That old co-worker who told me my espresso was too bitter

I used to work the morning shift at a coffee shop in Portland back in 2018, and this older guy would order a plain black drip every single day. One Tuesday he just said "your espresso shots taste like burnt toast" and walked off. Does a comment like that stick with anyone else for years or is it just me?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anthony5h ago

Did you ever wonder if that comment wasn't really about the espresso at all? Think about it. Working a coffee shop counter, you see regulars who come in for a reason beyond the caffeine. Maybe he was going through a rough patch at home or had just gotten some bad news from his doctor, and your drink was just the last straw for him that morning. Sometimes people take their frustrations out on the smallest thing because its safer than admitting their real problem. Ive seen it happen plenty of times where someone snaps over burnt toast or cold eggs when really theyre upset about something much bigger.

murphy.aaron4h ago

Back in my old job at a gas station off Route 9 before I started in kitchens, this one guy came in every Tuesday morning for a coffee and a pack of smokes, always grumpy but never mean. One Tuesday he completely lost it because I handed him the wrong brand of cigarettes, screaming about how I ruined his whole day. Two weeks later I found out from his neighbor that his wife had just filed for divorce that week, and looking back, it was obvious he wasn't mad about the Marlboros. I started just saying "rough morning?" when people snapped at the counter, and it was wild how often a quiet nod or a "yeah, you have no idea" would come back, letting them vent for a second without me taking it personal.

wendy131just now

Reminds me of when a customer snapped at me over a wrong donut order, turned out his dog had just died.