Put yourself in the shoes of a hurried barista, met with impolite demands for skinny cappuccinos and piping-hot lattes without so much as a "hi." If one kind (or reasonably well mannered) soul greeted you and asked for a drink with a smile and a "thank you," you'd probably want to give them their frappuccino for free -- with a little extra whipped cream.
In a way, a Virginia coffee shop is doing just that.
Roanoke-based Cups Coffee & Tea put up a sign offering cheaper coffee to polite customers -- and wildly expensive brew to less gracious customers, Foodbeast reports (photo below).
Customers who can't be bothered to courteously greet their coffee-providing barista -- or to at least ask for their beverage nicely -- may purchase a small coffee for the steep price of $5. Those who extend their kindness so far as to say "please," just like Mother taught them, will pay $2 less.
But the real treat comes to those who preface their order with a "Hello," and finish it with a "please," as if their barista were some sort of fellow human being worthy of basic respect. The audacity! Those customers will pay just $1.75.
It's amazing how far not being a rude oaf can get you.
Cups' sly whiteboard work isn't just a clever way to remind people to get off their high horses and treat each other nicely; it's a signal that people forget their manners around service professionals far too often. If they didn't, why did Cups feel the need to put up the sign?
In a "Dear Amy" column for the Chicago Tribune, a disgruntled barista asked readers to think about how they treat employees at their favorite caffeine-centric hangouts.
"We work hard to dispense whatever luxury item they are paying us for," the barista wrote. "All we ask is in return is for a little common courtesy and respect."
Next time you find yourself going on a coffee run on a tough day, think of Cups and their lovely reminder to exercise a little common courtesy. After all, they could just choose to spit in your macchiato.