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coffee cups

By Merekat (Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 08:04:20 AM EST) (all tags)

Overanalysis thereof.

When you buy a takeaway warm beverage from a chain such as Starbucks and the ilk, your cardboard cup has a lot of options. Depress or puncture a part of the lid for decaf, tick boxes for type of milk, enter a number for number of shots, define syrup, annotation space for custom orders. In the interests of high availability, this is repeated on the insulating sleeve.

This is a triumph of careful planning to ensure reliable identificiation the precise type of coffee in any scenario. However, I don't think I have ever seen any of them used anywhere I have been. Usually places have max. 2 machines, with max. 2 people per machine meaning that information flow is rapid and informal, and that queuing up of unknown made drinks is relatively unlikely. It could be used before that stage, to queue orders to be made with the till guy prepping the cups as they normally process faster than the barista. However, this is suboptimal as it is easier to read an order off a printout and communicate exceptions verbally.

I wonder if the designers of this beautiful process sit high above Seattle or whereever, happy that they have saved the world from accidentally getting the wrong coffee and never seeing how 'effective' their needlessly complex process design is because their coffee arrives with all the notations, but just put on afterwards by a PA.

< Did I mention that we got the house? | Twenty-one bucks >

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coffee cups | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

Thank you, my dear. by greyrat (4.00 / 1) #1 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 09:06:58 AM EST

It's nice to know someone is observant and ironic in the same style as I am. At our usual Starbuck's even msrat's venti - decaf - low fat - no whip - three pump - mocha goes unmarked.
~
There is absolutely no correlation or causation amongst intelligence, power, talent and wealth.
Kha-Nyou

Ours uses them. by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 1) #2 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 09:34:13 AM EST

But only when they are fulfilling a large take-away order and there is an assumption that you're going back somewhere and will need to redistribute them without being able to ask, "Is this my half-caf- triple Grande, one and half pumps of vanilla, 2/3rds non-fat, 1/3rd whole, extra-hot, double cupped, dallop of extra velvety foam, lid on the side, latte?"

If you're just ordering one or two, they assume you'll be waiting and just grab it.

So that's what by sasquatchan (4.00 / 1) #3 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 10:08:39 AM EST

you do in your new job ? Coffee boy ?

[ Parent ]

The term is "coffee sommelier." by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 3) #5 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 10:23:19 AM EST

Use the full and official title, thank you very much.

[ Parent ]

so are there any good by sasquatchan (4.00 / 4) #6 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 10:31:53 AM EST

perks ?

[ Parent ]

If you're no drip . . . by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 4) #7 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 10:45:30 AM EST

You can stand the daily grind, then you can make it work.

[ Parent ]

does that make it by sasquatchan (4.00 / 3) #10 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 11:17:36 AM EST

your cup of tea ?

[ Parent ]

It isn't for your average Joe . . . by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 2) #12 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 12:47:30 PM EST

But I gave it a shot and found I really like it.

[ Parent ]

Here's mud in your eye by sasquatchan (4.00 / 2) #15 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 01:34:09 PM EST

Just hope it doesn't give you the redeye.

[ Parent ]

Fine. by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 1) #16 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:54:39 PM EST

You win.

[ Parent ]

: That was by sasquatchan (4.00 / 1) #17 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 02:59:36 PM EST

my last shot. All lead, in the black.

[ Parent ]

How are by ad hoc (2.00 / 0) #11 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 12:46:28 PM EST

the tips?
--
The three things that make a diamond also make a waffle.
[ Parent ]

People actually order shit like that? by CountSpatula (4.00 / 1) #8 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 10:52:46 AM EST

Ugh! Way too much time and money on their hands, I say. Just give me good coffee. None of this bullshit about specific amounts of certain fat-types and whatnot.

--
Organics.
"I've never been more afraid of a diary comment EVAR." - RapidHamster
[ Parent ]

In response to a longest order contest . . . by Christopher Robin was Murdered (4.00 / 1) #9 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 11:06:13 AM EST

Some Starbucks employee submitted that response. The claim was that one woman would come in the same time every day and order that same coffee.

[ Parent ]

Need to replace by ad hoc (2.00 / 0) #13 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 12:47:39 PM EST

"double cupped" with "grande in a vente cup"
--
The three things that make a diamond also make a waffle.
[ Parent ]

We actually had employees that made a game by greyrat (2.00 / 0) #19 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 07:38:06 PM EST

out of calling out the longest, most abstruse orders back and forth (during lag times) as a memory and speed game. It was hilarious to watch them. I think they actually made game orders more complex when they had an audience. And these were those good Starbucks employees, the ones who had your regular made for you when you by the time you walked in the door and always had freebies ready -- especially for their regular customers.

As a side point: I'm amazed at the people who complain about the evil empire or Starbucks. My experience has been universally good with my only mediocre Starbucks experiences being at franchised locations at -- for example -- airports, where I'd expect the service to be less than spectacular anyway.
~
There is absolutely no correlation or causation amongst intelligence, power, talent and wealth.
Kha-Nyou
[ Parent ]

Starbucks by Merekat (2.00 / 0) #20 Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 04:57:17 AM EST

Things I like about Starbucks:

Comfy chairs
Wifi
Hot chocolate
In the US, one of the few places I found to get coffee in a proper cup not to go.

Things I dislike about Starbucks:

Burnt tasting espresso
They're all the same
They are everywhere, meaning less scope for diversity in the market. I want to chose to go to a Starbucks, not be forced into it.

[ Parent ]

: Hmmm. Ours are all similar, but of the four we by greyrat (2.00 / 0) #21 Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:38:19 AM EST

regularly go to, they all have different character. Enough to make them worth choosing between at times. And as for the burnt espresso, I get Americano's pretty much all the time and although they taste different each time, I've not had one I say tasted burnt in the bad sense. In fact, I've been known to flirt with the baristas, claiming that they made it sweet by sticking their pinky in it.
~
There is absolutely no correlation or causation amongst intelligence, power, talent and wealth.
Kha-Nyou
[ Parent ]

Lid on the side? by ambrosen (2.00 / 0) #14 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 01:13:44 PM EST

Means that pressing the indentations isn't much use.

The times, many years ago, when I did Starbucks runs for my colleagues, I did press them, IIRC.

It's funny, over here in UKia, I feel slightly pernickity asking for soya milk, and maybe fairtrade.

[ Parent ]

That's it by Herring (2.00 / 0) #18 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 04:06:16 PM EST

It really has all gone too far now.

Coffee (the drink) is made with:

Ground coffee beans
Water
Milk/cream (optional)
Sugar (optional)

And that's it. It comes in small, medium or large sizes.

The madness stops here.

I'm English, and as such I crave disappointment. - Bill Bailey
[ Parent ]

The ones in NoVa use the system by wiredog (2.00 / 0) #4 Wed Mar 26, 2008 at 10:19:52 AM EST

Especially at high volume times when there may be several people waiting on drinks.

Earth First!
_{(We can strip mine the rest later.)}

coffee cups | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback