Dear Starbucks:

Dear @starbucks . I'm not a secret shopper, but I wish I were today. I walked into a shop near work for a drink I had seen online. It was after 1:30 pm. I was the only customer in line. There were 2 seated customers and 2 cars in the drive thru when I walked in. Also in the store were 1 cashier and 2 employees making drinks. I said the the cashier, "There are 2 pink drinks I saw online. Can you tell me about them". He said, "Yeah the pink one and an ombre pink one, sigh!" I said, "What are the differences?" He rolled his eyes and used a tone that clearly conveyed that he was annoyed that I didn't know what the NEW drink was made of and annoyed he'd have to explain it to me. "The pink one has lime, passion fruit tea and coconut milk and the ombre has strawberry" I said, "So the ombre doesn't have coconut milk?" Cashier, eye roll "They BOTH have coconut milk, sigh". Me, "I'll have the second one then". Cashier, "So which one is that?"

I got my drink from the take away counter without a smile or even acknowledgement from the girl who made my beverage. I left the building to walk next door to get a sandwich for lunch.

I am 45 years old. I am a corporate professional. I take pride in the fact that I am always kind, polite and cheerful at any store or restaurant I go to. I make a point of not ordering complicated items during busy or rush hours. Most importantly I vote with my wallet. And when I am treated particularly horrendously I voice my displeasure.

I do not appreciate being treated as an annoyance when I am being served. I will not visit establishments where the employees are curt, rude, disrespectful or defiantly "cool" to my natural middle-aged "uncoolness". Will I stop going to Starbucks after this? Probably not. But I will think twice if I have a variety of choices for beverages. Which, where I live, is always. Will I stop going to THIS Starbucks? Absolutely. Especially since there is another location in the same parking lot inside the Target near this stand alone.

This is why most of the people I know don't prefer Starbucks. They are made to feel inferior by the staff while they are there. People my age should be a target valuable customer to Starbucks. We buy our beverages, normally tip the staff and leave the store. That is called "turns" @Starbucks and that is how you remain profitable. We don't take up a table all day with our devices, using the free wi-fi and nursing a small black iced coffee for hours. That is called remaining cool and relevant but filing for bankruptcy.

For the record, the drink is pretty good and VERY pretty.