Coffee To Go

Freeways are a bit different in the UK. More like a turnpike in the US. Once you get on, it's not especially easy to get off. And if you get off it's almost impossible to get back on. So they have service plazas.

Typically a service plaza consists of a large building that houses several fast food restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, and public restrooms. There will also be a service station for gas (or petrol as they call it) and a hotel - usually one of the chain hotels- Days Inn, Premier Inn, or Holiday Inn. As you might expect, the prices for food and drink are higher than anywhere else with the noted exception of the airport.

And also, as you might expect, the service is a bit lackluster. But I didn't expect this...

Mark got in line at the Costa Coffee while I went straight to the ladies room. I had to wait in line for the loo and when I came out, Mark was still in line for coffee, although he was at the front of the line instead of the back. It was a gorgeous day so I said I'd wait outside.

I went outside to walk around and stretch my legs a bit. And a bit more. And a bit more. Lots of people were coming out but not Mark. He had been at the front of the line. What had happened? Just as I was getting ready to go back inside to see, he came out with thunder all over his face.

"What happened?" Something had to have happened for it to take 20 minutes to get a cup of coffee.

So here it is. They kept calling other people to get their coffee. When Mark noticed that people who had been behind him were getting their coffee, he assumed that they had misplaced his order. He mentioned this to the young lady at the counter but was told that the people who were getting their coffee had ordered coffee to be consumed on the premises rather than "to go". She hadn't got his coffee yet because she would have to "go get a to-go cup". Getting this elusive "to-go cup" would have involved this young lady turning around. They were behind her.

I'm not sure what he said to her, but it probably wasn't pretty. But for future reference, she should consider that someone who orders his coffee "to-go" in a paper cup is probably in a bigger hurry than someone who wants to sip leisurely from a ceramic mug. Turn around and get the "to-go"cup!! It's behind you. It's not next door.