When the weather was warmer, I was happy to sit outside at the local Starbucks, work on my computer, occasionally meet new people and, behind my mask, chat them up. Trouble was I never liked Starbucks coffee or their different kinds of coffees.
Besides I found something inherently “off” when I ordered a regular coffee, a small, and they called it a “tall.” I just wanted a regular old coffee with room for creamer and sweetener. Obviously, it was never my favorite place to go and I was always looking around for some other coffee place
When I learned of a new coffee shop that opened up a little further away, I thought I would give it a try. Last week, we were blessed with a few warm days in the 60’s and one or two days that hit 72 degrees.
So off I went. I found a nice spot outside the new shop with a good view of a small forest, trees and a mini man-made waterfall. Very mini.
Before I could get up and go inside to order I heard a voice coming out of the table asking me to download their app and order from my phone which I was happy to do. There was a speaker on the side of the table from where the request came.
I thought that was very cool, but wondered how long that would last before someone beat the hell out of it, just for giggles. Oh well, I’m sure they will figure that out.
The voice said I could pay with Apple pay or any of my credit cards which I was ok with since no one would be touching my credit cards, didn’t have to use cash and didn’t have any contact with the employees, except when they delivered my coffee, which was done by a young woman, wearing a mask and gloves. I took out my credit card and tapped the little payment machine. Nobody else touched it except me. Yay.
She then handed me a “Handi Wipe” to clean my credit card and a business card with a free small coffee offer when I buy one of their “special” pastries on my next visit. I knew “special” meant most expensive, but that was OK. I wouldn’t have expected anything less. She said “thank you” and then said, “Please come back again.” Great service, friendly, professional, safe, value added offer to come back and a nice view too. Oh yeah, great internet connection and AC outlets.
I was impressed and will definitely go back. The coffee was good too and I could get just a regular coffee and a warm croissant without all of Starbuck’s high prices and seemingly oblivious employees. Just my opinion, of course. I’m sure not all Starbucks employees are that way; maybe they just wanted to wait on a 30-year-old hipster.
Now if a local coffee shop can express safety, concern and well being for their customers, what can we do as bowling proprietors to move more towards a cashless, no touch, no contact environment? Because you know the world is moving there, right?
How many times did you use your credit card to order food and other items during the pandemic? How many times did you have food delivered, both groceries and meals? Do you think that habit will just stop and we will go back to pre-pandemic ways? I personally doubt it.
This isn’t the new normal. This IS the normal!
We can do those kinds of things in our bowling centers. We just have to figure it out. And being bowling proprietors, I know we can…and will.
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