Do you work for Fuel?

Yep – I was just asked by the current Hunter St barista Wayne (I’ve decided to start using their names as when I read back over all the posts I’ve made about Fuel I realise it would be interesting to know who was working at the time) whether I actually did any work for Fuel! He is coming to terms with my hardcore fan status and is intrigued by a) the length of time I have been going to Fuel and b) the lengths I go to in order to get a Fuel.

Before he started a few months ago he was apparently *warned* about me – on the first day I showed up when he was there he said “You must be Catherine (stuck out his hand to shake) – Hi, I’m Wayne.” Transpired that the previous barista (Cosmo) had told him all about me (she arrives every morning around 10.30, she knows the boss, she has a latte, she doesn’t like it if you put the cup down in the chocolate sprinkles or let any chocolate sprinkles get in her cup from a neighbouring drink, she knows when it has too much nang (just watch her, she always does a little test of the cup to check it’s weight before she takes it away and you can tell by the look on her face if it’s right or not), she’s always wearing or carrying something orange, she’ll complain if something is not right and not always to your face – this one time she told the boss that someone needed a refresher course in doing milk – that person got transferred out to the airport) … you get the idea!

Aaaaanyway, Wayne asked what my story was, and I said that it was just because I had been drinking Fuel for so long that I knew what to expect and had become educated in what they were trying to achieve over the years, and as a customer, if I saw anything to the contrary, I let them know. From an individual barista’s performance, to a burnt roast, to bad service, to what I see competitors doing – stuff like that. And the good stuff too! I am concerned though that he tells me he feels under such pressure whenever he makes my coffee – I don’t mean to be like that! However – he makes bloody good coffee!!