Scumbags in McDonalds

[barleycorn]

But some cafe places do not boil their hot water to be above 100 C. So that is why by the time you get the hot water and dip the teabag, the diffusion does not work that well. It takes a proper tea maker who knows their stuff and really take care of this kind of thing to make a nice cup of tea.

 

I really hate it when people do not do these kind of simple things properly. Or maybe I am taking it for granted that I do like my tea to be properly made. Maybe in the real world, not everybody drinks tea??? (OMG, what is the world coming to? )

 

Do not get me going on how tea is made in the office. I do politely accept when someone does something for me, but secretly I yearn for a nice cup of tea. Really really.

 

Most cafes are bound by the laws of physics and a lack of a pressure kettle.

 

jb

[Resident]

Originally Posted by ECCOnoob View Post

I would be annoyed having any sort of bag in a cup. Tea served should be in a pot with a jug of hot water to top up as you please.

 

With the prices some of these cafes and restaurants have the nerve to charge for tea they should at the very least be seving it properly. Bag in a cup for £2.50 / £3.50 and even I have seen as much as £5.00 is just taking the michael.

 

Restaurants/Cafes etc aren't allowed to hand out plain hot water, comes under health & safety / liability insurance.

 

 

But some cafe places do not boil their hot water to be above 100 C. So that is why by the time you get the hot water and dip the teabag, the diffusion does not work that well. It takes a proper tea maker who knows their stuff and really take care of this kind of thing to make a nice cup of tea.

 

IIRC 85°c is as hot as you're allowed to dispense in the form of a hot beverage.

[Cyclone]

Lots of restaurants and cafe's supply hot water with a tea bag if you order green tea or something similar.

[salsafan]

Restaurants/Cafes etc aren't allowed to hand out plain hot water, comes under health & safety / liability insurance.

 

IIRC 85°c is as hot as you're allowed to dispense in the form of a hot beverage.

I've also worked as a waitress before too. This is whereby you need to be "passionate" about your job as they say in modern day tv shows. If you knew that the water is never that hot, then make the tea first as the first item of the order. Let the water soak the teabag for a little while, to let it infuse. Then do the rest of the order, and then come back to it and check before serving to the customers. At least do not make it watery at all. It really is quite bad customer service to serve watery unstirred tea with the tea bag inside it. Either soak and let it infuse and then take another teabag as a secondary option to offer the customer if they wish to have it quite strong. Always ask.

 

Are you sure about the hot water H&S insurance liability ? As I have asked for hot water before in a restaurant especially when tea is too strong. I ask for it in a tea pot.

 

If a customer walked through the door, then it is down to the employee to make sure that at any given point, the experience is made better than what the customer expects. Imagine this was in London. I do not think that people will be as polite at all. On the note about respect and so forth is quite right. As it is not the customer's fault for what the employee does in the company. They just want a nice product. Not to know the excuse or the limitation to the company's processes or their products.

 

The best tea often comes from these machines in cafes. http://galleryplus.ebayimg.com/ws/web/120923127144_1_0_1/1000x1000.jpg

 

Then again, I also have been asked to make tea when in an office, and I often use two of these PG Tips tiny teabags, and let it soak through, especially if I am pushed for time. I do not care too trot if it wastes the teabag in order to achieve the actual taste. PG Tips have actually downsized their products and it is no longer what it was before. So I do notice this of their product. As a business, you would think that the buyer would take notice of the quality of the product that they serve to customers.

[Resident]

I've also worked as a waitress before too. This is whereby you need to be "passionate" about your job as they say in modern day tv shows. If you knew that the water is never that hot, then make the tea first as the first item of the order. Let the water soak the teabag for a little while, to let it infuse. Then do the rest of the order, and then come back to it and check before serving to the customers. At least do not make it watery at all. It really is quite bad customer service to serve watery unstirred tea with the tea bag inside it. Either soak and let it infuse and then take another teabag as a secondary option to offer the customer if they wish to have it quite strong. Always ask.

 

Are you sure about the hot water H&S insurance liability ? As I have asked for hot water before in a restaurant especially when tea is too strong. I ask for it in a tea pot.

 

If a customer walked through the door, then it is down to the employee to make sure that at any given point, the experience is made better than what the customer expects.

 

It was certainly listed in my H&S binders at work when I did work in a restaurant but we are talking a few years ago and they were company produced. More weighted towards the liability side IIRC.

 

A teapot could be argued as a closed lid container I suppose, H&S wise but again it comes down to the insurance provider.

 

I know at one point KFC struggled with hot drinks as their insurance provider wouldn't cover passing hot drinks out via the drive-thru.

[JFKvsNixon]

Restaurants/Cafes etc aren't allowed to hand out plain hot water, comes under health & safety / liability insurance.

 

Are you sure as I've managed to get plain hot water in every restaurant and cafe that I've asked for it.

[salsafan]

It was certainly listed in my H&S binders at work when I did work in a restaurant but we are talking a few years ago and they were company produced. More weighted towards the liability side IIRC.

 

A teapot could be argued as a closed lid container I suppose, H&S wise but again it comes down to the insurance provider.

 

I know at one point KFC struggled with hot drinks as their insurance provider wouldn't cover passing hot drinks out via the drive-thru.

To be honest, as a customer, it really is not their remit to look into. As afterall, the person walked through the door and does not need to know the company's politics or limitation. They just want a cup of tea.

[Resident]

To be honest, as a customer, it really is not their remit to look into. As afterall, the person walked through the door and does not need to know the company's politics or limitation. They just want a cup of tea.

 

But it is the remit of the business to comply with all it's legal and contractual obligations. If that means you can't have a pot of hot water then so be it.

[salsafan]

But it is the remit of the business to comply with all it's legal and contractual obligations. If that means you can't have a pot of hot water then so be it.

Yep. I agree.

Now, what has that got to do with you or me ? Plus it is also down to the cafe or eatery to keep their customers too. No customers, no job, no salary.

 

Whether they find workarounds to their own constraints or not, is not really your area or of my concerns either. I was trying to make a point here.

 

In this case as you mentioned insurance liabilities. If all establishments cannot give out hot water, then how do moms survive in feeding their babies milk when they are out and about ? There are workarounds. Like my friend the other month managed to get hot water added to the baby's bottle which already had their own milk powder put in for example.

 

I have also had hot water given to me in a tea pot when dining out. If I go out with my mother I always ask for a hot water tea pot, and also a pot of tea. So we can control the strength of our tea leaves. This is actually normal as part of our dining culture. So I do not know what establishments you have worked in and why their insurance seems to limit this area.

 

I have worked in American offices whereby disposable cups are used, and a cover must be on them at all times, especially if you move the drink around the office. Or else you will be reprimanded. So most people just drink in the kitchen and do not bother to take it out of the room in case of hassles for example.

 

Do you understand the point that I am trying to make here ? Regardless of any constraints, most people are still helpful, and respectful.

 

Anyway, I better stop participating in this thread, as it is bordering on the ridiculous. Sorry. If everybody was like that, then how the heck does the world function?

[Resident]

Yep. I agree.

Now, what has that got to do with you or me ? Plus it is also down to the cafe or eatery to keep their customers too. No customers, no job, no salary.

 

Whether they find workarounds to their own constraints or not, is not really your area or of my concerns either. I was trying to make a point here.

 

In this case as you mentioned insurance liabilities. If all establishments cannot give out hot water, then how do moms survive in feeding their babies milk when they are out and about ? There are workarounds. Like my friend the other month managed to get hot water added to the baby's bottle which already had their own milk powder put in for example.

 

I have also had hot water given to me in a tea pot when dining out. If I go out with my mother I always ask for a hot water tea pot, and also a pot of tea. So we can control the strength of our tea leaves. This is actually normal as part of our dining culture. So I do not know what establishments you have worked in and why their insurance seems to limit this area.

 

I have worked in American offices whereby disposable cups are used, and a cover must be on them at all times, especially if you move the drink around the office. Or else you will be reprimanded. So most people just drink in the kitchen and do not bother to take it out of the room in case of hassles for example.

 

Do you understand the point that I am trying to make here ? Regardless of any constraints, most people are still helpful, and respectful.

 

Anyway, I better stop participating in this thread, as it is bordering on the ridiculous. Sorry. If everybody was like that, then how the heck does the world function?

 

But those constraints are there for LEGAL reasons. Governing bodies do random spot checks, including asking for items/services that would mean contravening those constraints. If then the business does so, hello prosecution.

 

If I ran a catering outlet, I wouldn't risk prosecution because of one mardy customer wanting hot water in a teapot when I'm not allowed to.

 

It has nothing to do with being helpful/respectful. In fact as you mention respect, if a business says it can't comply with your request due to legal/contractual constraints then you should respect that.

 

As for the capped hot drinks in offices, not limited to US offices, I have to do the same in the office I work in. Better prevent a burn/scold than treat one.

 

As for moms and feeding their kids, all the ones I know go out with pre-prepared bottles which is the sensible thing to do as most catering outlets have bottle warmers.