I used to come here regularly and loved it as a quick stop on my way to work. When Ebonie and another girl who I believe was named Brie used to be there, I had wonderful experiences. They would always engage me in conversation and would make drinks quickly and correctly.
However, within the past month or so I've noticed a change in staffing. That is to be expected with people moving and I understand that coffee shops can have a high turnover rate for various reasons. I myself was a waitress/barista for over two years and a barista for over four years at another local popular coffee shop. The change in staffing seems to not be for the better in this case. There is one barista there who is very pleasant and sweet and makes conversation still, and I wish I knew her name.
However, I have now had two extremely unpleasant circumstances with another employee who works there. I do not like to "bash" businesses or employees, however I feel that something needs to be addressed with this person.
The first time was when I had a free coffee and asked for an iced mocha, and was handed a coffee that had an inch of missing space from the top. I consider myself very polite and usually won't say anything, however in this circumstance I was going through a rough day and wanted my free drink's worth of coffee, so I apologized and asked if the barista would mind filling it up a little more. The barista acted extremely offended and then did what I asked, making an excuse for why she had given it to me with room. I thought it was very odd behavior but continued coming to Hot Shot Espresso nonetheless.
However, after my experience today I am not sure if I want to continue coming back, especially when this particular barista is there. I was picking up two drinks, one for my sister, who had requested a 16 oz iced americano with almond milk and no water. The barista acted as if my request was absurd and asked me if I knew that americanos were made with water. I told her I did. I myself had made drinks myself like this when I was a barista for almost five years and I myself enjoy Americanos that have little to no water. This is entirely possible as the ice with the hot espresso creates a bit of water and you have room at the top for filling it with a little extra cream or milk.
After the barista showed me the iced Americano with room at the top still and asked me if this was how I wanted it, I smiled and told her as nicely as I could that I believed my sister just wanted a little extra almond milk for cream. She made a face at me and said "that's a latte then."
I was a little in shock and didn't quite know what to say, but I told her that I had been a barista myself for a long time and that I knew what I was asking for. I explained that we wanted the Americano with the flavor mixed with espresso, packed with ice, and then a little extra milk for cream. I told her it would be the same as if someone ordering a hot americano asked for extra cream.
She still went on arguing with me about how that wasn't right, that it was a latte. Which is simply NOT true.
I became very frustrated with her attitude, and said I'm sorry I'm not trying to be difficult.
She relented and added more milk to it and then handed it to me saying she could get in trouble for ringing it up as an americano. I drove away extremely aggravated and frustrated that someone working in customer service would actually have the audacity to argue with me as a customer when I knew what I was asking for and was being extremely polite to her the entire time. When she opened the window to the shop when I pulled up, I even said hello how are you doing when she didn't even greet me.
Again, I am not looking to get anyone in trouble or bash a business. However, I truly hope that the owners of this establishment take what I write here into consideration. If I had ever spoken to a customer at the coffee shop I used to work at like I was treated today, I would have had serious consequences. read more
