Server coughing on drink

[Chiarali]

Just went into a cafe to get a takeaway hot chocolate. FWIW, this was an upscale place and not cheap (would v happily go cheaper but I was between meetings and this was nearest). As the server’s preparing the hot chocolate in the uncovered cup, she gives a big throat-clearing cough, hot chocolate directly below her. Turns around and hands it to me. I didn’t really know what to do, no desire for the coughed-in hot chocolate but I’m also too British to complain so I turn around, walk out and put it in the nearest bin. Obviously IABU for the waste, and I suspect IABVU for being so unassertive, but in the moment I could not bring myself to say I wanted a drink that hadn’t been coughed in, please, and could she make another.

What I’m wondering is not whether you think I should have been more assertive, but whether IABU to be fussed in the first place? Would you have been bothered?

YABU - hand over the coughed-in hot chocolate please, any germs will make it extra tasty

YANBU - vile

I’ve chose YABU for not saying anything when she passed it to you 🙈

That is gross and I wouldn't have consumed it.

I would have asked for a refund.

You are not being unreasonable, but you need to grow a backbone! There's no way I would have paid for and then thrown out a drink like that.

If the cafe is part of a chain, you could go to the chain’s website and find a feedback option and share the feedback that way. I did this twice in recent months (I think I just had an unlucky run as never since) and both times got an apology, a voucher, and a promise that some training would be done in the store.

I felt bad about dobbing the staff member in but also (I also dumped the drink and was too chicken to say anything at the time!)

I would have asked them to replace it. I'm immunosuppressed so im very conscience

I’d ask for another one and politely say I don’t like it to be coughed over.

How can you be too British not to say something but also use the term 'server'?