too bad we haven't a 'no loitering' policy

today an older woman came in, clutching her bagel sandwich from the place next door in one hand, and a horrendously oversized purse in the other.

"can you do me a favor?" she asked as she plopped her sandwich and her bag on our counter. "will you blend these for me in one of your blenders?" she pulled a fruit soda and some dietary packet of powder from her bag. "i hate mixing it in a cup. it always clumps!" she explained while holding out her goods for us to blend.
"sorry, we can't blend those for you. it's a health code violation," i informed her.
"oh, come on!" she replied in disbelief.
"sorry, ma'am," i said and started to help the person behind her.
she went to a table, mixed her stuff herself and finished her bagel sandwich in about twenty minutes.

the point of this story?
well, i continue to be amazed at the people who take up our tables and chairs without purchasing any coffee. not only that, this woman wanted us to mix her damn liquid lunch in our blenders, just because she didn't want clumps. since she was old i can't blame the innocence (or rudeness) of youth. she owned plenty of years to know better, but she just didn't care.

i've noticed that bux has become a meeting place, a resting spot, and a place to sit your ass when you have no other place to go. that's not so horrible. what makes it bad is that nothing was purchased to merit occupying tables and chairs. it's especially horrid when regular customers show up and there's no place for them to sit and enjoy their coffee.

very cool that people like the bux atmosphere. too bad they aren't willing to pay for it.

barista rant: i know we are bratty, but we are not dumb! i heard you order a grande espresso frappuccino and a tall coffee frappuccino. i made them perfectly and timely, but when i presented them to you, you told me i messed them up. that the tall was supposed to have the espresso, not the grande. so fine, i remake them for you (although the mistake was yours, not mine!) and presented you with your newly made drinks. i can't believe you had the gall to try and take the other two drinks with you. when i took the "mistakes" and started to empty them into the sink you called out, "wait! i would've taken those too!". yes, exactly. this bratty barista knew you wanted two free drinks. and no - you don't get them.