And I didn’t get to write the fifth chapter in my novel. Here’s what happened:
Maybe this is my fault for trying to be cool and writer-ish, but tonight I thought I would go to a “real” cafe and try my hand at some book-writin.’ And some blog postin.’ Seeing as I haven’t been able to buy Internet yet (*coughs “Comcast”) and my neighbor’s wireless signal disappeared, I decided tonight was the perfect time to bike over to Chapter House, a cafe and gallery on 9th Street that many of my “artiste” friends go to and that I’ve always wanted to hang out at.
I lock my bike. I rush inside. Look at the clock. It’s 9PM. The guy behind the desk tells me they’re open for another hour. That gives me an hour to write. I threw my bag on the table nearest to an outlet and go to the counter. I’m not the kind of person who uses a cafe’s wireless Internet without at least buying something.
Me: “Do you take debit cards?”
Clerk: “Yes, but there’s a $10 minimum. But there are two ATMs around the corner from here.”
Me: [Deciding the amount of time it would take me to get money + ATM surcharge fee = not worth it.] That’s okay, I’ll just get $10 worth of stuff.
And that’s when it got ugly.
Clerk: [Condescendingly.] So you’re not willing to walk one block away to go to the ATM?
Me: [Surprised at the question but too in a hurry to explain why I didn't want to go to the ATM.] No, I’ll just get some extra coffee or something.
Clerk: [Sarcastically] Oh, yeah. Because that’s the American thing to do. Buy everything we can.
Me: [Silent shock.]
Clerk: Whaddya want?
Me: Are those tins behind you for sale, the ones with tea?
Clerk: I sell a lot of things. I sell music. I sell poetry. I don’t understand what you’re asking. What are you asking?
[Whereupon we spend five minutes where he repeatedly says he doesn't understand what I'm asking and I clearly, concisely explain that I'm asking for the sale price of the various knickknacks the cafe has for sale, boxed teas and the like that are CLEARLY for sale directly behind him and which he refuses to turn to no matter how much I keep pointing at. He merely repeats"I don't understand what you're asking me to do" after every question.]
Clerk: That tea is so expensive, why would you want to buy it?
Me: [Feeling no need to explain my purchasing decisions to a jerk.]
Clerk: [Sighs and harumphs loudly] Okay fine, it’s $8.
[Another customer comes. I wait.]
Me: Okay sir, I’ll take the $8 boxed tea and the $2 lemon soda.
Clerk : I don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m just trying to save you money. I don’t want to rip you off.
Me [frustrated]: I want to spend $10!
Clerk: Okay, but this is so frustrating, this is why I don’t even like to take debit cards. I’m not trying to be difficult or anything, but I don’t understand why you’re doing this.
Me: [Completely silent because I'm in shock.]
Clerk: [Getting visibly agitated by the second.] You know what, I don’t even understand this. [Gets even more visible agitated.]
Me: You know what, it’s okay, I’ll be okay. Thanks for trying to help. Night.
I walk outside. Ride my bike to the Cosi’s on 12th and Walnut. And write this post.
I am never going to Chapter House again.
I am telling all my friends not to go to Chapter House again.
If, in a recession, a certain someone cannot remember their customer service basics (“The customer is always right,” stupid), then I will not be spending my money at that establishment.
yep. that sucks!
I only went because I liked it so much the last time you and I went!
It’s against Visa’s rules for charging a minimum purchase amount, please go to http://www.corporate.visa.com/ut/faq.jsp for more information and know your rights as a consumer. This merchant location can lose their visa merchandising license. Please report them!
Can merchants set a minimum purchase or charge a fee for using my Visa card?
Visa has certain regulations that all merchants that accept Visa cards must follow. One of those rules is that Visa merchants are not permitted to establish minimum transaction amounts, even on sale items.
If you run into a problem like this with a merchant, please notify your Visa card-issuing bank. Visa member banks have access to the appropriate Visa rules and regulations as well as to the Notification of Customer Complaint forms which should be used by the bank to document and file merchant complaints.
that is completely preposterous event.
Wow, so annoying! I feel your frustrations. This guy seemed like he just didn’t get it!
My parents, a bunch of my friends, my sister & I went to this Tim Hortons up north. My dad realized that he’d have to break his 20 because he didn’t have enough change and he said “uh oh, guess I have no change left”. I’m not sure if it was the Indian accent, or the fact that he said “uh oh”, but these teenagers started imitating my dad. And they were all laughing at each other. One of them went as far as saying “Haha what a dork”. My friends and I felt so awkward, and we ended up just leaving.
I dont know what goes through people’s minds sometimes!
what an ass – sounds like that dude needs a swift kick in the manparts and a stern lesson on customer service.
holy crap! i always kind of got the “higher than though” airs from some of the dudes that work there, but this incident is just CRAZY!!!
“Oh, yeah. Because that’s the American thing to do. Buy everything we can.”
what’s up his arse? having worked in a cafe, the credit card processing fees are INSANE – which is why these places impose the minimums. but blue is right – it’s technically illegal. still, though – why the fuck would he have a problem with a customer buying $10′s worth of stuff? would he say the same thing if i wanted to buy coffee beans – because i like making MY COFFEE AT HOME frequently?
i’m moving back to bella vista at the end of the month – and so will not patronize this place ever again myself.
that is dumb as dumb can be.
where’s this place? i need to avoid it like the plague.
for reference, PG, the guy behind the counter sounds like a hipster.
Haha, he was a hipster, BC. But I’ve never had a hipster be mean to me! I mean, he was just visibly, unaccountably ANGRY that I wanted to buy $10 worth of stuff. He clearly didn’t want me to be there. I got the message.
Thanks to Sara for continuing the conversation on Yelp. Check it out! http://tinyurl.com/qehdgq
The best part is when you say, “I want to spend $10!”
I love it. Your frustration is so evident. Sorry this was such a bad experience, but you got a funny piece of writing out of it. Go back and tell the Poetry For Sale Barista that he was bloody inspirational to your ART.
It’s not just Visa. Requiring a minimum is illegal. I think it just became illegal recently, I’m not sure, though. It’s not illegal for them to charge a processing fee.
Have you noticed the bigger stores/chains no longer have signs requiring minimum purchase in using credit/debit cards? That’s because they know that’s not allowed.
However places still do the minimum purchase thing. Probably because no one calls them on it.
“Go back and tell the Poetry For Sale Barista that he was bloody inspirational to your ART.”
Haha, I was thinking about that.
something very similar happened to my boyfriend and me awhile back at this place. i am hoping this is the same douchebag that “helped” us…otherwise this place should be burned to the ground so their entire employee base of holier-than-thous who actually DESERVE to lose their jobs in this economically challenging environment get a taste of humble pie. and if you work there and what i’m saying ticks you off, i suggest you start taking out that frustration on the jerks you work with. seriously. the customer is NOT always right, but in this case, you certainly were. and being treated like a fellow human being shouldn’t be asking too much.
FYI, if you really want to “get even”:
Minding the Minimum:
Visa says its bylaws clearly state that merchants must not establish a minimum transaction amount. That’s done, “To protect Visa cardholders so they can expect to use their cards anywhere, anyhow and anytime Visa is accepted,” says a spokesman.
“If Visa finds out about a violation, Visa will issue an enforcement letter to the acquiring bank that enables the merchant to accept the card. It’s up to the acquirer as to how to deal with the merchant.”
MasterCard is also emphatic about dealing with violations although MasterCard deals with them directly.
What you do the next time you’re told there’s a minimum to use a credit card probably depends on how you feel about the issue. If you’re sympathetic toward the merchant’s plight you’ll save the card for bigger purchases.
If you’d rather complain with less fanfare, write to Visa at askvisacorporate@visa.com. MasterCard complaints will be accepted at 1-800-300-3069.”
I forgot to point out that $10 is expensive for me (especially at a coffeehouse), but given that it was a local business, I figured supporting it would be a good thing. Guess not.
Pingback: Five Reasons I <3 Blogging « My Philadelphia Story
Pingback: In Which Chapterhouse Coffee Kinda Sorta Apologizes « My Philadelphia Story
Holding up a line trying to buy things that are not for sale sounds frustrating for the clerk. I can understand the frustration from both of your ends but to be honest, it’s people like you that were the bane of my time in the service industry. This is obviously very one-sided. But then, I guess that’s what blogs are for.
also, giving some bad review of a place based on one strange and unpleasant experience you had there is one thing. on the other hand, encouraging some kind of retaliation in any way physically violent or legal/financial is clearly out of proportion for the situation that went down and anyone who is encouraging the like are scumbags. everyone has a bad day. does that really warrant suggesting the place be ‘burned to the ground?’ really! listen to yourselves. making a sarcastic joke is worth crucifying someone for but it’s okay to talk about physical violence, arson, etc. as a response? it’s easy to go overboard and show what kind of ppl you really are when you can be anonymous and ‘flex your internet muscles.’ nerds! get a life and let a small independent business alone. if you don’t like your experience there, don’t go. end of story.
“Holding up a line trying to buy things that are not for sale sounds frustrating for the clerk. ”
No line. Almost empty.
“on the other hand, encouraging some kind of retaliation in any way physically violent or legal/financial is clearly out of proportion for the situation that went down and anyone who is encouraging the like are scumbags.”
I definitely do not ever endorse this. Ever. Views expressed on Yelp are not mine.
Pingback: The worst part?
Those views are expressed right here on your blog comments. You then go on to give a physical description of said clerk on Yelp. What do you have to say about that?
what is so wrong with describing the clerk on yelp, jb?
it’s not like PG said “he was an ugly mofo with lame clothing, awful haircut, and the acne to end all acne.”
Sorry, I meant physically violent. Totally wrong.
Financial retaliation? That’s your own choice. I already stated mine.
“You then go on to give a physical description of said clerk on Yelp. ”
In hindsight, not wise.
‘i’m a JB too!’ I’m guessing the reason jb number is criticizing me for this is because people on Yelp have expressed certain sentiments which may be taken as threatening towards certain clerk. Not cool. Not my intent.
Pingback: Hello, Goodbye « My Philadelphia Story
I like Chapterhouse. I’ve always had very courteous service and a consistently good cup of coffee.