Catherine noted that strange things can happen to people as soon as they place an order. The first one is that some of them develop immediate, massive amnesia, their brain wiping out all knowledge of what just took place at the register.
“So let’s say you ordered an iced vanilla latte and you notice that a steaming hot cappuccino has just been placed on the counter,” Catherine said, “Why do you ask me, urgently, if it’s yours, and then start to grab for it? Oftentimes the person making the drink is not the same person who saw you at the register, so it would be great if you could hold on to your order details for just a little bit longer. Also, if it’s a shop that goes by first names, remember the one you gave us. If you’re thinking it’s impossible that someone could forget their own name when it’s being called, I’ve seen things you wouldn’t believe, trust me.”
As weird as that behavior is, Catherine notes another post-order stunt that occurs with alarming regularity. “People order a drink, pay for it and then run away — to the back of the shop, the bathroom. I swear, I don’t know where they go,” she said. “But we’re out here yelling when the drink is ready a few minutes later, and we’re getting no response.”
The kicker comes when the hide-and-seeker finally emerges from their undisclosed location, takes one sip of the drink, and complains that it’s now too cold for their enjoyment. “So we have to make them a brand new drink — our shop doesn’t allow us to reheat drinks — and it starts all over again,” she said.