by Matthew Helms
PORTLAND, OR—Despite over 2.5 years as a regular and overwhelmingly positive customer service experiences, local coffee shop customer Charles Fremmington has never left a tip for the baristas who serve him coffee every day. And yet, Fremmington continues to enjoy gracious service, care, and generosity at his favored cafe.
“I definitely feel welcome here,” he told Knockbox staff, taking a sip of his “usual,” a 12 oz almond milk latte, which he expects baristas to have memorized within their first two shifts.
“It’s nice to walk into an establishment where the baristas know my name and drink,” he said. “Sometimes when it’s busy and there’s a long line, my latte is already made by the time I get to the register, because the barista went ahead and started it before I even had a chance to order. That just feels good and, of course, I’m more than happy to pay the full price of that drink.”
Veteran barista Sandra Sampson harbors no ill will towards Fremmington.
“He’s a good dude,” she yawned. “I’ve had some interesting conversations with him over the years.” But, she told us, “That motherfucker don’t tip.”
Christopher Reynaldo, another seasoned barista at the cafe who prides himself on clean, symmetrical latte art, recalled an occasion when he comped Fremmington’s drink. “It was a rainy afternoon and there were only a few customers in the cafe. Charles came in dripping wet and ordered his usual almond milk latte. I decided not to charge him for it. I was like ‘Hey man, I got you today.’ He said something like, ‘Oh, really? Well… uhh…thanks,’ and then just walked away from the counter. He got a free drink, and he still didn’t tip!”
For his part, Mr. Fremmington says he plans to continue patronizing the cafe.
“My office is like, two blocks away,” he shrugged, “So it’s super convenient. And the coffee and service are actually pretty great—even though it’s kind of expensive.”
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Matt Helms is or has been a woodworker, actor, barista, trail runner, and writer. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and daughters and their beloved chiweenie, Lulu.
