I told you folks to enter the Starbucks contest! Just because I stacked the ballot box didn’t mean you didn’t have a shot. Well, I won! (Thanks Bethany). Now I have to figure out how to order. Someone is going to need to help me. I’ve only ordered at Starbucks once and I felt like a total fool because I didn’t know their language. I’ve only started drinking fancy coffees since I started writing in earnest this past fall. I started out at a little local shop (Bocherinni’s for you local folks), and when they closed, moved to one located in a bowling alley. I never had problems ordering in either of these places.
This was my experience at Starbucks last December.
Me: “I want a small…”
Clerk: “You mean a tall.”
Me: “Huh? No, I said ‘small.'”
Clerk: “Our ‘tall’ is our ‘small.'”
Me: “O-kaaaayyyy. I’ll have a tall, non-fat…”
Clerk: “Skinny?”
Me: “Well, that’s what I’d LIKE to be, hence me ordering the ‘non-fat.’
Clerk: puzzled look.
Me: “Okay, so I want a ‘tall’ and ‘skinny’– hey, it sounds like I’m ordering a supermodel — oh, so, what do you call a latte here?”
Clerk: Looking bored and not overly amused. “A latte.”
Me: (turning red as the line of cranky un-caffeinated people starts jostling behind me.) “Yes, that’s what I want. A latte, small non-fat. With sugar-free vanilla.”
(I hand him a card that I got as a Christmas gift a few years ago) “Is this still good?”
Clerk: (laughing to co-worker) Hey, Tiffany, you gotta see this! I haven’t seen one of THESE cards in YEARS!!!”
I grabbed my “supermodel” latte and dashed out of there, cheeks burning. Apparently Starbucks is a culture of its own. Does anyone have a translation dictionary I can borrow? I’m determined to use my new card before it becomes another source of entertainment for the staff.
Thanks to Bethany of BethanyHailePhotography for letting me participate in her Starbucks gift card contest. She is an amazing photographer who focuses (pun intentional) on portraits of families, kids, babies, “baby-bellies” (pregnancy) and high school seniors. Check out her site to view her amazing work. She took shots of me for my business cards and promotional material and I had a blast working with her. Bethany, tell Adam that I’m sorry for stealing the card from him.
So, what should I order next time?
Congradulations!! Blessings, andrea