Starbucks

OH. MY. GOD.
You are just not going to believe this story!
Or maybe it's me...

Last night, Roc was assigned to a different part of the Bronx. Sometimes when there's a spike in crime or a robbery pattern, they will send people from one precinct to another just for presence in the area.

As Roc made his way around this particular precinct neighborhood, he was pleasantly surprised to find a Starbucks coffee shop. Starbucks rule the day in Manhattan, but in most Bronx neighborhoods, you'll tend to see a Dunkin Donuts on every other corner rather than our friends with the green Goddess logo. It's got to do with a couple of things which can loosely be described as demographics: Starbucks doesn't necessarily want to go into crime-ridden and downtrodden areas. Also, for the working class, DD tends to be the place to be.

I will tell you that Roc was a Coffeeholic well before ever becoming a cop; there is a family legend about him sitting down with his grandfather and having a cup of coffee at the ripe old age of seven. He loves coffee in just about every incarnation, and he carries a reloadable Starbucks card in his wallet for any occasion that constitutes him passing an SB.

About halfway through his tour, Roc popped into the SB for a little (or a grande, who knows?) taste of Pike Place. He said the place was less than half full, so he took a seat at a table, and sat down for a moment in order to get his breath. He had just come from a rough call. Just as he was deciding what to order, the Barista/Non-Customer-Service Person behind the counter asked him if he needed help. He said one second and he would order; he was just gathering his thoughts.
(Probably trying to figure out the beverage sizes...)

Then the conversation went a little something like this:
Starbucks Employee: Well, you need to order something. You can't just hang out here.
Rocco (IN UNIFORM): Okay, one minute and I will order something.

He's incredulous at this point, because how many times have you walked into a Starbucks and seen hordes of people just hanging out for hours on end, commiserating over a computer, or simply staring out into space, as they fill their veins with high-octane?

SE: Sir, you need to leave if you're not going to order anything.
Roc: Are you serious?!

Text to me: I just got thrown out of a Starbucks!!

Text from me: WHAT THE HELL?!?!

Of course, I heard the rest of the story when he got home and to say I was incensed would be putting it a little mildly. I told him I was going to call Starbucks and let them know what was going on, and demand some sort of apology. He agreed that he had a valid complaint, but his concern was that he didn't want to get anybody fired. I told him that was not my goal, and I called the 800-number today.

I couldn't believe that ANYONE in a Customer Service position would speak to a police officer IN FULL UNIFORM in such a disrespectful way. Dunkin Donuts will often not charge an officer in uniform for coffee and/or offer them a discount. At the very least, a smile.

The good news is that I actually did get a little customer service over the phone. I explained the story, play-by-play: her rudeness, my outrage, and my husband's subsequent trip to DD. I even gave the phone rep a little background: how perhaps this area was not very fond of cops in general...how hubby was a loyal customer with a reloadable card.

I'm waiting to hear back from them, and will keep you posted as to the outcome.