Calgary man out of a job after racist tirade caught on video.

[PepsiFree]

It's what this whole thread is about though. People take frustrations in their own life, be it medical or otherwise and project them on to people they think less of. That's why people yell at baristas, or berate cabbies, because there are stressors and difficulties in their life that are too much to handle on their own, so once in a while they feel the need to take it out on some innocent bystander.

Takes a lot of strength to put your anger in the right place. Not everyone has that and nobody has it all the time. Doesn't make it ok though.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Wait, is there an actual problem with cabbies flaming their customers about how they act and dress? This seems like a made up problem and the first I've heard about it is in this thread.

Really? I've experienced multiple scornful looks and tsk-tsking under the breath. And you don't find it odd that there's a disproportionate number of Muslims who work in an industry where workers are routinely exposed to drunken people? Again, I'd also find it odd if three-quarters of the bartenders in Calgary were Mormons. Seems like a bad fit.

[cracher]

Originally Posted by polak

Unless you have never made a simple mistake like that (forgetting to make it decaf) and slip ups are a foreign concept to you, I don't know why you would even risk going to a place where the possibility of that happening is so real. The kids make hundreds of coffee a day and are usually multitasking so forgetting that you mentioned decaf could happen very easily. Sure, you're correct, you should get what you pay for but expecting perfection and putting your wifes health on the line with that expectation seems a bit... odd.

This is exactly what set me off. I went in calm to advise her of the mistake and the effect it had. Her reply was that she makes so many, it happens sometimes. The manager then came over and basically said the same thing and offered me a free coffee. Does the blood bank that handles hundreds of thousands of units get a pass on a HIV bag because it happens sometimes? No malicious intent there either.

I don't understand your need to shield people from feedback. I get a strip torn off me a few times a year. I figure if people are willing to speak up in our overly polite society, then it's something I need to hear. If their grievance is legit, then I make changes. Is there a better way to improve at what you do? Or do you prefer to keep doing what you do, not wanting to know if you suck or not?

[Dan02]

You want the same sort of safety and training protocols for coffee as for blood? How much are you willing to pay for that cup off coffee exactly?

[cracher]

^poor assumption. I'd rather have them remove decaf from the menu if it cannot be consistently provided. Just crudely drawing a parallel with Polak's suggestion that high volume means crap results.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by cracher

This is exactly what set me off. I went in calm to advise her of the mistake and the effect it had. Her reply was that she makes so many, it happens sometimes. The manager then came over and basically said the same thing and offered me a free coffee. Does the blood bank that handles hundreds of thousands of units get a pass on a HIV bag because it happens sometimes? No malicious intent there either.

I don't understand your need to shield people from feedback. I get a strip torn off me a few times a year. I figure if people are willing to speak up in our overly polite society, then it's something I need to hear. If their grievance is legit, then I make changes. Is there a better way to improve at what you do? Or do you prefer to keep doing what you do, not wanting to know if you suck or not?

What a silly analogy, pretty sure people don't just saunter down to their local blood bank to top off. You chose to go there knowing there's a chance that their main reason for existing could put your wife in the hospital. Just seems like a dbag move to lose your mind on some kid because you chose to roll the dice.

[jayswin]

Not to sound rude because it sounds like a very stressful situation, cracher, but that's gotte be on you. If getting the wrong coffee can trigger a serious medical issue than you really shouldn't be getting coffee at a "fast food" style coffee chain with high turnover and a fast paced work environment for employees.

Mistakes happen at a small rate at most fast food places, but that small rate still equals a significant amount of mistakes considering the volume they're pumping through. The reaction you described is pretty much exactly how any employee/manager is going to respond in that situation.

They know mistakes happen, it's part of their revenue calculations, and there isn't a single fast food restaurant/coffee chain that has 100% accuracy on orders, it's simply not reasonable.

So considering that, yes you are being completely unfair to go in and berate a barista and boss for saying sorry and offering a free coffee. That is the response you will get 100% of the time at every place, and if you think that gives you a green light to light them up than that's just completely ****ty of you and I'd definitely step in and say something if I was present for that. That's no good, no one deserves that for such a minor mistake.

Dan02 nailed it, you want the same error rate as blood work or they should remove it from the menu in your opinion. That's completely absurd.

[cracher]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

What a silly analogy, pretty sure people don't just saunter down to their local blood bank to top off. You chose to go there knowing there's a chance that their main reason for existing could put your wife in the hospital. Just seems like a dbag move to lose your mind on some kid because you chose to roll the dice.

Years ago, the cardiologist was specifically asked if a decaf latte was ok. The answer was yes, 1 small decaf latte was ok. And it wasn't a problem for years and years.

Also, I think maybe I should define my term "lit up". I didn't do what you saw on the taxi videos. There was no name calling or irrational berating. Voice was raised, but not that much over 15 ppl in a room decibels. I was intensely pointing out the sequence of events and asking how a mistake could be made despite confirming and reconfirming decaf at both till and pickup desk.

Yes, I'll go pour a scotch and rethink that scenario. And how exactly would all of you softly spoken gentlemen have handled this? Feedback to the store is imperative. And if you get brushed off while giving feedback?

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by cracher

Years ago, the cardiologist was specifically asked if a decaf latte was ok. The answer was yes, 1 small decaf latte was ok. And it wasn't a problem for years and years.

Also, I think maybe I should define my term "lit up". I didn't do what you saw on the taxi videos. There was no name calling or irrational berating. Voice was raised, but not that much over 15 ppl in a room decibels. I was intensely pointing out the sequence of events and asking how a mistake could be made despite confirming and reconfirming decaf at both till and pickup desk.

Yes, I'll go pour a scotch and rethink that scenario. And how exactly would all of you softly spoken gentlemen have handled this? Feedback to the store is imperative. And if you get brushed off while giving feedback?

I'm just saying if it was me and I knew that a mix up of coffee at a coffee shop could send me to the hospital I wouldn't go to the coffee shop. Your anger response is alright I guess after the fact but that you even chose to put yourself in that situation in the first place is just surprising to me. Learn to make a decaf latte at home.

[cracher]

But that's the frustrating part of the situation. The latte holds an oddly high value in the relationship (don't ask). The risks were acceptable to her (and me, to an apparently much lesser extent). I'm not a cardiologist, but I'm not a layman in human physiology. I understand what's up. The risk was not bad if you took out barista error (and I guess the variables with aging, etc).

I still don't agree with all of you on this topic. But Jayswin is correct in that I should have interpreted the free coffee as an apology as opposed to a hush-bribe/brush-off. Still don't get why people are so against feedback because I appreciate it so much (whatever the form). Either way, I'm glad this thread induced me to pour a Glengoyne.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by cracher

But that's the frustrating part of the situation. The latte holds an oddly high value in the relationship (don't ask). The risks were acceptable to her (and me, to an apparently much lesser extent). I'm not a cardiologist, but I'm not a layman in human physiology. I understand what's up. The risk was not bad if you took out barista error (and I guess the variables with aging, etc).

I still don't agree with all of you on this topic. But Jayswin is correct in that I should have interpreted the free coffee as an apology as opposed to a hush-bribe/brush-off. Still don't get why people are so against feedback because I appreciate it so much (whatever the form). Either way, I'm glad this thread induced me to pour a Glengoyne.

Well speaking for myself I didn't really do much diligence with your story, I actually just read your follow up and kind of went off that assuming that you really let them have it.

After reading your latest response it doesn't sound like you were out of line with your actions at all, you came off more reasonable in that post. So I guess the only thing I would still differ on is expecting a coffee shop to get an order right, they'll make mistakes guaranteed, it's accepted in that industry right from the top.

In fact there's very few industries where mistakes aren't acceptable on any level, and coffee making isn't one of them.