So so so tired & Starbucks incident
So it turned out I didn't manage to post anything last night.
I was too tired when I reached home.
Was too fatigued today to do anything other than viewing house and meeting friends in Coffee Bean, the Curve.
Went to view a unit in Ritze Perdana studio, it was so nice! But so darn expensive. The unit viewed was fully furnished, about 300+ sqft, has a view of another rooftop (-.- wtf) and cost RM1200. Like WTF right?
I didn't mind paying that amount if the view was more splendid than a stupid rooftop. URGH. I'm all about views, sorry.
Does anyone know anyone who has a non-furnished unit for rent? I really like the place.
Or... the other choice was to stay in Bangsar. Ermmm...
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Speaking of which, I want to talk about Starbucks in Penang. Earlier last month I went to Penang on my birthday and stumbled across this outlet in New World Park so decided to go there and have my usual Starbucks wifi and drink session.
Now this is what I normally do in Starbucks.
I go in. I order a grande/venti Ice Chocolate, with no ice (just chilled milk). Proceed to sit down and turn on my laptop to do whatever I do best online. Surf the net.
Sometimes when I get hungry, I order to eat.
There were several occasions when I got too tired of the food in Starbucks (eating there everyday can make your stomach sick ok), and if there happens to have a nearby store selling yummy stuff, I would buy there and sit in Starbucks non the less. (support ma, besides, they never say no outside food allowed, did they? I never really take notice anyway)
And I have been doing this for a long time, in so many places and in so many outlets, in different countries. Including the time when I was in Thailand.
But no, not in this particular outlet in Penang. They just won't let me do the things I want. Not my usual routine. Nope.
I ordered my Venti Ice Chocolate, as usual, and asked for no ice.
Now you see the reason I order ice chocolate with no ice's not because I'm trying to be cheap or anything, but seriously, they always put tooo much ice in the drink and everytime they do, the ice chocolate becomes cloggy and then tastes really disgusting. Like coagulated chocolate drink with no taste and a bit of bitter aftertaste.
Also, I never like ice blended drinks. The amount of ice they put in is ridiculous that when you take more than 5 sips, a venti (large) is nearly gone.
For something you pay over RM12 on a drink, 5 disgusting coagulated sips of ice chocolate is simply NOT WORTH IT.
But then this guy at the counter decided to ruin it all for me. And mind you, he's the first barrister who ever said this to me. "Oh sorry miss, we don't do that here. I can remove the ice for you, but I can only fill your cup half full".
And he proceeded to direct his finger half way down the cup indicating there how full my VENTI ice chocolate is going to be without ice.
Now tell me. How MUCH does it bloody cost for half a cup of fresh milk and few dollops of chocolate syrup? And compare it to the RM13 that I'm paying for the drink! He's going to fill my VENTI ice chocolate only 40% full for something I pay full price just because I don't like my ice chocolate with ice?
I made my stand, and told me I've been asking the same drink all over the world and in KL and no one has ever made such a statement to me befoer. And he told me:"Well, we work differently here in Penang?" What? Penang people now very cheap is it? What do you mean it's different in Penang? We're still in bloody Malaysia and starbucks in an American franchise!
So yea, nevermind. I decided to order away anyway, despite my disgust when taking a sip.
I didn't feel like any food from starbucks even though my partner ordered a pastry from them as brunch.
I wanted to eat my left-over pizza (which I thought was much nicer at that point) from the previous night.
Guess what happened?
He walked up to our table and told me that there's no outside food allowed.
EXCUSE ME SIR? I just ordered food and drink at your place and now you are saying I can't even have a BITE of my left-over food which I so conveniently have it with me?
Well thank you for ruining my birthday mood mister.
No wonder the outlet was so darn empty. We were the only two people apart from another couple sitting afar.
Starbucks has always excel in their services, their people skill. Like they always claim, they got famous not because of their coffee, but because of their people. I totally agree. And if this New World Park starbucks runs business like how they run it that day, I'd say screw starbucks, I'm going to tabao my nasi kandar and go to the internet cafe.
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Tomorrow I am going to post up something pretty amazing. It's my Manado dive trip last year. Yay! Some exotic photos! :D And me in wet suit and looking like shit cause I just came back from Australia.
29 kissed Nicole
Cheer up =) Sorry to hear that unfortunate incident...Don't let those stupid people get you down!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading your blog a lot...Thanks for sharing so much with frequent updates...hope you will always stay happy and be positive ya^^
What a terrible service! What can we say about Malaysian workers? All stick to rules without flexibility...
ReplyDeleteFor me if I'm in your position, I will demand an apology on the spot without any mercy! It's a disguise to see such worker who 'control' customer actions! I prefer to leave instead once I hear such thing. Then, WTH we pay for the service charge?
Yesterday, I fetch my parents from hospital and want to have lunch before we go home. Well, that time is about 3 - 4 pm and we can't expect to have local food like chicken rice around Ipoh on that time. So, we headed to Pizza Hut instead. I remember I asked for salt and the workers there seems to be 'free' and a waitress took 30 minutes to bring the salt for me. Why? She was happily chit chatting with her colleagues (by the way it's included the service manager~). Plus, I'm going to finish my tasteless spagetti carbonara. If not, my meal taste bad when it's cold. I was so mad and speechless to see such services! Thinking not going to pay service charge for them...
I don't think you should be too disgruntled about the 'no-outside-food' policy, it SHOULD be in place... probably when you were in KL and other parts of the world, you either weren't noticed, or the staff were too polite to stop you.
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if I'm wrong, but this rule is enforced because in the event of a food poisoning outbreak, if they ever trace it back to Setarbak Kopi, the authorities wouldn't really know what caused the outbreak - the in-house food or the outside food.
Well, Penang is well known to be that way. I'm studying in Penang, and whenever I order any iced drink in any coffee shops, the ice will fill about 80% of the cup. So, basically, I'm paying for the ice rather than the drink. No offense but Penang is kinda well known as kiam siap... Anyway, it's just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteIts a restaurant's usual policy to not allow outside food. In the other outlets you patronised, the staff was exercising grace (or laziness) by not stopping you from consuming your outside food.
ReplyDeleteIt's not your right to be able to consume outside food in another restaurant. The employee was just doing his job =)
But yes, he was being tight when he only poured in 40% content.
Joanne
let's change their name to starsucks... or let's go to setabak cofee in s'wak
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry to hear about the Starbucks incident. The service in Starbucks shouldn't be so because personally I'm a barista as well and I know how things work in Starbucks.
ReplyDeleteI went to Starbucks Jaya 1 the other day and requested Iced Venti Caramel Macchiato without ice and they really filled up the glass to the very maximum - now that's what connecting to customers mean.
In another incident, when I was working, my manager told me even if customers bring food into the store, we should NEVER say no to them - courtesy.
I think you can write a complaint email to the HQ.
Anyway, cheers!
I am terribly sorry to hear about your unhappy incident at Starbucks over at Penang.
ReplyDeleteLike Angel Valerie, i am a barista too at Singapore and things should not be like this.
It is our policy to say "yes" to every customer request, be it less ice, more whipped cream etc etc.
The barista you mentioned really need to go through training again.
I suggest in this case you should bring the case up to the manager. If the manager doesn't do anything, bring it up to the HQ.
Cause over at Starbucks, every customer is very important.
Once again, sorry to hear about your unhappy experience. Seriously, if i am the manager, your drink will be on the house as accorded to your request.
lol starbucks suck! if u wan a good view and nice place cosy enough wit a shopping mall next to it...why don't try staying at ken damansara?its behind tropicana city mall..and its only RM1000 on the 13th floor onwards =)
ReplyDeletewah lau eh... like that also can. when in penang, go to the Starbucks at gurney hotel. I never even heard of that New World Park. by the way, RM 1200 is damn cheap. you cannot find any cheaper than that. take! take! take!
ReplyDeletebeing a coffee lover, I've been banning this "angmo" coffee for a long time ever since I've discover better option and better pricing place. Is their duty to provide good service, it is their duty to satisfy us the consumer and it is their responsibility to make sure we get what we pay. nevertheless it's a letdown at least for me!
ReplyDeletestarbucks was within its rights to ask u to comply with its "no outside food" policy.
ReplyDeletelike the blogger who said earlier, wat if something were to happen to you (e.g. food poisoning ...), how to trace back to the original source?
u were not being very nice nor fair to starbucks, nicole.
In life, unfortunately we'll meet all kind of people...Simply boycott the place if you don't like it or bring up with the manager again (as in your previous case of Euphoria, sunway resort)....But don't give them the "victory" to spoil your day....:)
ReplyDeletePerhaps if you save some money on coffee you can go for a nicer apartment. It can rack up if you go to Starbucks all the time. In any case, when you quote a price on an apartment... is the price per calendar month? Or what? Good luck hunting anyway.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was only me, but from what you've said, it seems like Starbucks in Penang works differently.
ReplyDeleteI was at Queens Bay Mall's Border's Starbucks, i ordered a Mango Frap using my SB tumbler, which then i gave the girl my SB drink card to get a stamp, and she told me i couldn't get a stamp because i'm using my tumbler.
If all along i was declined a stamp because of my tumbler, i wouldn't mind, but all along in KL i've been getting a stamp even though i was using the tumbler (and its my second card). I argued with her, and she brushed me off rudely before giving me the stamp. I've never met SB barristers who are so rude!
Nicole, you have to complain to them. When I complained for getting shocking service, they sent me an envelope crammed full of free drink vouchers. Starbucks are famous worldwide for following up on customer service and they make it worth your while to complain!
ReplyDeleterm1200 permonth for an apartment is quite cheap actually..
ReplyDeleteGirl remember this " RIGHT OR WRONG THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT"
ReplyDeleteSorry Nicole, I am a silent reader of yours for long time but this I have to say ... please don´t be ignorant over some policy for its in place for a reason. ALso, there´s a lot of readers out there whom reads your blog so hopefully, can also set a good example to them, no?
ReplyDeletethe starbucks manager hire wrong waiter liao, spoil reputation
ReplyDeletehello, i was a barista before this at bts,
ReplyDeletei think u should have made a complaint to the manager/hq about the incident.
anyways, there is indeed a no outside food policy inside the store, but we don't usually bother about the policy. =x it's a people business.
and bout your drinks, u do have the right to order anything u wanted. =D
-jess
let me know ur budget for apartment/condo.
ReplyDeletei still don't understand.
ReplyDeletewhy would you order an ice blended drink wit no ice?
God!!!! A BARISTA and BARRISTER are 2 totally different professions. Get it rite first lah people!
ReplyDeletewhy dont u bring outside food to other food outlets and see? this is just plain common sense...those workers were just being lazy with the " tidak apa" attitude if they do not tell u. if no one bothers to care, then its fine if u just go ahead...
ReplyDeletehi~ another former barista here to add to the comments. :)
ReplyDeleteYou should send a complaint to HQ, since service like that is a no-no for Starbucks! We have a just say yes policy, where whatever the customer wants should be honoured.:D About the outside food, yep, Starbucks does have a no outside food policy, but usually 'Just say yes' wins out over 'no outside food allowed'.
So, yeah~ hope that incident didn't turn you off Starbucks for life...that barista must have been a new guy -- that's the only explaination for his rudeness.
-Danielle-
http://letaroom.com/
ReplyDeleteGet your apartment here
I know right! People people are like that!!! I remember I ordered a drink and I brought subway with me, they told me off tooo!! -____- Well, I never liked people from penang anyway. They are all kiasu. -.- Every year I go back with my family to visit my cousins, it feels like hell. Even my cousins and aunts and uncle from penang have attitude problems. pfft.
ReplyDeleteI guess tat's d only starbucks which served in such a bad attitude. D worst is ask me to share table with my friend as we are doing our individual project there... shouldn't b so as we're paying for our drink and we deserved a seat.
ReplyDeleteAnyway do forgive them as it might due to d stingy owner's request... Lol!