Just Service
Today, I’m working from the
Online Coffee Co. It’s a new coffeeshop for me, but it’s been here for a while. This morning, I had my favorite drink (Grande Decaf Mocha) and a cherry danish for breakfast. After doing some work and reading the
Engadget live blog about Macworld 09, it was time to purchase another drink. I peruse the menu and decide upon a 12oz Decaf
Drip Coffee. My decision for drip coffee is based mostly on the unlimited refills. The baristas inform me that they don’t sell drip coffee as decaf, because not enough people buy it and it goes bad too quickly. I can sympathize with that. They offer to make me a 12oz Decaf
Americano instead, which is different but close enough. I say ok. But then I ask “will I be able to get the refills on my decaf americano, since you don’t offer a decaf drip cofffee, and that’s really what I wanted”. The barista says “technically no, but I can ask the manager”. I left it at that, as I still wanted the initial cup. As a consolation they only charged me the price of the drip coffee, while giving me the americano they offered.
- Drip Coffee (unlimited refills) $1.51
- Americano (no refills) $1.92
So dear reader, what would you have done:
- Offered the americano, charged for the americano
- Offered the americano, charged for the drip coffee and no refills
- Offered the americano, charged for the drip coffee and allowed unlimited refills
Part of what concerns me, is that I would like to make this a regular venue. The outcome today could be a one time outcome since I wasn’t aware they didn’t have the decaf drip coffee. But now that I am aware, the rules are different. I can’t claim ignorance when I come in tomorrow, but they still don’t have the product I want, so I’ll likely have to get the substitute product at the higher price without refills.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.