annoyedI'm a very good customer of Starbucks, and generally I find their customer service to be very good, and their promotions to be mercifully free of fine print that takes away apparent advantages. Today, unfortunately, this was not the case.
- Me: "Hm, I'd like an Apple Fritter please."
Barista1: "It's everything except Apple Fritters. Everything in there. Oh, except the bagels."
Me: "Um, uh, ok... Ur, is it just what's in the cabinet or do you have other stuff?"
Barista1: "We have more of some pastries. What would you like?"
Me: "Ok, how about a Chocolate Croissant?"
Barista2 [butting in]: "Unless they have it at the drive-thru, it's not available." [1]
Barista1 [to barista @ drive-thru]: "Do you have any chocolate croissants?"
DriveThruBarista: "Let me check--yes, we do."
Barista2: "Are they on the left or on the right?"
DriveThruBarista: "They're on the right."
Barista2: "Those aren't free, then."
Me: "Uh..."
... and then I found that they screwed up making my drink, ignoring a directive marked on the cup. Talk about a bad morning.
I am a very good customer of Starbucks. This was at my local store. If they're going to have a "free pastry day" promotion (and not even just for walking in like, e.g., Ben & Jerry's free cone day--with purchase of a drink), they should not make it a frustrating experience for their customers. It should be a painless, happy experience both for existing customers and potential new customers.
This is on top of the fact that yesterday I got a drink at a different Starbucks, in Redwood City, and discovered upon arriving at the office that they had made the wrong drink for me.
Apparently this is not my week for Starbucks.
[1] Available for free, that is. They have additional supplies of pastries with which they re-supply both counter and drive-thru. Barista1 seemed like she was willing to go to the supplies, but Barista2 who butted in was being officious.