AIBU- que and coffee shop

[IronFists234]

I work in a coffee shop, today we had a very long que and two of my team members called in sick. Manager has taken the day off, whole thing is a palava and yes there is a very long que.

Most people were understanding, we had signs up apologising and switched to disposable cups only.

Then the one unhappy person comes along:

After waiting in the que for ten minutes (and not been served yet, so they could leave anytime)

"I'M NOW GOING TO BE LATE TO WORK."

Customer tries to skip the que!

I politely remind customer there is a que, and say sorry, we are short staffed. Please kindly wait and we'll be with you as soon as we can.

Customer stomps off.

AIBU to think if you have to be at work soon, you don't wait in an obviously long air then blame the staff when you start to run late?

[ScreamingValenta]

I don't think YABU. In that situation, I'd have gone elsewhere or done without the coffee at the point I realised I was going to be late. If the shop was normally well-staffed and efficient, I'd have thought no more of it. Were I going to complain to anyone, it would be politely, to the manager/owner.

[constantlyseekinghappiness]

A friend of mine who worked in a coffee shop once described it in this way....

If the person can see there is a massive queue and there is a long waiting time, but decides to join the queue and wait anyway. That’s their choice.

Surely he can get a bloody coffee in work or just be late if he’s that desperate.

CF!!

[Migraleve]

YANBU - the British public can be utterly ridiculous in their expectations.

YABU to call a queue a que though.

[blueyacht]

I normally let it drop but as you've written "que" six times: it's "queue".

[BatteredBreadedOrSouthernFried]

Can’t believe you’ve let this get to you so much you’ve had to write a thread about it. Customer was grumpy and rude. That’s hardly surprising. Every day occurrence when you’re serving the general public. Stop taking other people’s stress home with you. It only results in you being annoyed, at Home, when you should be relaxed whilst they’ve probably forgotten all about it.

[nancy75]

Some customers are just idiots. I apparently once ruined Christmas because I couldn’t sell a woman a scarf at the precise moment she wanted - she didn’t seem to have noticed there was a massive power cut in the shopping centre, all the lights had gone out, all the alarms were going mad & the electric till weren’t working - nope I was just trying to be difficult!

[ILoveMillhousesDad]

Yes, sorry, I did read it in a Manuel voice every time your wrote 'que'.

But yadnbu!! They couldn't have been that desperate for a cuppa.

[Spangles1963]

I think YABU purely because you have spelt 'queue' as 'que' numerous times in your post.

[shutitandtidyupgitface]

yabu to think that it's acceptable to wait that long. It's not your fault but its not ok either.

and it's queue.

[EssentialHummus]

Yes, sorry, I did read it in a Manuel voice every time your wrote 'que'.

Si!

[PodgeBod]

* yabu to think that it's acceptable to wait that long. It's not your fault but its not ok either.*

It wasn’t lifesaving medicine she was giving out, it was coffee. If the wait is unacceptable the customer can just leave.

[Creambun2]

How does switching to disposable cups speed up service?

[Trills]

It's not as if a queue, once joined, is joined forever.

You can always abandon the queue.

[PanPanPanPing]

I suspect that your spelling of the word queue on your sign as 'que' might have confused your customers?!

But a long queue, with fewer staff than usual, would probably have prompted me not to stay in the first place.

[Sashkin]

Creambun nobody has to go round the shop collecting them up and washing them. They can all just focus on making coffee.

[DoJo]

How does switching to disposable cups speed up service?

By eliminating the need to wash up and speeding up the rate at which tables can be cleared, presumably.

[ivykaty44]

TBH I’m surprised that large chain coffee shops don’t have a self service machine to use and pay by card

But queue jumping is rude and shows some self entitlement

Plan your day accordingly

[HostaFireAndIce]

I normally let it drop but as you've written "que" six times: it's "queue".

Quite. Is it me, or is it also written 'air' once? Anyway, YANotherwiseBU.

[pasturesgreen]

Customer had no business complaning. His choice to join the queue, he could have gone to another coffee shop it's not as though they are few and far between.

[InternetHoopJumper]

You did the right thing, OP. You are not responsible for making anyone late. They make themselves be late at work.

Also, I would like to say I think it's great that you guys put up a sign explaining the situation. As a customer, I would have appreciated that.

[Blahblahblahzeeblah]

Yes let's all mock OP for the spelling error. Does it give you a nice sense of superiority?

[IronFists234]

Sorry I do know it's spelt queue (normally) and I did spell it right on signs this morning.

I'm not saying it's good customer service, just that I can't physically change the the queue.

Don't even get me started on Saturdays... the queue is a permanent fixture.

[Ttbb]

That's hilarious. Some people are so remarkably stupid.