To feel a bit humiliated by this?

[Steaksauce]

I'm travelling for work today and stopped at the Costa place at the train station to grab a quick coffee.
I placed my order (a latte) and gave them my reusable cup.

The two women at the back making the drinks started discussing my order very loudly so I and everyone else in the queue could hear: "god, what's the point in that drink? Any strong drinks in your reusable cup? Perhaps some water?" They then started laughing to each other.

I don't think I'm mega sensitive but I guess I could be (I'm not a morning person so felt at a bit of a low ebb)
But I felt a bit embarrassed and I'm pissed off because they said what they did so loudly and wtf has it got to do with them what I order?
Plus the fact it's pretty shitty service to take the piss out of paying customers when they're right there in front of you.

So AIBU to be annoyed and embarrassed or were they just letting of steam given that they work in retail and we all know that customers can be pretty annoying at times.
(To clarify, I wasn't rude or anything, I politely asked for my order when they asked me for it - though when they gave me my drink I didn't say thanks as that was after the above and I Though if they're going to be rude then why should I thank them for the coffee?)

Hi OP. Worth complaining for sure. I complained to Starbucks once and got 2 free drinks vouchers (not much but also good for management to know I think).
I complaIned because the staff were discussing their night out whilst serving me, didn’t serve another customer right away as they were looking at their phones and then were using their phones whilst making coffees.
I think whether or not you work in retail and whether or not your job is hard - it is still important to be professional and do the job you are being paid for properly! If people don’t complain it will only continue. If they were taking the piss out of you then that’s not ok!

Report it, they will send vouchers as an apology. Latte is my only coffee choice. I love reusable cups. It’s one of those moments I’d love to open my big gob and give them the sharp end of my nasty inner thoughts, horrid human beings! Get on your coffee police radio and 10 4 a coffee crime you coffee nazi arseholes.

Oh no! Now I am going to have to start Hoovering my cakes.

You should have written and complained or complained on their facebook page. That is terrible service.
At the moment im pregnant and I order a large latte with half a shot of coffee in (trying to keep my caffiene levels low but still like a little bit) Its no ones business what coffee you order! They sell those coffees so they ought to bloody be up for making them. They arent cheap either.

Full fat milk makes me sick also and ive had the problem before in Costa where the staff in a particular branch made the skinny coffee id asked for with full fat milk. I could see them making it and I saw them do it and I could taste it as it makes me sick.... but when I took it back to the counter they just said 'no... dont worry it is skimmed milk'

I mean I go to those chain places specifically because they have different types of milk on offer and they also do different strengths of coffee etc So I was pretty pissed off.

Actually complained to the manager and got a free gift card in the end.

Dont care if the staff made fun of me. Im not paying money for something I cant drink and I dont really think they would either.

Thanks for the support everyone. No response from Costa as yet.

I didn't say anything at the time because i wasn't fully with it at 6.30am and I had a train to catch. I wish I had though.

I complained in a Costa when I heard someone having a massive farty dump in the next cubicle, after which they came out while I was washing my hands & went straight back into the cafe, wearing the Costa uniform

PussGirl 😷

Such a rubbish” insult” that I wonder if it was a running joke, or they were maybe taking the muck out of someone who had called a latte too weak?
Shouldn’t have been within misconstruing ear shot though.
( they were right though, lattes are for wimps, real women drink it black

Rather bizarre!! Honestly wouldn't worry about what anybody else in the queue thought, they either won't of noticed or will of thought to themselves what a pair of prats they were.

I highly recommend complaining though, I've recently taken it up, for years I've just plodded on & ignored bad service, ignorant staff etc but I was so enraged after a shopping trip to asda that I emailed the store, since then I just can't stop myself!!

I’m also here to say well done for your reusable cup. I think costa etc get away with crap service more than other places. We should definately call them on it AND look for better (independent?!) alternatives. On a good day I would have challenged them straight away, but I work in a school and challenging that sort of thing is part of the job!! On a bad day I would have done the same as you....

I'm not a big one for complaining in retail environments because I think that the punishments for attracting a small complaint are often off the scale unreasonable and I don't want to be responsible for losing someone a job because they were having an off day.

But laughing at someone for ordering a latte in fucking Costa? That's unbelievably rude and anyone who does that in earshot of a customer is just bloody stupid and really spectacularly bad at their customer facing job. That's definitely something an employee needs to be severely told off about.

I mean, not acceptable in the worst of pretentious indies either, but surely your basic latte is the mainstay of costa's business??

I think it is rude of them and strange since so many people drink lattes.I can’t stand really strong coffee.

Oh and last time I went to Costa I asked for various muffins and they’d run out of them, they hardly had any cakes at all. I didn’t make fun of them though but really Costa are getting a bit above themselves!

Have the last laugh - make your own coffee in future and save hundreds of pounds in the course of the year.

Money that would have contributed to their wages!

That's horrible customer service, I would complain, there is usually a place to leave feedback on a company's website.

I've worked in food service before and never would have said anything like that, it wasn't my job to judge people's preferences.

My son took a coffee shop job this term and HE got called out in a review as being friendly and helpful. They said "young man" behind the counter...hes the only male. He also makes the most tips while the young women complain that he does, saying "people think men deserve more money." Instead of looking at their performance.

Obvs, he's working at a fast and friendly pace. He said it was easier at his groundskeepers job for 8 hours than coffee for 6. Waiting on the public in this capacity is tough but they were very nasty.

However if you call manager, do not go back. That kind of nasty spits in your cup.

At the very least write a review that says staff is rude.

That’s ridiculous. That small latte would have still cost you a good £3 and if it’s what you enjoy what the heck has it got to do with anyone else. I drink decaf so they’d have had even more of a laugh at my drink! Glad you have complained.

I had a man behind the counter at Costa once refuse to fill my reusable cup. He said they had to be a Costa cup. The thing is it It was a costa cup, it even had Costa on the side. They had brought in a new design and he had not realised. He said but since that branch had not taken order of the new design yet he would not fill my cup
as they were not allowed if they had no seen the cup first.
I ended up with some coffee vouchers for complaining

I wrote to Costa to complain about a funny tasting drink from one of their branded machines in a petrol station. They sent me a...reusable cup! As a 'sorry' so YANBU.

they sound stupid and probably bored, sharing some kind of in joke. I’d go back with a thimble and ask them to fill it with hot milk.

If you email costa feedback and complain they send you vouchers. The costa in my hospital is terrible. I'm not a complainer. But I've complained a few times about staff being rude, no large cups for several weeks etc etc

It's hardly humiliating is it? It's the worst burn ever 'your coffee is shit'

Complain if you want but it's not worth a second thought really, let alone humiliating

Lattes are fab! A large caramel latte from costas with an extra shot is my go to drink after a bad night with the baby!

Complain! First to the store manager and then head office- if you’re still not happy email the ceo.
Very poor Customer service