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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Burns from Costa coffee

198 replies

Ebad9518 · 31/08/2019 02:10

Well, a cup of tea.

Been on holiday all week, it's been lovely. Although accomodation was pretty sure. We had to change our bed sheets due to a period stain in my side and a rip on DPs side, as one example.

Going to leave today and got coffee and tea from the restaurant who serves Costa coffee. Just given a cup for the tea which was very full. Stupidly didn't ask for another cup or a holder despite thinking this was going to be tricky. Picked it up from the lid to walk away, not quite on the lid but holding on the top iykwim. The whole thing crumpled in my hand and burnt me. I tried not to drop it but had to because of the pain. Thankfully it didn't get DSS. Went to the till and informed the girl that I was very sorry but I'd dropped it and she literally sighed and rolled her eyes. Another woman stepped in and was like 'as long as you're alright' which I absolutely wasn't. She made me another tea despite me protesting as I just needed I've on it. Managed to keep my shit together until I got to the car. Thankfully had I've packs in the cool bag and have had to sit for 3 hours in the car with a bloody ice pack on it. I've birthed a child bit fuck me the pain. Thankfully it's calmed now but i feel so pissed off at this girls reaction. I've worked in customer service for years and hers was awful.

So aibu to be so pissed off?

OP posts:
my2bundles · 31/08/2019 08:33

Hmm mm. My 10 year old understands that if u pick up a cup by the lid you are just asking to get burnt. Did u really think tbe lid would magically stay on?

TheRealShatParp · 31/08/2019 08:34

You picked it up by the lid? Whose fault do you think it is that you dropped it? And it doesn’t sound like you told them that you burnt yourself. So as far as they’re concerned you dropped your tea and they replaced it. If I was in pain that’s comparable to labour then I don’t think I’d have held it together until I got to my car.

DearTeddyRobinson · 31/08/2019 08:35

In the spirit of self righteous, unhelpful commentary, YABU for not having a reusable cup for your tea.
Hope you feel better soon op, and I would definitely let management know about what happened.

SistersOfMerci · 31/08/2019 08:38

Yes she should've got a first aider and filled in an incident report but ffs why would you be so stupid to pick up a cup, which you were well aware had just been filled with boiling water, is such an unsafe and stupid manner?

This culture we have these days of abandoning personal responsibility is just so pathetic. You're a functioning adult so you have to take some of the blame for your error in this situation!

GammaStingRay · 31/08/2019 08:40

Thanks Wombat.

Just to clarify for recent posters before OP comes back, she didn’t say she picked it up by the lid, she picked it up near the lid. Which is just as silly obviously as it’s the widest weakest part of the cup and will almost always cave in because there’s no support where the lid goes, just a gaping space.

Only saying cos I suspect OP might defend it based on ‘it wasn’t the lid!’ Lol

Didntwanttochangemyname · 31/08/2019 08:41

You are an adult, I assume? It is important to take responsibility for your decisions. Yes, the server shouldn't have rolled her eyes, but you'd just made more work for her. Had you told her you'd hurt yourself she might have been a little more sympathetic.

Bodoni · 31/08/2019 08:42

I’m sorry about your painful scald - this sounds daft but the inside of potato peel held on a scald stops it hurting and helps it heal. Not a lot of use in a car but if you have a potato or so at home to peel. Works on me. Backed up by science! - www.researchgate.net/publication/316627704_Potato_peels_in_the_treatment_of_burn_wounds

Lindy2 · 31/08/2019 08:47

Like others have asked, did you make it clear you were burnt and needed first aid?

It does sound like you might not have really let them know that you were hurt because, understandably, you just wanted to leave. I burnt my hand with leg wax once before and I know just how much it hurts. There are so many nerve endings on your hand it is absolute agony and it goes on and on for ages before it stops hurting.

It's easy in hindsight but next time ask for a proper carrier. Also if you are burnt let them know and say that you need to run your hand under cold water. I would expect à place like a coffee shop to have experience with what to do with water burns. If you don't tell them you need help how can they be blamed for not helping you.

I hope your hand heals soon.

SistersOfMerci · 31/08/2019 08:51

Another woman stepped in and was like 'as long as you're alright' which I absolutely wasn't. She made me another tea despite me protesting as I just needed I've on it.

I'm assuming I've was meant to be ice and it looks to me like she didn't tell her it was burnt. I read that as she didn't want another cup of tea made, she wanted to get to her car to put the ice pack on it.

The restaurant should've have asked if she was injured yes but it was also her responsibility to say "I'm injured".

Nextphonewontbesamsung · 31/08/2019 08:52

I've just re-read the op. Nowhere does she blame anyone other than herself for the way she picked up the cup. Indeed she calls herself stupid. Nowhere does she blame Costa for using boiling water to make tea or suggest she's going to sue them. She just thinks the first server gave very poor customer service. Which is true. If you can't even rtft at least read the op properly can't you?? The sanctimony and gleeful finger pointing on this thread is depressing.

SistersOfMerci · 31/08/2019 09:01

Next you can read between the lines you know...

imnotinthemood · 31/08/2019 09:06

I don't think you explained that you burnt yourself you just said that you dropped it .
Yanbu to be annoyed at the eye rolling buabu to expect her to treat your burn without you saying anything. And for future burns run under the cold tap do not put ice or a cold pack on or wrap in cling wrap like some suggestions. Clearly some have never done a first aid course.

Nextphonewontbesamsung · 31/08/2019 09:14

You can read between the lines ... but that would be a silly thing to do and suggests you just want to find a way to throw buns at the op for reasons unknown.

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 31/08/2019 09:20

I’m sorry you were scalded OP but I agree with PP that the staff may not have realised you had a burn.

The eye roll isn’t excusable, but perhaps more understandable in the context of a busy restaurant having to clean up a dropped drink, which from the sound of it was what they thought the issue was.

You needed to have told them you had scalded yourself. I think you would have had a different reaction.

And to anyone reading cling film is a great temporary dressing for burns that have been cooled. It reduces the risk of infection and won’t stick like material.

As recommended above, allow the burn to cool in running water for at least 10 mins then lay the cling film over the injury. Don’t wrap it around however in case the area swells.

Cornettoninja · 31/08/2019 09:28

Nowhere does she blame Costa

The thread is titled ‘burns from costa coffee’....

It’s funny how we rarely follow our own advice isn’t it

brighteyeowl17 · 31/08/2019 09:32

You carried it wrong, you dropped it. Sounds like you didn’t actually tell her you burned yourself, maybe she was annoyed because this happens a lot, so default reaction was to replace. You admit you were carrying it wrong!

Nextphonewontbesamsung · 31/08/2019 09:42

@cornettoninja - yes, she was burned by a Costa drink. That is a fact. But where does she say she blames Costa for the incident?

Tonnerre · 31/08/2019 09:50

You admit you were carrying it wrong!

So what? The issue is not that the accident happened, but that the staff's reaction to it wasn't appropriate.

Cornettoninja · 31/08/2019 09:53

@Nextphonewontbesamsung, the op clearly referenced Costa in the title and in the initial post. It’s not a subtle implication and does, at first glance, imply she was in an actual Costa restaurant.

Yes on reading the post it transpires she wasn’t but it isn’t clear and (sorry OP) is lost in a lot of unnecessary waffle eg. The state of her bedsheets in her accommodation.

Tonnerre · 31/08/2019 09:54

This culture we have these days of abandoning personal responsibility is just so pathetic.

There is nothing suggesting OP is abandoning personal responsibility; indeed she describes her own conduct as stupid.

What is pathetic is jumping in to criticise without reading the original post properly.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 31/08/2019 09:55

An air steward spilt a full black tea on my leg once,it really hurt! You have my sympathy.

Nextphonewontbesamsung · 31/08/2019 09:57

But so what that she referenced Costa? She could have been in Starbucks or Caffe Nero - in which case I imagine she would have used those descriptors too. Some posters might say "I was in the supermarket" and some might say "I was in Sainsburys" it makes no difference.

Zeusthemoose · 31/08/2019 09:58

Sorry but if you didn't tell the shop assistant how bad the injury was or ask for help what was she supposed to do?

Goldenbear · 31/08/2019 10:04

I don't think the OP is saying the accident wasn't her fault, more the reaction of the member of staff which is representative of the lack of compassion wider society seems to have. I experienced similar from a staff member on a holiday I'd paid a fair bit for. I got a huge splinter from an activity they ran, it was massive, like a bit of wood in my finger, I wanted to remove it before I played tennis and asked if there was a first aid box with tweezers in or if they could do something about it at the first aid room. He was really dismissive and replied there wasn't anything they could do for such a small injury. One of his colleagues interrupted and said, surely we have some tweezers she can use or the first aid room has some tweezers they can use, but he talked over her and sent me on my way. The activity caused it and it was the lack of staff running the activity that meant I had to carry out part of the activity that they should've been running so it actually was there fault to begin with but I was just looking for a bit of help but the common decency was lacking.

Aprillygirl · 31/08/2019 10:08

The girl should have acted more professionally and tried to hide her disdain, but she is probably sick of idiots carrying their coffee cups so stupidly and then running complaining to her. Carry your cup by the more robust bottom or it could be your DC who gets hot tea all over him next time Hmm

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