Really disappointed of late with one of my favorite local places to take family and friends for a coffee and pastry.
They, like many others, are employing a new POS system that offers you the opportunity to inflate the price of ordinary counter service, (read that to mean you stand in line, order at a window, stand in the parking lot 'til they call your name, then come get your cup of joe, then find your own table and bus your table when done).
They already charge $5 for handing a coffee out the window. Ok. Now they want to "goad" people by verbally asking for a tip in front of everyone else in line so you can garner a charity fee for "non service".
We put up with this trick during COVID, under the auspices of reducing touch and keeping us all "safe". Now it's over and you don't have the compunction to go back to an ethical standard, where gratuity is a private choice.
This is unmitigated crap!
This would all not be as bad if not for the fact there are many new wealthy people now in town who feel it is normal to tip for everything. You apparently have too much money. Stop, and realize the SERVERS have to come out and SERVE in order to earn a tip. We as consumers need to help them relearn their job post COVID, and that is NOT just to take counter orders and ask for charity. Otherwise you have just inflated the cost of many things by 20 to 30%, in exchange for nebulous order taking.
Certainly, in the case of LB, this is because it has been lucrative for them to pressure patrons to verbally comply with their verbal pressure for personal gains through "no service" price inflation.
Appallingly, the other day I went with my daughters and the server...no, the window attendant, yes you young man with dark hair, a unibrow and scruffy beard, decided not only to stall our order, but then when he finally finished HE PUT IT IN THE WINDOW WITHOUT CALLING OUR NAME and let it sit there!
We wondered why it was taking so long for normal coffee and a warmed pastry, but then noticed an order that looked like it might be ours, was sitting in the window, unannounced. (no we didn't miss hearing it - we were standing right there - it was simply not called, presumably because we elected not to tip above the $24 cost for coffee and a pastry we had already paid for).
I came to the window and sheepishly inquired whether the order standing in the window was ours or not... I was ignored. I asked again and was waived off by said attendant. I suppose that was his way of saying "yeah, that's yours". Didn't know not tipping for counter service could mean you would need ESP to get your order!
To the patrons who stand in line in the parking lot for this poor treatment: demand better!
To the staff who think they are entitled to a 20-30% bump on the cost of my bill for standing in a window: Wake up and offer more. Then you will deserve more. Otherwise, I will assume you are employed to the maximum extent of your talents and you will get paid accordingly. (Not very much in the case of being a window attendant at a coffee house!)
If the highest use of your fine talents is to hand coffee out the window, (something you could get from a computer in a kiosk), I don't feel it is my responsibility to make up the difference in your income through my own personal charity so you can have a nice apartment and a new car while you live in a place like Bend.
I am sure most of us would love for the world to be fair and equal. If I could, I would give everyone a four bedroom home near mid town, with two cars and a big RV in the driveway. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.
Educate yourself, then put it to use CREATING VALUE for others. Take a chance like others who actually EARN real income and then enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you are going to be in the service industry, smile and engage your customer. Make them feel you are thrilled they "walked their wallets" into your establishment, then SERVE their needs to a level that communicates you understand they could probably make whatever it is you are selling at home for themselves for far less, but you are going to make their service experience so splendid they will be elated they left home to spend far more to be served by you.
Lastly, if you are an actual server, you understand gratuity is not an inflated consumer tax, imposed on the rest of us to compensate you for the fact you didn't apply yourself in life so you can live in Bend. Rather, it is for those who offer knowledge, attention and excellent SERVICE!
Before you set your hair on fire and call me names for not handing out free money for nothing, let me say while I do not like tipping for counter service, I consider it my job to find excellent people in the service industry and reward them accordingly, often with few limits. On many occasions I have tipped 100%, even on a large dinner bill! I tip for good service. My charitable donations are another matter altogether. read more