Starbucks

[Alyssabri]

That was perfect. Enough said

[Just the facts]

I think I'd be more inclined to ask the barrista rather than the professor.

The professor is the linguistics expert (she even said so just to make sure we all knew it). If anyone would know, it would be her. Plus, how do you add insult to injury by asking the barrister? You have to ask person that left empty handed and hungry.

[RadicalModerate]

In fact, "barristers" charge way to much to be axing them anything.
Plus you either have to fly to England or make a long-distance call to one of those weird phone numbers to do so. Or is that "to so do"?

("To" intentionally misspelt in the first sintence.)

[Just the facts]

In fact, "barristers" charge way to much to be axing them anything.

LOL - stupid spell checker (and even dumber proofreader). Where is a linguistics expert when I need one?

[RadicalModerate]

Apparently, wandering the streets, bagelless, kicking rocks and mumbling to herself.
(As is the case with most English Majors . . . and even English Captains.)

[MDot]

Apparently, wandering the streets, bagelless, kicking rocks and mumbling to herself.
(As is the case with most English Majors . . . and even English Captains.)

She didn't get a bagel and she's homeless now? Lol

[RadicalModerate]

I think she may have wandered over to the local "Occupy" Function to occupy her time and to take her mind off of being such a douchebag to the lowly counterperson who dared to question her authority vis-a-vis what constitutes a proper bagel within The Starbuckian Paradigm.
.
But I've been wrong before.

[Prunepicker]

Prunie, anyone who thinks it is appropriate to impose a lesson in
linguistics on a Starbucks clerk probably has a screw loose or zero
social skills. I go with the notion that"the Customer is always right,"
when you are dealing with something having to do with the
transaction. However, the clerk didn't sign up for a linquistics lesson,
probably had no idea what this nutcase was getting at, and the
professor clearly had a different agenda than merely buying a bagel,
resulting her her acting like a complete jerk over something that was
important to her and had nothing to do with why she was in Starbucks.
Going off on a tangent about linguistics, IMO, was her own sack of
rocks, not that much different than if she had demanded the clerk
recite Browning while preparing the bagel or, for that matter, dance an
Irish Jig on top of the counter. The customer is always right, except
when the customer is not "right." She sounds like she had a screw
loose.

I agree with most of your post and that the professor might have a
screw loose. But all of this could have been avoided had the
control freak barista, who may have 2 loose screws, had simply
done her job.

How did you hit a q instead of a g in linguistics?

[PennyQuilts]

I always swap out my g's and q's. I'm not dyslexsic but for some reason, I have to watch that - obviously didn't watch it closely, this time.

[Stew]

I can understand where the professor is coming from. It annoys me that anymore these days when you order iced tea you have to specify 'unsweetened' tea. What next unbacon'ed hamburgers? UnPepperoni'ed pizzas? Uncorrupt politicians?

Eh, what can you do? If you complain about it they sic the cops on you.

[PennyQuilts]

I can understand where the professor is coming from. It annoys me that anymore these days when you order iced tea you have to specify 'unsweetened' tea. What next unbacon'ed hamburgers? UnPepperoni'ed pizzas? Uncorrupt politicians?

Eh, what can you do? If you complain about it they sic the cops on you.

Sweet tea is not the same thing as unsweetened tea. They are different drinks. That is why they ask.

[Questor]

Contrary to what the professor says, if you order a Whopper at Burger King it is coming to you with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, mustard, and mayo on it unless you specifically tell the clerk what you don't want. The onus is on the individual to let the clerk know how their order deviates from the standard order served at BK. Most places are like this.

I'm going to be a trouble-maker and suggest that Prune go to BK and order a Whopper and continue to try to return it, because he doesn't want one of the toppings, and when questioned by the clerk respond to her only with "I just want a Whopper."

[Stew]

Sweet tea is not the same thing as unsweetened tea. They are different drinks. That is why they ask.

Tea's natural state is not sweet. You can't untie a shoe unless its tied. Unzip a zipper unless its zipped. Unbutton a blouse unless you're very familiar and it's buttoned. So it only stands to reason you can't unsweetened tea unless it was first sweetened. And I'm pretty sure they don't use sweet tea to make, arg, "unsweetened tea"!

[Thunder]

Questor, you can't say that. Bagels are basically plain. She didn't request for anything on it. All they had to do was take it off the shelf and hand it over. Very simple. If she wanted something on it, then they slice the bagel and add the goodies. Starbucks just wanted thrill and a cop show.

[Prunepicker]

I always swap out my g's and q's. I'm not dyslexsic but for some
reason, I have to watch that - obviously didn't watch it closely,
this time.

!ti hctaw did uoy dehctiws erew yeht ecniS.

[Questor]

Thunder I am no longer commenting on Starbucks, I am commenting on the professors quote from the article, "When you go to Burger King, you don't have to list the six things you don't want." I am saying her analogy doesn't work because it is entirely incorrect.

[MDot]

Thunder I am no longer commenting on Starbucks, I am commenting on the professors quote from the article, "When you go to Burger King, you don't have to list the six things you don't want." I am saying her analogy doesn't work because it is entirely incorrect.

If you order a Whopper at Burger King but don't want mustard on it, you have to say "no mustard please". Her example contradicts itself.

[PennyQuilts]

Tea's natural state is not sweet. You can't untie a shoe unless its tied. Unzip a zipper unless its zipped. Unbutton a blouse unless you're very familiar and it's buttoned. So it only stands to reason you can't unsweetened tea unless it was first sweetened. And I'm pretty sure they don't use sweet tea to make, arg, "unsweetened tea"!

Sweet Tea refers to a specific recipe where the sugar is part of the stewing process. It isn't the same thing as "sweetened tea." But you're right, "unsweet" is an odd way to describe something that isn't sweet. It might make sense if you started out with sweet tea and then took the sweet out of it. But what do I know? I can't stand ice tea or sweet tea. I think they all taste like hay.

[Prunepicker]

I'm going to be a trouble-maker and suggest that Prune go to BK and
order a Whopper and continue to try to return it, because he doesn't
want one of the toppings, and when questioned by the clerk respond
to her only with "I just want a Whopper."

The professor very clearly ordered a plain multigrain bagel. If you
order a plain Whopper at BK you get meat and a bun. The order
taker might ask "do you mean without anything" or something
to that effect to clarify, but you get a bun with meat on it and nothing
else.

[PennyQuilts]

Okay, because I am a complete nerd, I went to the Starbucks website and checked out the menu. Here is what they say about their multigrain bagel:

All over the country and on My Starbucks Idea we’ve heard you’re craving New York style bagels – with that signature, slightly crisp outside and soft and chewy inside.

Now our bagels are better than ever. Straight out of New York, our new bagels have the authentic texture you want and the delicious taste you crave.

While many of us agree that New York bagels are the best, the real question is “How do you eat them?” We promise we won’t judge – you can enjoy your bagel any way you want! Here are the most popular ways to enjoy a Starbucks New York style bagel:

The Purist – These regulars believe bagels must be enjoyed immediately and that spreads are a serious no-no because a great bagel doesn’t need them.
The Toaster – This group believes most things taste better warm, including bagels, and the yummy toastiness makes cream cheese infinitely more spreadable.
The Dipper – Too busy for toasting or spreading, the tear-and-dip method gets them the bagel and cream cheese experience in the fastest time possible.

OMG!! The professor was just a purist, the first category listed on their own website. So there ya go.

[Prunepicker]

Okay, because I am a complete nerd, I went to the Starbucks website
and checked out the menu. Here is what they say about their
multigrain bagel:

OMG!! The professor was just a purist, the first category listed on
their own website. So there ya go.

Then the proper response from the control freak barista should have
been, "oh, a purist!"

[PennyQuilts]

Then the proper response from the control freak barista should have
been, "oh, a purist!"

I still think the professor was ridiculous. A nekid multigrain bagel isn't worth having a meltdown over.

[Just the facts]

Tea's natural state is not sweet.

Tea's natural state isn't even liquid.

[Prunepicker]

I still think the professor was ridiculous. A nekid multigrain bagel isn't
worth having a meltdown over.

You're right.

[Ginkasa]

The professor very clearly ordered a plain multigrain bagel. If you
order a plain Whopper at BK you get meat and a bun. The order
taker might ask "do you mean without anything" or something
to that effect to clarify, but you get a bun with meat on it and nothing
else.

Did she clearly order a plain bagel? The articles are unclear on specifically how the transaction transpired. From I can gleam, based on what little the articles provide along with the professor's agenda, I figure the lady just asked for a "multigrain bagel." She didn't specify plain for the same reason that she refused to specify she didn't want the butter or the cheese: she feels a "multigrain bagel" should be just a multigrain bagel and you should have to specify that you want cheese (or whatever) not that you don't want it.

So, if she did indeed ask for a "multigrain bagel" and not a "plain multigrain bagel" I think its entirely reasonable for the cashier to ask "do you want such and such" on it. In this case, the cashier was trying to be helpful and ensure the lady got exactly what she wanted, but instead the professor decided to push an agenda rather than just order a bagel.

If, however, she did, in fact, ask for a "plain multigrain bagel," then that's different.