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Poor Coffee Shop service — Brooklynian

Poor Coffee Shop service

smackdown
smackdown
edited November -1 in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy
Has anyone been into that coffee shop just off the corner of De Kalb and Carlton Ave? I don’t think it has a name. They offer the worse service I have ever experienced in a coffee shop. I pulled up there yesterday, double-parked and went in for a quick coffee to go. I waited (2-4 minutes) for the guy at the espresso machine to take my order. A young lady (who turned out to be one of the employees) sitting on a stool on the customer’s side of the counter staring at me as if she’s in a trance. I saw her through the corner of my left eye. The stare was so uncomfortable I had to say something because I thought she was a customer. I said, “how is your day going,” she responded, “May I help you. ”Surprised at the response I said, “Oh, you work here”? She says “yes.” I said, “May I have a latte with skim milk.” All this time the guy at the espresso machine (who I thought should have taken my order because I was standing in front of him) never once looked up at me suddenly he raised his index finger and said, ”I’ll be with you in a second. Damned! It took him 3 minutes to say that. The young woman then got up off the stool went to the cash register and rung up my order and collected $3.50 before I got my latte.
The guy at the espresso machine eventually made me a latte in a small cup. I asked him if this is the right size for $3.50, he gave me a strange look and said” this is the only size we serve.’

Do these people expect to succeed in business? The place was empty and now I know why.

Comments

  • ltjbukem
    ltjbukem
    not surprising- the usual attitude from some hipper than thou mo'fos...

    http://ltjbukem.blogspot.com/2006/07/word-about-smooch-cafe-on-carlton.html
  • escap
    escap
    Yeah, I can't stand that place either. Every time I go in it's like the entire staff is straining so hard to look and act cool that they forget you're there. You then get forced into this awkward game of trying to act like you're unruffled by their rudeness and unintimidated by their over the top hipness, and you just wish you were elsewhere. Which is where I will always be going forward when I need a cup of coffee or a tofu and bean sprout sandwich. :-&
  • ltjbukem
    ltjbukem
    for all that ppl complain about the rudeness at l'epicerie, i have never experienced it there. but the one time i went into smooch cafe, i was in my tennis whites and perhaps they despised my yuppie get-up. to boot, the prices were rip-off central. perhaps they need to pay for their free wifi...whatever.

    i think that they only ppl they like are their regulars, ie their friends.
  • bifteck
    bifteck
    I like Smooch, and I think the quality of their coffee is great, as well as fair trade, which is one reason why it's a little more expensive. Interesting that you say it was empty, because I've always seen it chock full, at least on weekends. In general everyone there has been friendly and positive, and I'm no 'hipster.' So maybe you just went on a particularly off day? I'm not sure.
  • ltjbukem
    ltjbukem
    no - 3 different people experienced attitude, poor service at different times. i think this is endemic of the service someone might get there.
  • bifteck
    bifteck
    Perhaps it's certain service people, but either way, I suppose you're right. It's too bad -- I hope they improve rather than fold.
  • nathan
    nathan
    I've only been there twice. Both times it was early-ish evening after an early-ish dinner elsewhere. Both times only a couple of other customers. Both times the owner and one other guy behind the counter. Both times they had a very relaxed (slow) attitude toward serving, but were very attentive and friendly.

    I got the impression that they're aiming at being a place where you go to linger, not to pop in and get something quick to go.
  • smackdown
    smackdown
    Nathan wrote: I've only been there twice. Both times it was early-ish evening after an early-ish dinner elsewhere. Both times only a couple of other customers. Both times the owner and one other guy behind the counter. Both times they had a very relaxed (slow) attitude toward serving, but were very attentive and friendly.

    I got the impression that they're aiming at being a place where you go to linger, not to pop in and get something quick to go.
    I got that impression too, that they expect you to wait around for them to get to you at their own slow pace. Will some body tell them that good customer service is more important.
  • nathan
    nathan
    Smackdown,

    I didn't actually mean for my comment to be read as a slam.....just as a warning that if you want fast, this ain't the place to go. If you're into friendly although enforced unrushed-ness(?), you'll like it fine.

    In other words, it's a fine place to go for a slow-paced relaxed cuppa coffee and a snack (and i think they've got wi-fi). Not such a good place to double park and get you jolt-o-joe to go.
  • smackdown
    smackdown
    Nathan wrote: Smackdown,

    I didn't actually mean for my comment to be read as a slam.....just as a warning that if you want fast, this ain't the place to go. If you're into friendly although enforced unrushed-ness(?), you'll like it fine.

    In other words, it's a fine place to go for a slow-paced relaxed cuppa coffee and a snack (and i think they've got wi-fi). Not such a good place to double park and get you jolt-o-joe to go.
    Nathan,
    You should slam the lousy customer service given by your friends if you want them to succeed. It shouldn’t matter if I went there for a quick fix or just to lounge. I am not on these boards to slam businesses just because I don’t like their service. I am here to point out the obvious – their service sucks
  • anonymous
    anonymous
    I think the key is slow inattentive service is never good. If the product is good and the people are very friendly, it can be dealt with. If the service is slow and the people are not nice about it or warm and friendly, it is truly unacceptable and can lead to loss of customers, as it has (and from what I've heard off of this blog, continues to do). I'm more than happy to pay starbucks prices plus 30% for a coffee at a local shop and support local business, but not if the people are not welcoming and attentive. I've had similiar experiences as the others who have said that they've been left waiting and made to feel odd for asking if they can order a drink/food/coffee. It's a real turn off.
  • bifteck
    bifteck
    Maybe someone should anonymously point them toward this thread. :)
  • ltjbukem
    ltjbukem
    i think the slow service, to be fair, is due to the way they make their 'coffee'. it's actually an americano which is espresso with water. so it takes time to make the espresso, rather than just pulling the tap a la tillie's coffee..

    but i've been to tillie's about 10 times and smooch just once, due to pricing and expediency.
  • anonymous
    anonymous
    I think everyone whose posted here most likely knows the difference between brewed coffee and espresso based coffee beverages, be they americanos, lattes, cappucinos etc. It's not the wait for the actual coffee, it's the fact that when you stand at the counter hoping to be served they don't take your order until you ask them to :roll: . I've liked what I've had, it is pricey for what it is but that's often the case with small local shops, and that's understandable. I'm not looking for some in your face "howdy, what'll be today neighbor. Nice weather huh, how bout them Mets!", just less of the cooler than thou laid back attitude. It's pretty comical really, but in the end it could hurt their business if enough people get sick of it. I'm not saying other places like Tillies are any better. Heck, you say thank you or hello to the Tillies dudes and they often won't respond, just ring you up.
  • anonymous
    anonymous
    sorry, who's, not "whose" :oops:
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