I know I'm old when I am sitting in my car waiting for my drink watching the legal version of child labor fluttering about thinking that they're the next version of the Peach Pit and wishing that they would turn down the music while scanning that crowd looking for their manager.
On the surface, 7 Brew looks great. Shimmery lights. TWO lanes! A back entrance so it doesn't block the main road. Employees who TALK LIKE THIS enthusiastically! Thumping music from the 1990s/2000s that's cool enough for the young crowd to bop to, but for the old fogies like me be all like Cady Heron, "I KNOW this song!"
They've been doing dry runs before the grand opening with a limited menu. It's been great. Now that they've officially opened with the full menu, it was a little frustrating on all counts.
It's not for the lack of trying. There's signs that tell you to pick the shortest lane. You pull up and one of the numerous kids will run over with their electronic gadgets eventually. There's no menu; nothing to indicate price point. Apparently there is a QR code somewhere you can scan to pull one up online, but it still doesn't give out prices and while the site proudly boasts that you can make OVER 20,000 drinks, along with a secret menu, it doesn't give much details on how.
So I pull up. An employee approaches me and asks what I'd like to order. I look at her blankly. Idk. Do you guys have drip coffee? Do I order a latte? Do I try to make a new combo? Where is my algorithm for this?! She patiently waits while smiling. I furtively dart a glance at the car in front of me, full of people in the same boat, but the employee there is patiently showing them the menu on her tablet thing and telling them all about the 20,000 options. I purse my lips like McKayla Maroney and look at the employee outside my window, hoping she would offer some help, but all I'm getting is that megawatt smile. So I order my usual menu choice - a blondie latte - while hoping that it is part of the 20,000 drink menu. It's $6.something for a medium blondie latte. That's kinda crazy. I mean, I can still buy a dozen eggs for that price, right?
So she rings me through and moves on to the next car. And I wait. And wait. And wait. The car in front of me is STILL deciding on what to get. Someone notices this and waves me onto the next lane, which is empty. And I'm confused, "But I already ordered. Is that going to mess your order line up?" She's like, "OH, yeah. Stay there." And moves down the line. So I'm still waiting. Cars behind me have noted the shorter line next to me. They're getting through. I'm not. There's a lot of uncertain laughing in the front car while they are taking their time customizing each droplet in their drinks. I'm getting impatient. I mean, there are like 15 employees in that not-safe-from-tornadoes shack that they are working out of, and it doesn't take forever to make a latte - could they not run it out to me so I can leave? Same 2nd someone comes back and tries to take my order again and midway through realizes her mistake and runs off before I can ask this request. I'm getting a little frustrated at this point and think about approaching the shack. I think about pulling forward in the second lane and then going back in the first lane, but then I'm worried I'll get stuck in the second lane.
That front car finally wraps up their 4+ drink order and moves forward. And now I'm watching the check out girl mix up their drinks as they come out one by one and being thoroughly confused, not realizing that she is handing out the drinks from the three cars behind this current car. Someone saunters over and tells her that the orders are out of order. Seriously, they need to look at how McDonald's runs their drive throughs. The fallacy of superficial efficiency given by the two lanes. They finally get the front car out. I pull up. Absolutely no apology for the confusion and the wait. For my efforts, I get a not so hot anymore too sugary to be called a latte drink. We'll stick with the local coffeehouse next time. read more
