This piece is dedicated to Weihong Zhang, our excellent Patreon supporter whom we love and appreciate.
By Lucas Haladki
NASHVILLE, TN— On looking over his Square receipts for the week, specialty coffee lover Matt Martinez was surprised to find he had been charged $1.75 for “2 xtra shots” at his favorite local shop instead of the regular $3.75 for the single origin espresso he had. The culprit? A barista who charges less for coffees he doesn’t care for.
Martinez, who is known in the local community for hitting a different coffee shop every day asking for their latest single origin, recalled the incident to Knockbox staff.
“When I asked which espresso they had today, the barista told me he had a blend in the hopper which was sweet and balanced, but he could also do a Guatemala Pacamara. I’m a big variety fan and I hate blends, so the choice for me was clear.”
It was then that barista Terry Hayworth insisted that their blend was not as dark roasted as the others and Martinez should “really try it.” Despite Hayworth’s insistence, Martinez ordered the Pacamara.
We were able to track down Hayworth for an explanation.
“I remember that single origin espresso guy,” he told us. “I tried to lead him into having the blend but he wouldn’t listen,” Hayworth told us. “When he left, he said he liked the Pacamara, but I know he was just being nice. I felt sorry for him—it’s just too bright.”
Martinez described the espresso as “okay,” and felt neutral about the entire incident.
Lucas Haladki has been an observer of the coffee industry for the last 10 years. Don’t follow him on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
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