Coffee anyone?

Subject: Coffee anyone? Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:44 pm

I'm really not surprised my first thread is about coffee Laughing

I drink a lot of it. For me it's a comforting routine. So anyway I was having a nose around the BBC website when I found this little odd article.

Long story short Starbucks in the UK want to start putting customer names on coffee orders. I know in other parts of the world this is quite common but it never really caught on in the UK. I'm still a little curious about how other people feel about this.

I think at best you can describe me as socially awkward. I often find when I visit somewhere like Starbucks I just want to be left alone with my coffee and find a silent corner to hide away and enjoy my drink. Some people don't like the idea of having their names on a drink; or rather being asked their name. Personally I think it's more practical than anything else but that's just me. It isn't like the person making your coffee is going to form any kind of attachment with you by asking your name but apparently some people seem to think so.

So I'm curious, is this a common practice where you live? And does it bother you?

Subject: Re: Coffee anyone? Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:40 pm

We don't really have Starbucks here in Poland. And yes, I would mind. In our coulture it would be simply rude to ask customers their names or call customers by name. Especially if the customer is older than the salesperson.
My only response if asked by ashop assistant would be along the lines of "I do not see how it concerns you"

Subject: Re: Coffee anyone? Wed Mar 14, 2012 3:19 pm

Feral wrote:: We don't really have Starbucks here in Poland. And yes, I would mind. In our coulture it would be simply rude to ask customers their names or call customers by name. Especially if the customer is older than the salesperson.
My only response if asked by ashop assistant would be along the lines of "I do not see how it concerns you"

In the UK it's really odd because we don't have the same cultural view of it being rude as such it just isn't really done for some reason. The only time it is done is when someone is a regular customer and even then it only seems to happen in small businesses. In large companies because they have so many customers they don't need to.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel on the subject I think it would make me a little paranoid. I mean is it really necessary to have my name to make me a coffee? But I think that stems more from the fact that where I grew up everyone knew your name and I hated it because there was very little in the way of privacy everyone knew your business. Now that I've moved away I've grown accustomed to my anonymity and I like to keep it as much as possible. I know that might sound odd but that's just me.

Subject: Re: Coffee anyone? Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:36 pm

Here in America, they tend to ask the customer's name as a marketing ploy to make the customer feel like their order is personalized. I don't generally fall it because most of the time, they get my name wrong anyways. That doesn't really make me feel special. lol!

Subject: Re: Coffee anyone? Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:01 pm

Hm, I'v never been to Starbucks, so I don't know how they handle it here in Germany. But if someone asked me my name just for making a coffee, I'd tell them to mind their own business.

- geek

Subject: Re: Coffee anyone? Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:32 pm

I see what you mean. And I agree with the majority. I want to be left alone, don't want anyone to invade my comfort zone, my private space. They can write 'Sir' on my cofee as far as I'm concerned (or go to hell).
Oh wait, I don't drink cofee.

megalomaniac Posts : 2744 Join date : 2011-12-27

For me it's more milk with coffee.
I drink it on occasions but are not overly fond of it.

» Have you ever been to C. MOORE'S COFFEE?