Do stupid people make you angry?
The do me. And I seem to encounter them all the time.
Take today for instance.

We were shopping.
i wanted a coffee.
Nothing difficult there?
Old fashioned filter coffee.
You know the type, usually sat in a pot on a hotplate for ages.
We went in a branch of Costa Coffee (www.costa.co.uk)
Looking around I didnt see a drip-filter machine, but that didnt necessarally mean they dont make any so I made the mistake of asking: "Can you do a filter coffee?"
"Yes. Its called an Americano".
Now, this is where it goes wrong.
Because I HAVE been to Seattle
I know my drip-brewed light roast Fair Trade Colombian from my Cafetiere prepared French roasted robustica.
I'm not going to be bullshitted about a cup of coffee by someone working in a cheap coffee chain at minimum wage.
I politely corrected the 'barista' (HA!) in the salon de cafe "no, thats a shot of expresso with hot water - I mean drip filter coffee?"
This is where it gets good - she says "I KNOW what I'm talking about - I've been to COFFEE COLLEGE!"
ROLF!!!!
"Coffee college!" I laughed "Thats about as comical as Hamburger University!" (yes, yes, I know Hamburger University exists, but that is at least a serious institution of higher learning) "I wouldnt bother putting it on your CV love!" XD
So, then she when off in a huff and shouted at someone else to take over.
Again I asked "can you do a drip-filter, not an expresso?"
"ugh? drip...?? what? "
This member of staff was patently unable to answer my question in English.
And unfortunately I'm not fluent in Polish...yet.

At this point I walked out and (I dont say this lightly) went into Starbucks two doors away, where I was offered a choice: their own Cafe Estima, or a very nice small estate African, which was very tasty.

The funniest thing is: I went to the (www.costa.co.uk) website to send an email of complaint- and the store wasnt listed! No problems, just click the "contact us" - except it says "Coming Soon!" - what is? Intelligence?

Its not that easy to shake me off when I'm pissed off, so next step - email their parent company Whitbread PLC [link] of brewing and hotel fame.

Below is my email to them....wonder if I will get a reply?!
==
I had intended to send a message through the site (www.costa.co.uk) - but the 'contact us' page (un)helpfully says "coming soon" which seems quite appropriate given the 'vacancy' of your staff.

I've just visited your store at Manchester Fort (if you search the (www.costa.co.uk) site, you'll find it missing). I visited today 22/10/07 16:00-ish, and, not seeing a filter machine asked if I could have a filter coffee. I was told it was called an Americano and the girl started to make one. "No" I corrected, an Americano is an espresso with hot water, dont you do filter coffee" - "yes, this IS filter coffee, see it comes out of this filter". I knew I wouldnt win this one and was looking at the menu board for a second choice when she rudely interjected "I know what I'm going, I've been to coffee college!" (presumably the Institute for Coffee Studies at Vanderbilt University Medical Center?)

I couldnt hold myself back from laughing at this statement, as comical though more unlikely as offering Hamburger University on a curriculum vitae.

While on my way out to the neighbouring Starbucks for a choice of proper filter coffees (which appears to offer postdoctoral research opportunities) I wondered which was the most pityful: her assuption that she had posessed such superior knowledge in hot beverages over the mere customer; or your employment of such ignorant staff.

Either way, after perusing the (www.costa.co.uk) website and its shortcomings, I fear both may be true.

Regards,
Anthony Al-Naqib (MPhil. Cheesecake University)
==

Did I mention this was COSTA COFFEE?
The COSTA COFFEE chain of coffee shops in the UK
Part of the WHITBREAD PLC group.....that runs COSTA COFFEE.
Not Starbucks, but COSTA COFFEE
At Manchester Fort - the one you WONT FIND on the COSTA COFFEE website!