My regular at the coffee shop said we should never apologize for being busy

He's a retired teacher and told me, 'You're not a bad person for having a line, you're a good worker for handling it.' I've always felt guilty when people have to wait, but maybe that's wrong. Do you think apologizing for normal business actually makes customers more upset?

3 comments

3 Comments

caseyl185d ago

Right, because nothing says "we care about you" like apologizing for your own success. Next time someone complains about the line, I'm just gonna hand them a trophy and a coffee and say "congrats on your patience!" But for real, the whole "sorry for the wait" thing is like apologizing that it rained on a Tuesday. You didn't make the rain, you just didn't bring a tent. Thanking people makes them feel like they're part of the cool kids' club instead of the "I waited too long" club. Plus, if you apologize too much, people start thinking you're guilty of something. Like, "did you burn the beans? Did you forget my order? Are you hiding a secret menu?" Just own it. Busy is good. Busy means your coffee doesn't taste like regret.

wren_thomas162mo ago

Your regular is onto something. Apologizing for a long line can make customers think something's wrong, when really it's just proof the place is popular. It's like when a server says sorry the kitchen is backed up, you start wondering if your food will be bad. If you just thank people for waiting instead, it frames it as a team effort. They feel like part of a busy, successful spot, not like they're being inconvenienced.

jennifer3582mo ago

Wow, that regular is so right. I used to always say sorry for the wait too, and it just put everyone in a worse mood. Thanking people for their patience instead totally changes the vibe.