share of hiccups along the way. In September, federal officials accused the company of failing to pay its workers as much as they were due. The investigation is ongoing, and is expected to lead to a jury trial in 2013.

And the "sexpresso" business has historically faced an uphill battle across the country. The topless Vietnamese coffee shops of San Jose, Calif. have been fighting back and forth with city for years. One high profile nude coffee shop in Maine was burned to the ground in a brutal arson. And Seattle-based drive-thru chain Grab-n-Go, probably closest analogue to Baristas, found itself embroiled in charges of prostitution.

But Baristas has a secret weapon: reality TV. Just the other day, the company announced that it would hold open casting calls (for women between the ages of 18 and 25, of course) for a new reality TV it's developing based on its service workers. They'll be housed in a domicile called the "Coffee Castle" during filming.

There's nothing more American than coffee, breastaurants and reality TV. (Except maybe apple pie.) We wouldn't bet against you.

Want to see more? Watch this video Baristas made when it opened its Texas location:

via www.huffingtonpost.com

 

 

Burger Bitch: Coworker Sexting Custys and A Parade of Dumbasses

Oh guys, you won’t fucking believe the story I have for you this time.

Since it’s so fucking ridiculous and is making me so mad that I could very well piss wasabi, I’m going to cut right to it.

Recently, my manager has started putting me on after noon shifts because I mentioned that I was getting crazy migraines from lack of sleep. And since she’s so awesome, she took me aside one day and said “You’re my one of two amazing workers, so I don’t want you to leave, so if you don’t mind, I’ll put you on some afternoon shifts.” Which I of course didn’t mind because I got to sleep in and finally have some time to get some shit done.

Well, I realized very quickly that the customers are 500x more idiotic during the afternoon shift, but more importantly, that the tips suck. Now, I’ve mentioned before that I live off of my tips and my paycheck goes straight to the bank and I don’t touch it. That way I can save up for school (Whenever I decide what I actually want to do with my life, y’know) and a car very easily.

When I work in the mornings, I generally walk home with anywhere from $15-30 per day, however the few times I’ve worked the afternoon shifts, I’ve literally went home with less than $3. But what bugged me is I’ve seen the tips that the other girl who works afternoons walks home with, and they’re always upwards of $25. Not to sound arrogant at all, but this girl is unpleasant, impolite and dumber than a box of toenails. When I work, I’m polite and try to make small talk with the customers.

I really started to wonder how she was walking home with an assload of tips and I was getting dick all. Well, I knew that she’s gotten written up twice for taking her apron off and unbuttoning her shirt, so I figured “Maybe I need bigger tits to get tips, but that’s not happening.”

But then, my coworker told me, in a giggling fit of hysteria that Tips McGee was caught by our other coworker SEXTING CUSTOMERS.

WHAT?

Yeah. Apparently she’s been giving out her number to customers and sexting them up and she was BRAGGING about it.  Which is fucking awesome, because I never realized that I work in a coffee house/brothel. So now all I have to do is sext in order to get tips, so I’m a bit fucking pissed about that. Plus, just the other night, three customers came in and asked if Slutty McTroll was working.  

–Shudder-

*    *    *    *

And now for the Darwin Award Winning Customers!

The thing that’s really gotten on my nerves as of late is just the complete and total lack of any common sense. The first customer I had the other afternoon was a man and his teenage son in DT, they ordered a large double double and a large double double with sweetener. So on one lid I wrote a “S” and on the other “Sw.” You’d think that’d be pretty straight forward, right? Wrong.

Old Man: “Which one has sugar and which one has sweetener? They’re not marked.”

Me: “Yes, they are. The “S” is sugar and the “Sw” is sweetener.”

Old Man: “Well, that’s confusing, they could easily be confused.”

Even his son was shaking his head at him. Then, not an hour later, a man came into the store, looked around and asked “Do you serve coffee?”

I honestly thought he was joking, so I chuckled, but he just gave me the stink eye. No, fuckbone, the 3 coffee machines and all the cups and bags of coffee lying around actually means that we serve stem cells.

He ordered an extra large regular and a medium hot chocolate. Note that these sizes differ greatly. I prepare them, put them in a tray and give them to the dipshit dude.

Dipshit: “Which one is which?”

Me: “.. Sorry?”

Dipshit: “Which one is which? I ordered an extra-large regular and a medium hot chocolate, right? So which one is which?”

Me: -Trying VERY hard not to sound sarcastic- “The extra-large is the one in the bigger cup..”

*    *    *    *

Then came the idiot bitch and all of her spare fucking change. A woman came through DT and ordered an Extra Large French Vanilla and cookie, since there was another customer waiting at the counter, I got them together quickly and told the woman in DT her total. That’s when she hands me an entire fucking sandwich bag of pennies and nickels and says “I’m too busy to count it, so if you could just count that to make sure I have enough, that’d be great.” YEAH. FUCKING SURE. NOT LIKE I HAVE OTHER CUSTOMERS OR ANYTHING ELSE BETTER TO FUCKING DO, YOU DUMB BITCH.

I try to count it as quickly as possible and she only has about $1.20 and the total is $3.45.

Me: “You only have $1.20 here.”

Bitch: “Ok, give me a few minutes to get more change out of my bag.”

I figure this would be a decent enough chance to take the customer’s order who has been waiting patiently at the counter. I turn and say “Hey there, what can I get you?” when the bitch in DT shouts “HEY WAIT YOU HAVE TO COUNT MY CHANGE.”

Me: “Do you have the change ready yet?”

Bitch: “No!”

Me: “Then I’m going to take this customer’s order while you get your change.”

Bitch: “No! You have to count my change!”

Luckily the girl who was working on the gas station side came over and took the other customers order. All in all, it took over TEN MINUTES for this lazy fucking cow to get out enough change to pay for her fucking order, and it was almost all in pennies. 2.75$ in pennies, if I remember correctly.

I need to start drinking at work.

--Burger Bitch

 

Tip Left In Unusual Way

Not really seeing this as a win. Clever at first glance, but unless their bill was a couple of dollars, it looks like a shitty tip me with all that change:( But perhaps an easy way for the server to collect?

Coffee Needed on Tuesdays

Lebowski Tip Jar

Kung Fu Tips

The War of Tipping and The Question of Boundries

Aryante:

A while ago, I wrote in about how I don't get the tips at the sushi bar that I work at and the angry guy that wanted to sue over soy sauce. I've now been at this job since September and had my first revelation of a lifetime.

To my dearest customers:

I'm sorry, but I'm sure that I hate all of you.

And why might one ask? Well, one night, a costumer found out that I don't keep the tips. And the shit hit the fan. I guess she just told every damn soul that walks through the door because the next thing I know, I have costumers (Only the regulars so far) putting my tip in the front pocket of my apron. Because of the social anxiety (Mentioned in the post about angry soy sauce man) I can NOT have people touch me. I can't handle it. It freaks me out. But enough costumers have been doing this, because they heard that I don't get my tip if they leave it on the table for me, that I have had an attack at work.

It's the sweetest of intentions, all the hearts are in the right place. But for the love of personal space, stop touching me. It makes me feel violated and I still put the money in the jar so the chef gets paid.

And on another note:

I feel just as awkward if you send your 3 year old to hand me the tip. Not only will I be sad that I have to disappoint your child, but your child starts screaming when I put it in the jar. I have resorted to bribing the kids with candy so they don't cry on me. I've also threatened to make the miso fairy take a nap so there won't be any soup. On the upside, The palce is placed with Heavenspawns. It's amazing, polite children that say please and thank you.

Now, I have a question about boundaries with my boss. (And that is an interesting sentence) I've known her since the store opened about 4-5 years ago.  However, since I started working there, I noticed things that bother me.

1) She trusts me waaaay too much.

Example: The other day, she handed me $20 to get her some water chesnuts at the store because she couldn't find them. When I got back, she didn't bother counting the change. She just assumed that I handed everything back.

Example: About a month ago, the store was EMPTY. Crazy Empty. She sat down behind the counter and I played with her son for my entire shift. At the end of my shift, I ask if it was fine for me to go. No response. So, I touched her arm to get her attention. She screams. Turns out, she had fallen asleep. Leaving me as the only person keeping her son and daughter safe and preventing any robberies

Example: SHE LEFT ME IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE PLACE.

2) Free food, that's right, i'm upset over free food.

Example: At the end of every shift, she sends me home with 2rolls, whatever I want. For free. I'm sure this would bother me less if I wasn't allergic to fish and my sister didn't steal the rolls. But at a minimium, that's about $15 a night in food. for every waitress (because I;m not the only waitress anymore, there's now two of us!!) And she gives a lot of food to other people. It's nice, but its bad for her business.

Example: She makes random, and I do mean random, snacks and will give me some too. I guess if she's making it for her kids, then dishing some out for me is no biggie.

So  Question time: it's not a lot of stuff bothering me, but I'm wondering if I should chalk it up to a cultural difference (She's an amazing Chinese woman, just brought her son and husband over last year). Or if I should be freaked out by the overtrusting and overfeeding qualites? Do I need to explain to her that being that trusted makes me nervous? Or should I be flattered?

Also, sidenote, the sushi chef is moving so I MIGHT be getting my tips from now on :D

--Aryante

 

Intelligent Tip Jar

Tip Jar Trickle

Bunnies and Chicks Love Tips

Tipping Sign Suggests Alternatives To Cash

Tips From The Sexy

Sidewalk Chalkboard Sign Frustration

Yahoo Article Asks: Are You Tipping Correctly?

Sent in from Wildcat Waitress:

Via Yahoo:

While most of us agree that 20 percent (or close to it) is the standard amount to leave on a restaurant check, other tipping-related matters leave us scratching our heads. To settle these debates once and for all, Steve Dublanica, former server and author of the blog Waiter Rant and recent book Keep the Change: A Clueless Tipper's Quest to Become the Guru of the Gratuity, weighs in on some hot-button issues.

1. SHOULD YOU TIP ON THE TAX?

On one hand: There's no reason to tip on the tax. The restaurant doesn't get to keep tax money. When gratuity is automatically included on a check for a large party, it's added pretax.

On the other: When most servers total their sales at the end of the night, they include the tax in the amount. This "cash-out" amount determines how much they tip out to busboys, runners, and other staff members. By not tipping on tax, you're stiffing them out of their fair share.

Steve's verdict: "I like it when you do, but you don't have to tip on the tax."

2. WHAT IS THE CORRECT AMOUNT TO TIP ON DRINKS?

On one hand: Twenty percent is way too much - it's just a drink! The standard in most bars is $1 for each beverage or 10 percent, which generally adds up to $1. Bartenders are tipped out by other members of the staff, so they are walking away with plenty of money.

On the other: Bartenders do more work than servers because they're the ones actually making the drinks, not the server. They deserve the full 20 percent.

Steve's verdict: "[At the bar] you should leave 15 to 20 percent of the total cost of that drink, which may seem kind of ridiculous. But think of it this way: At the table, you're paying 15 to 20 percent. Why does the bartender not get that money, but the waiter - who doesn't make those drinks - does?"

3. DO YOU ALWAYS TIP YOUR BARISTA?

On one hand: Yes. They're skilled workers and deserve tips just as much as other food-service employees.

On the other: Baristas make a decent hourly wage, unlike servers, and they don't work for tips. Besides, what's the point of tipping them if they don't see you put the money in the jar?

Steve's verdict: "I learned when I worked as a barista that if you get a cup of coffee and give us the change from buying that cup, we're really grateful. But I've seen people order one of these frothy iced milk latte-type chemistry experiments - which can be more complicated to prepare than a martini - and then not tip. For baristas who make you one of these, tip a dollar."

See also: 13 Things Your Barista Won't Tell You

4. WHEN, IF EVER, IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO LEAVE A BAD TIP?

On one hand: Never. Even if your server really, really screws up, the tip money is being distributed to multiple employees of the restaurant. If you're unhappy with your server, it's not fair to penalize the busboy, bartender, food runners, and other employees who depend on this money to make their living.

On the other: It's OK to leave a bad tip if you receive bad service. It's your right as a customer, and it will send a message of displeasure to the restaurant.

Steve's verdict: "I don't suggest stiffing servers on the tip, because you are punishing all the other people connected

via shine.yahoo.com

Donut Shop Management Gets Told For Requiring That Only Men Take Out The Trash

LaughingBarista's BF gets a Retail Balls Award for standing up to sexist management:

Hey guys! LaughingBarista here after a long hiatus!

I was so busy with my new job, grad school finals (which kicked my ass but I wound up doing well!) and Christmas stuff so I haven't had a chance to post anything recently. But boy, do I have a doozy for you guys.

So my boyfriend has been at Donuts still this whole time. He's been slaving away (pun intended), especially around the holidays, and was realizing just how much he was unappreciated. He was getting real sick of it but it really started coming to a blow a few weeks ago.

The week of Christmas he took off Christmas Eve because he switched shifts with someone after covering a bunch of theirs, this way he could spend time with his younger siblings. They were closed on Christmas. He worked that Monday and that Wednesday he went in. He was doing his job, assembling for drive-thru while another coworker rang up (someome was making sandwiches but everyone else was screwing around in the back) when the shift leader asked him to take out the garbage.

He politely asked if someone could please do it since he was in the middle of an order or if someone could take over for him so he could do it. The shift leader said no, that he had to do it and that was that.

Like I said, he was in the middle of an order so he went to finish it when Jane (you all remember that bitch) came up to him and asked him what his problem was. He said there wasn't a problem, that he was just doing his job when the shift leader asked him to stop, wouldn't get someone to replace him, so he could do other people's jobs (since everyone else was bullshitting in the back).

You want to know what Jane said? "Well we're women so we don't take out the garbage."

My boyfriend was PISSED. He said something along the lines of this is 2011 (as it was at the time) in America, not 1811. She sent him home.

So when he went to get his paycheck on Friday the manager (who wasn't there) asked for his side of the story. He tells her that he was doing drive-thru, the shift leader asked him to do that while there were many capable people to do it, and that he was sent home because he wouldn't stop helping the drive-thru, even though no one was sent to cover him to take out the garbage. He also shared what Jane said. The manager agreed with him and told him that she knows that he's claned the bathrooms and that's a "woman's job" so why can't they take out the garbage? She takes out the garbage herself so she didn't get it.

Fast forward to yesterday. Boyfriend goes in and is furious because he gets his check and it's really low. It's the check from that week. Now manager has agreed that he should not have been sent home and even Jane apologized for it. Boyfriend thinks that he should be reimbursed for the missing hours of pay. I agreed with him but warned him that he would not be reimbursed as Donuts is an even corporation with no soul at its core. He said he figured as much but that if that was the case, he was going to quit. He felt that it was completely unfair for him to not get paid for hours that he really should have gotten paid for.

So he goes in and talks to the manager and the assistant manager and airs his grievances. They tell him that HE was in the wrong that day and that women aren't supposed to take out the garbage because that is a man's job and as one of the only men there that day (there was another one but oh, he doesn't take out the garbage) it was HIS job to do it, even if it meant leaving the drive-thru. They told him under no circumstance would they give him the money because he was in the wrong.

He quit on the spot, telling them that he worked way too hard to get paid so little and to be treated like shit.

I fully supported his decision and am glad to be rid of those scumbags. I seriously could not believe that one.

Here's to hoping that you guys don't have to deal with stuff like that!

--LaughingBarista

 

Tip Jar War: Batman vs. Ironman

Who do you choose RHU?

 

Burger Bitch: Slacker Coworker Allowed To Be Late and Call In Sick 8 Times

Well guys, today was a complete and utter disaster. However, my awesome coworker and a regular customer made my day.

Now, I have one coworker who is a huge fucking cunt. I literally have no other words to describe her because that’s how terrible she is. She’s shows up late all the time or calls in sick, in December alone, she called in sick eight times. EIGHT FUCKING TIMES. But she never gets in shit for anything. Why? Because my manager has to have permission from her boss to fire someone, and her boss is a fucking buttpussy.

So this morning, I go in at my usual time which is 4:30AM and Cunt is supposed to come in at six. Recently, I’ve had a bitchin’ flu, but I still show up to work because, well, nobody would take my shift because they refuse to work with cunt. One of my coworkers even called me and said “BB, I love you. Like, more than tequila, but just not enough to want to work with Cunt.” Seriously, this is how bad she is. But anywhom, 6:10 rolls around and she’s still not there and it’s starting to get really busy, 6:15 comes and I call my manager and let her know that Cunt is late. Awesome Manager tells me to call her again in 10 minutes if she’s still not there and she’d be right over.

Nope, she still wasn’t there, so I text my manager and she tells me to call in Mama Bear. Mama Bear is by far my favourite coworker. She’s such a sweetheart and I just love her so much. I ask the two people waiting at cash if they could just hold on for one second because I really have to call my coworker in, but they start fucking flipping shit, so I serve them. But as I’m serving them, I start to feel insanely unwell and realize that I’m about to have some serious issues. I serve them as fast as I can, but DT goes off, serve that customer, someone else comes in. At this point, I’m in tears because I need to go to the washroom SERIOUSLY BAD and I don’t have fucking time because my coworker can’t give a fuck enough to fucking come to work on time.

Well, I turn to serve the customer at cash but it’s John Goodman. Not really, but you guys remember the awesome regular who looks a lot like him and bitched at the asshole customer a few rants ago? Yeah, it was him.

John: “Oh no! What’s up, buttercup?”

Me: “I’m feeling really unwell and I really have to go to the washroom but I don’t have time because my coworker is an idiot and comes in late all the time! And I still have to call my other coworker and I’m just freaking out a little bit. I’m so sorry.”

John: “Ok, hon. GO TO THE WASHROOM. I’ll stand here and let customers know that you’re just having some technical difficulties. But seriously, go! Fuck the people in the DT, they can wait!”

I booked it to the washroom as fast as possible and when I came back, John was still standing there, chatting away with the other customers, then he says “They don’t mind waiting, give your coworker a call.”

I honestly wanted to hug the crap out of him. I called Mama Bear and immediately she answered and said “What’s wrong, hon?” Seriously, she has crazy Psychic Mom powers.

Me: “Cunt didn’t show up and I can’t do everything myself and I’m freaking out and just-just-“

Mama Bear: “Oh, sweetie! I’m going to get dressed like a fucker and I’ll be right there! Just breathe!”

I served the other few customers before my manager and Mama Bear came in, then the phone rang. It was Cunt saying “She was going to be late.”

WOW. REALLY? YOU DON’T FUCKING SAY, CAPTAIN RETARDO!

I told her that Mama Bear was already there and hung up, but Cunt still came in. I was still shaking because I was so angry and when I saw her walk in, I had to go outside because I would have flipped at her. She didn’t even have a decent excuse, she just waddled her fat ass in and said “I didn’t feel like getting up this morning.”

NOBODY WANTS TO GET UP AND GO TO FUCKING WORK IN THE MORNING!

When I came back in, Awesome Manager was having a talk with her, but she let me know later that there’s nothing she can do. So basically, in order to get fired, you have to shit in someone’s mouth.

Immediately Cunt starts trying to tell Mama Bear what to do and told her that she shouldn’t have come in and Mama Bear looked right at her and said “Maybe you should get your cow ass here on fucking time so BB doesn’t have to handle the morning rush by herself, you lazy twat.”

I seriously nearly cried out of joy.

And lucky me, tomorrow is my 6^th day working in a row and I have to spend it with Cunt. AWESOME. I should just leave when she gets there and say “Sorry, I don’t feel like working.”

Fucking dickpacker.

--Burger Bitch