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Barista to Customer: No, You Can't Have Espresso on Ice

DC worker says it will 'ruin' drink

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 1, 2012 3:30 PM CDT

(Newser) – A barista in Washington, DC, has unintentionally raised a philosophical quandary by rejecting the idea that the customer is always right. When a guy asked for espresso on ice, the barista flat out refused, the Huffington Post reports via a Prince of Petworth transcript. "We don’t do that because it will ruin it. We make the best espresso in the city and putting it over ice will shock it," the barista at Chinatown Coffee Co. reportedly said. When the customer seemed befuddled, the barista replied, "Aw, did I just ruin your day?"

HuffPo notes that a few years back, a disgruntled customer blogged about another coffee shop's rejection of his request for the same drink. As the post gathered traction, the shop released a statement of its rules, including: "No espresso in a to-go cup. No espresso over ice. These are our policies. We have our reasons, and we're happy to share them."

Espresso on ice is forbidden, says a barista.
Espresso on ice is forbidden, says a barista.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 64 comments
user99
Jul 2, 2012 12:50 PM CDT
It's like going into a gourmet restaurant, ordering lobster, then pouring ketchup on it.  It would be insulting.
Tulkas451
Jul 2, 2012 11:36 AM CDT
This is a case of a customer who simply doesn't know what to drink.  If he wants to screw up what he ordered, just give him a glass of ice along with the espresso and let him botch it himself.  It is however, virtually criminal to ruin a good espresso by pouring it over ice or putting it in a paper cup.  Idiot.
jpp5279
Jul 2, 2012 10:08 AM CDT
I love how this story has become a national yelp review. People only write about their negative experiences at places. *sigh*
 

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