Good Byes

Today the cafe closed its doors. Yes it will open in a couple months time, but with new owners, completely changed interior, and new staff (as no one has intentions of waiting 2 months to reapply).

I had a shift but not the closing shift. It was so sad to talk to the regulars. One lady said she's lived in this area 25 years and can't even remember what stood in the place of this cafe before there was a cafe. She told us that before her husband passed away they use to come every Saturday morning.

When I looked at the clock later and realized that it's about 15 minutes to closing, I said my own little good bye. It's hard to imagine not going to work at the cafe again. But life goes on and I'm sure I will fill up my schedule some other way.

Read More

Dear Valued Customers...

Have you watched “You got mail?” Meg Ryan had to close down her cute little bookshop after so many years, all her regulars where coming up to her to say how sad it is and what a shame. It’s not going to be the same. It was like that at the café this weekend.

When I got in on Saturday the signs were up. Dear customers, we will be closing down for renovations and will reopen in two months time etc. etc. Everyone had questions. Will it become one of those modern and cold, cookie cutter places after renovations? I don't know. But from the looks of other stores from the same company it probably will be all glass and shiny. What will we, the staff , do? Most of us are looking for new jobs or going without a part time job.

It’s good to hear how much people love this place and its atmosphere. It also makes me a little sad. I’m working here on closing day - next Sunday.. It’s going to feel like the end of an era when those doors close. This place has been part of my life for the past year. For the regulars, it's been part of their lives for many more years than that.

Read More

Cafe Closing

Sad news today. The café is closing down. It will reopen in two months but with new owners (it will be part of a corporation). This means if we want our jobs back we have to reapply with the new owners. I don't think I will. I've been going back and forth on this barista job for awhile now. I guess the decision got made for me.

I started the cafe when my BF at the time moved away. It kept me busy and it was fun to learn something new. I think it has served its purpose and now it's time to focus on something new. With the all the training going on I think I will have very little spare time (or energy) left for the cafe.

Read More

It's never too early

We had a slow day at the cafe this Sunday. One of the girls who worked there asked :" What do you know about GICs?" A little unexpected coming from a 14 year old, but I tried to explain the basics and point out some key points to watch out for.

Her plan? She wants to divide the income from her part time job into thirds. A third to save for university. A third to save for long term investing. And a third for spending. That's thinking pretty far ahead for someone her age. I mean I got as far as saving for university at her age but not the long term investment part.

But then, this is the same girl I saw reading a finance book during break a few weeks ago. Yep, at 14, her dad gave a book with a title like "How to get rich by 30".

Financial education can never start too early.

Read More

Barista I'll stay

I'm going to keep the barista job. I was having a little fit the other day because I was getting a little overwhelmed by requests from family and friends for free weekends. I've now dealt with all requests and am reasonably calm again.

I know keeping this job means little free time and little money. But it is also very flexible. I just found out that my exam is next Saturday. That's my day at the cafe. I'd be hard pressed to get that day off without two weeks notice anywhere else. But I called my manager up this morning and she changed my shift right then and there.

Most other places also ask for a commitment of 3 shifts a week. Right now I am at 1 shift per week, and less than that when I take a weekend off here and there. So until I can find a part time gig with the same/better flexibility, or I finally work up the resolve to quit, I'll just keep trudging along.

Read More

Keep my barista job?

Lately I've only been working one shift at the cafe on weekends. With my job now I just can't take on evening shifts, and I need at least one day on the weekend to run errands etc.

This means there is very little time for anything else. My friends are telling me to quit. I'd have a lot more relaxed weekends if I quit. But on the other hand, it's nice spending money and I know I would be bored after the first few weekends free.

I keep going back and forth. I've no idea what to do.

Read More

Can I get you a Pinacolatte?

We were experimenting with different syrups and latte. A girl I work with came up with that one - a coconut flavored latte.

Read More

No excuse

I had a café shift yesterday. It’s been really quiet lately at the café. Is it because it’s summer and people are away? Or is it because people are changing their habits according to talks of recession? I don’t know. But people are tipping less as well and the bills aren’t as big as before. Maybe people are cutting costs.

I can understand that. However, recession or not there was no excuse for this woman’s behavior. She came in last night and ordered a tea. It came to $2.56. She’s putting out all her change on the counter to get the right change. As she surveys her change she realized she doesn’t have the penny.

Instead of using another nickel or dime (which she had plenty), she reaches into the tip jar, looks through the change, finds a penny, and gives me the whole $2.56!

I was shocked! I didn’t even have the words. You can’t miss it, it is not the Take a Penny jar!

And it’s not the penny. Sometimes when people say:”Oh! I’m short.” I’d reach into the tip jar and give them the penny or nickel. But it is mine to give. It is the same as our hourly wage. It is money we get in return for our good work. It is not her personal change jar! It is rude and insulting. I still can't believe someone did that.

Read More

Times they are changing

It’s summer job season for the university students and high schoolers. This means we get a lot at the café. Last night I closed with a girl who is finishing high school. She’s moving across the country end of the summer to start University. Ah. I remember how exciting that time was. Felt like turning back time.

Anyway, at around 30 minutes to closing she called her dad to let him know when to pick her up. Actually she’s not the only one. A parent waiting outside in the car after closing is a common thing these days.

When Sis and I were young my parents paid very little attention to what we did. We had to get good marks. On turning 16 we were expected to get a part-time job for experience and money. That’s was pretty much it. They didn’t pay much attention to where we worked, how many hours, or what we did with our money. I remember once being stuck after a job because I didn’t know the bus service stops during peak times. Didn’t even think of calling my parents. Just walked 30 minutes to the metro.

Then times are different. Is it really safer back then? Is the media just making things sound worse? I don’t know. But if I had a little sister or brother now, I’d probably pick them too if they worked night shift.

Read More

First Meetings

It’s 5:30pm on a Tuesday. I just started my shift. Things are usually calm during this time with a few customers trickling in at a time. My first customer was a young guy.

He asked me :”What kind of drink would you recommend for a girl?”
“Well, does she like sweet or not so sweet? Lots of Caffeine?”
“I’m not sure…?”
“How about an Ice latte, it’s what I like this time of the year.”
“That sounds good. Two Ice lattes please.”
“Whole milk or skim milk?”
“Umm… I’m not sure.”
“Let’s go with Skim.” Because in my experience whole milk people are ok with occasional skim and skim people aren’t with whole.
“Sounds good”

I made two Ice lattes.
“Here you go. Two Ice lattes with skim milk. Enjoy” I didn’t want to say non-fat lattes because you don’t want the girl getting the wrong idea :)
“Thanks. I hope she shows up. Otherwise I’d be drinking both lattes.”

He was kind of cute in his nervous, eager to please, and excited manner. I hoped the girl would show.

The café got busy and I forgot about the Skim Ice Lattes guy. A little later on, as I was busing some tables, I saw him at a corner table. A pretty girl with wavy brown hair was sitting across from him. The lattes seemed to be a hit, and the couple looked like they were enjoying each other’s company.

I was glad she showed up. They make a cute couple.

Read More

Bad behaviour

At about 30 minutes to closing guy walks in the cafe.

“Is Shannon [our manager] in?” He asks.
“No. She’s off today.”
“Oh. Because she’s always in.”
“Yeah.” I smile. “I know what you mean. I guess it’s one of those rare days she’s not in.”
“Ok. Can I get a Panini?”
“Sure”

I opened up the already wrapped Panini tray, grilled one on the already cleaned grill, and prepared it on the already cleaned prep surface. This means we have to re-wipe and clean everything. But it doesn’t matter because we are in customer service after all. It’s what happened next that got me mad.

“Anything else for you?”
“Yes. This cookie.”
“Ok. That comes to $10.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No. That’s the total.”

“ You are *#$@ kidding me? For a sandwich and a cookie?”

Silence from me. I heard you the first time. Do I look like a retard who thinks charging more for food is a good joke? And if you bother to notice you’ll realized I am completely expressionless in an effort to control myself from reacting to your rudeness. Prices are prices. I don’t set them.

Now this is just off the top of my head, but here are a couple of alternatives he could have taken to create a win-win situation here.

Possibility one:
He could have said. "Wow. That’s a little more than I expected. Maybe I’ll skip the cookie. "

My response would have been "Sure. No problem. How about a muffin or cinnamon bun on the house? They don’t keep over night anyway."

Possibility two:
He could have said. "Hm. I didn’t realize how expensive they are because usually I get the staff discount from Shannon. I’m meeting her soon. Could I just wait for her to get here for the discount?"

My response would have been. "Sure thing. You want a coffee or something to drink?"

Instead, he gives me a dirty look, pays for the food, gets on the phone to [from my deductions on his side of the conversation] Shannon, and rants loudly for us all to hear. Shannon gets in 10 minutes later. She makes him a free drink and leaves.

Read More

Barista earnings

Apples & Telephones asked me if I make good tips at my barista job. I’ve actually started a post about that called “No pennies = less tips” when getting rid of the penny was on the news a couple of weeks ago.

So there is the answer. It’s like we are ripped off both ways. Employers can justify nearly minimum wage pay based on the assumption that you would get some tips. Customers don’t give tips because it is after all only coffee. You are not a waitress. (But you sure work as one. At our café night shift baristas do food, bus tables, dishes, and anything else that needs doing.)

Most of the tips are people’s unwanted change. Pennies, Nickels, Dimes… Very sad for the baristas but it’s true. Of course there are nice customers who give a quarter or even a dollar tip (Thank you Nancy). But there are also customers who want their pennies back.

Also, night shifts are dead -not much can be said for making anything from pure volume. Basically, I’m glad that I get free drinks with this job. Otherwise, I’d be able to afford about one latte.

That’s being said. I don’t know what’s right - to tip or not? Me? Because I am now part of the service industry karma and I know the hard work and little pay, I always give something when I’m at cafes. But I don’t begrudge people who don’t, EXCEPT when your order is resulting in extra work for the barista.

Read More

What do you do?

It’s Tuesday night at the café. Two professional looking women walk in and orders two teas and a piece carrot cake. They both have their wallets out. Lady A actually have a $5 bill in her hand to pay. As I’m making the teas, Lady A asks what Lady B is doing these days. B is doing consulting. Actually, she points to A’s $5 bill and says:" That would be about a minute of my time."

With that kind of money I hope she’s treating. But I ask if they are paying separately anyway. B gets the bill and they keep talking as they walk towards an empty table.

I wonder what B does and if it’s a career I’m interested in. Of course there is a lot of the story I don’t know. She might not get $300/hr of consistent work year round. But she’ll make my annual salary in a few months of steady work and be free to do whatever else she wants. That is freedom I wish I had.

Also being able to command $300/hr means her skills are in demand and marketable. That is something I want for myself one day.

So really it’s not the amount, but what that amount means that impressed me.

Happy Friday! I'm working on a related (career) post, but Friday is a happy-end-of-the-workweek day I don't want to spoil.

Read More

A little consideration

It’s Monday night at the coffee shop, my closer did not show up. No warning, so it’s just me and the assistant manager who is too busy doing paper work to help. I’m on my own.

Executive decision. No more to stay cups so I save some time on the dishes. A lady and her friends come in. I start taking their orders.

"Oh. Can we get the mugs please?"

"I’m sorry. My dishwasher did not show up today so we are doing to go cups."

"Can’t you just do one exception?"

"Miss, I’m so sorry. But if I do stay cups I’ll be doing dishes and working until 12am tonight."

"Just the one?"

"Sure. Because you are so special. And I am not human. I like doing two people’s jobs and stay late on my second job of the day so you can drink out of the mugs. I bet you don’t even tip."

I didn’t say the last part, but someone should let this woman know that she’s not the center of the universe. Oh yes, she didn’t tip.

Read More

Taking Tips

Huh! Last night this guy took money from our tip jar. Another customer caught him in the act. He said he’s just making change. But we have less money in there than before. Go figure.

If he wanted change, he could have just asked and we would have been happy to change it for him.

How would that be for bad karma? Taking tip money from baristas making close to minimum wage and get pennies and nickels for tips?

Photo by diabolical_intuition via flickr

Read More

First Days at the coffee shop

After an office job for the last two years, I had forgotten how hard it is to be on your feet for a whole shift.

It wasn’t super busy, but busy enough to be a little stressful for a newbie who doesn’t know what/where everything is. Can’t say it wasn’t an interesting night though.

In the first hour, I got offered a job. At the end of the night, I got an offer for dinner. I’m not taking all this seriously. But it’s funny.

Then Saturday was super duper busy. It was non stop from beginning to end. For two hours I just stood doing cash, because there was a line up of 10+ people at all times.

When I got home, I was pooped. Then I thought about how much(little) I made during this madness, and remember ‘oh yes. It’s not easy earning a few dollars.’

Photo by tonx via flickr

Read More

Training tomorrow

I start training as a barista tomorrow night. The pay was lower than I expected. However, I’m still partial to working here than anywhere else because of the location –across from where I live. Beside, a barista is not where the big money is if money is my main goal.

I’m looking forward to learning all the different drinks. Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement from my readers.

I told Sis and she’s all excited that I will know how to make drinks in future. She thinks it will come in handy since owning a coffee or bookshop is her retirement dream. She also thinks my next part time job should be a flower shop because that’s my retirement dream. It’s going to be fun. And the extra money wouldn’t hurt.

Read More

Application

Well, I was meeting friends at the coffee shop yesterday, and filled out a job application before they arrived. The jewelry advice guy was there again. He was very nice. He was jokingly saying ‘you are hired! Come back for Thursday harassment day. I told him I would if there are free carrot cake and coffee.

Read More