If you've ever had a job that involves customer service, you know how much a bond with a regular customer can brighten your day.
There is something incredibly rewarding about preparing that same order over and over again for someone who genuinely appreciates the service you provide. Moreover, you develop a relationship with these people and begin to expect an encounter to be part of the workday.
One Starbucks barista understood this powerful connection better than most, thanks to a special bond shared with one of the coffee shop's regular customers.
The woman would stay with the staff until closing and spread smiles to all those around her, according to a post on Facebook's Love What Matters page.
She was known around the shop for her lively conversation, warm manner, and unusual order — a matcha latte with extra powder to make it "lumpy."
Then, one day, the regular stopped showing up, and the baristas received some sad news.
One barista shared their story on Facebook's Love What Matters page as a tribute to this special customer, who hid a difficult life behind gauzy dresses and a positive attitude.
The post quickly earned 14,000 likes and 1,250 shares, with hundreds of people also adding comments about the sweet post.
A letter to a regular. I wrote this to show how much of an influence regulars can have on customer service workers.
We had your yogurts ready. Ample matcha for your drink.
But you stopped coming.
Tonight, your friend came in. Asked if I knew the girl with the flowy textured cotton dresses.
And told me you'd passed away.
You were homeless. But you didn’t let us know.You came to us every day for months, and sat and talked with us.
Every night, you'd go around the store, collecting cups, plates, straw wrappers from the floor. You were nothing but smiles around us.
Every single night, you stayed until we closed. We close earlier than any other location in town, but you stayed with us because you liked us.
You struggled with your mind, as many do.
But with us, you never let it show.
You were such a strong woman, and I don’t want to believe that you’re gone. That news might have been the hardest I’ve ever heard.
You even gave us new scissors, because you bought a pack of two… and when you asked us for scissors… to open yours… You were appalled at how crappy the ones we had to use were.
You had a heart of gold.
My shift and I made your drink one last time tonight, just the way you like it. An iced venti green-tea latte with ten scoops of matcha, right on top of the ice, with a dome lid.
I always thought it was odd, but you said you liked the chunks that the matcha would make.
I poured the milk, and pulled out the container of matcha so I wouldn’t get it all over the counter. I went to grab the ice scoop, and I broke down.
My supervisor finished it.
The whole night, I looked at the table you always sat at, right in the corner, and you were there smiling at me.
I tried your drink tonight through tears.
I liked the chunks.
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