There is a Starbucks around the corner from my hotel in Shanghai, a nice perk since the coffee at the hotel restaurant is nasty and consistently inconsistent. My Chinese colleagues don't seem to understand my need for a big-ass cup of coffee on the morning. Their first site of my Grande cup when I enter the office is usually met with a knowing snicker, and a Venti cup will generate a laugh or two. I don't mind. I get to make fun of the way they drive so I guess we have achieved some measure of balance in our relations.
Ordering at this Starbucks is always entertaining. No Chinese is required - their employees the world over are well trained and speak the same corporate language (I wonder if it has a name...). A couple of days back I was in a bit of a rush, the queue to order was longer than normal, typical, and the tiny waif of a barista taking orders was clearly struggling. She apparently forgot to mark my cup, I realized this after a few folks behind me in line got their drinks before me. The somewhat older and much meaner looking girl making the drinks picked up on my situation, and asked if I was waiting for a drink. I replied that I was.
"A triple Grande Latte", I told her.
She gave an apologetic smile, which was a bit unsettling on her still mean looking face. "Tree-po Rat-tay?", she sounded out.
"Yes", I said. "Grande"
"So sorry. Prease wait a moment" she said, and then turned to the waif and yelled "RAT-TAY. TREE-PO RAT-TAY!" "GRAN-DAY TREE-PO RAT-TAY!!"
Having thoroughly berated her co-worker, she returned to her coffee-making duties with a now satisfied smile on her still angry looking face.
I got my "Rat-tay" a few moments later and left.
Ordering at this Starbucks is always entertaining. No Chinese is required - their employees the world over are well trained and speak the same corporate language (I wonder if it has a name...). A couple of days back I was in a bit of a rush, the queue to order was longer than normal, typical, and the tiny waif of a barista taking orders was clearly struggling. She apparently forgot to mark my cup, I realized this after a few folks behind me in line got their drinks before me. The somewhat older and much meaner looking girl making the drinks picked up on my situation, and asked if I was waiting for a drink. I replied that I was.
"A triple Grande Latte", I told her.
She gave an apologetic smile, which was a bit unsettling on her still mean looking face. "Tree-po Rat-tay?", she sounded out.
"Yes", I said. "Grande"
"So sorry. Prease wait a moment" she said, and then turned to the waif and yelled "RAT-TAY. TREE-PO RAT-TAY!" "GRAN-DAY TREE-PO RAT-TAY!!"
Having thoroughly berated her co-worker, she returned to her coffee-making duties with a now satisfied smile on her still angry looking face.
I got my "Rat-tay" a few moments later and left.
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