Trivial things that make you annoyed beyond expectations?

[Dadam]

It should be hot water topped up with espresso, rather than the other way around.



I like some instant coffees. Nescafe is drinkable, but nothing special. Kenco Millicano is the one we use at home.

Not the same drink as "proper" coffee, but still an enjoyable drink. And we don't have a machine at home. If we are having anything other than instant, it will be filter coffee made in a cafetiere.

You might be right about the americano, but I suspect it makes next to no difference, and the principle is the same; espresso plus hot water. I’ve just recently got a bean to cup machine at home so I might try it.

I’ve tried many of the “full bean” instants, including Millicano. To me they tasted ok for an instant but with annoying sludge at the bottom. The only instant that has ever come close to a reasonable coffee for me is Nescafé Alta Rica. But its still an instant.

It’s all subjective though. I like nice coffee enough to pay a few hundred for a machine and give it counter space and maintain it, but not to the degree of spending thousands on a full barista machine. I like max coffee, minimum faff

 

[matticus]

And instant coffee is undrinkable. If I asked for a coffee in a cafe and they pulled out a jar of Nescafé I’d be going somewhere else.

But there is thing called choice! ;-)
The point being made is that the "proper" coffee sno... enthusiasts are delaying everyone else. It's a bit like the whole pub queueing while we wait for a Guinness to settle! In this case, tea-drinkers and can-o-coke buyers are all waiting for the Frappalattachipocinnos!

 

[Dadam]

But there is thing called choice! ;-)
The point being made is that the "proper" coffee sno... enthusiasts are delaying everyone else. It's a bit like the whole pub queueing while we wait for a Guinness to settle! In this case, tea-drinkers and can-o-coke buyers are all waiting for the Frappalattachipocinnos!

I'm well aware of the point being made. The counterpoint I'd make is that there is indeed a choice and the people who don't want to wait for proper coffee being made (in a coffee shop which exists primarily for that purpose), have the choice to seek out a cafe with a Bravilor drip machine or catering size tin of stale nescafe. The fact that they might have to go further to find such is indicative of the fact that there's clearly a bigger market for cafes with proper coffee than there is for the other type.

So it's not a minority of enthusiasts delaying "everyone else", it's the majority of customers.

 

[Electric_Andy]

So it's not a minority of enthusiasts delaying "everyone else", it's the majority of customers.

Costa coffee in my local hospital did me a good one in about 1 minute. Another homeware store took nearly 15. It's all about staff, training and equipment. Good coffee is often seen as an easy crowd puller but you need to be all in (which costs) if you're going to do a decent service. I also think in the UK we are just not good at fast food and drink. E.g. at McDonald's drive through I ordered 1 big Mac, and had to park up and wait 10 mins for it!

 

[Alex321]

I'm well aware of the point being made. The counterpoint I'd make is that there is indeed a choice and the people who don't want to wait for proper coffee being made (in a coffee shop which exists primarily for that purpose), have the choice to seek out a cafe with a Bravilor drip machine or catering size tin of stale nescafe. The fact that they might have to go further to find such is indicative of the fact that there's clearly a bigger market for cafes with proper coffee than there is for the other type.

So it's not a minority of enthusiasts delaying "everyone else", it's the majority of customers.

He isn't talking about the people who want a "lesser" coffee, but about the people who want some other drink entirely, which is available in the shop, and takes less time to make, but you have to queue for ages because the staff are busy making the coffees.

It doesn't bother me, but I do understand the point he is making.

 

[Dadam]

but you have to queue for ages because the staff are busy making the coffees.

Yes. In a coffee shop. You have to ask what did they expect.

It doesn't bother me, but I do understand the point he is making.

So do I but this is a thread for ranty banter innit*

*Surprisingly nobody on this thread has yet complained about the use of innit.

 

[gbb]

My wife has a terrible habit of not wringing out a dishcloth in the sink. I grab it to wipe tops down....and it's horrible wet and cold...yeuk, it really does feel horrible.

 

[Jenkins]

My wife has a terrible habit of not wringing out a dishcloth in the sink. I grab it to wipe tops down....and it's horrible wet and cold...yeuk, it really does feel horrible.

Or the kitchen area we had at work where people would leave the waterlogged cleaning sponge in the bottom of the sink rather than squeezing it out and leaving on the side.

 

[matticus]

... we had at work ...

I am absolutely convinced that most people do things at work - wasteful, selfish, plain dumb - that they would never consider doing at home.

If you don't believe me, look how rarely people turn off lights as they leave a room at work.

 

[Chris S]

Or the kitchen area we had at work where people would leave the waterlogged cleaning sponge in the bottom of the sink rather than squeezing it out and leaving on the side.

When I was at work people didn't even clean up the mess they'd made.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

He isn't talking about the people who want a "lesser" coffee, but about the people who want some other drink entirely, which is available in the shop, and takes less time to make, but you have to queue for ages because the staff are busy making the coffees.

It doesn't bother me, but I do understand the point he is making.

Especially when there is only one person in that area so they have to take the order
then make that person's coffee(s) then take the money before moving to the next person

SO if some poor sod is standing there wanting a scone and bottle of coke that he has already got from the fridge
then they still have to wait 17 hours while 3 people in front of them geta coffee

I am absolutely convinced that most people do things at work - wasteful, selfish, plain dumb - that they would never consider doing at home.

If you don't believe me, look how rarely people turn off lights as they leave a room at work.

When I was training to be a teacher I had to do a term in each of 2 schools
The staffroom in the first one had a kitchen

It was disgusting

apparently the cleaner were supposed to clean it but had refused until it was sorted out

and this was caused by educated people - mostly with degrees and mostly female - that had left half full mugs and sponges and open jars of sugar all over the counter
and pretty much everything has been spilt on the worktop and floor and just left!


Every other school I have been in has been better - but there have always been "some staff" (normally that actual teacher not TAs!!!) that just leave stuff and expect other to clean it up after them

 

[ColinJ]

If you don't believe me, look how rarely people turn off lights as they leave a room at work.

Indeed...!

Actually, that's how it used to be in my office years ago. People just walked out at the end of the day and left their PCs running. There were racks of electronic equipment next to most of our desks which were also left switched on. There was a big red button on the wall at the end of the office which last person out had to press. It operated a circuit breaker for the whole floor. The first time I used it I was amazed at how noisy the office had been. You get used to the constant drone of hundreds of fans and hard drives but when they all go off at the same time it is a bit like a helicopter landing and its engine being turned off!

 

[matticus]

Ah, the good old days Colin!

(April 2021 ... )

 

[gbb]

When I was at work people didn't even clean up the mess they'd made.

Common thing I think. When we were planning the layout of workshops in a brand new building, we complained they hadn't included a toilet which meant a several hundred metre walk to the nearest.
Manager immediately said..no way are we having a toilet, I can't get you lot to tidy the workshops, let alone keep a toilet clean.
Meanwhile...in the offices, the head of site frequently complained via the intranet, with photos, of how office staff were leaving the kitchen like a tip.
It really is an unfortunate habit a lot of people have.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I sort of expected this in male dominated places

The old "it's a woman's job" thing from some people and other refusing to do it because they did for a while but no-one else did


but I was quite shocked that it was the case in a female dominated environment like a school

and people who were the most house proud at home would often be the worst

although the ex-private school I taught at for a while was brilliant - only place I have ever worked where the communal kitchen was clean and tidy!