Vapiano

Vapiano is a flagship of inefficient customer service. Not only that, they are a perfect example of how customer does not matter for lot of businesses in Estonia. Usually it's just not as visible.

OK, in case you have not eaten at Vapiano, here's a quick explanation of the operation they're running.

You walk in the door - you are handed a plastic card that will keep a record of your orders - you will walk towards a counter - you will wait in line - you will order your food when it's your turn - you will wait for your food to be prepared - you will receive your food - you will realize that this will not be enough - you will get in the next line - you will wait in line - you will order your food when it's you turn - you will wait for your food to be prepared - you will receive your food - you will take your food on a tray and look for a place to sit and consume your food - you will find a place to sit - you will realize that you would like a glass of beer or wine with your food - you will walk up to the bar and wait in line - you will order your drink - you will wait for your drink to be poured - you will receive your drink - you will turn around and realize that you have forgotten where was the place that you found for food consumption - you are very smart and find the same place you had set down your tray - you will eat and have your drink - you will get up and be surprised since you realize that they don't make you bus your own tray - you will wait in line to hand in the plastic card - you will pay - you will grab some gummy bears from a bowl and leave - you will feel all warm and fuzzy inside because of the gummy bears while walking away.

I see the same attitude everywhere - at my gym, at the grocery store, at the bookstore, at the car dealership when trying to explain to them that my car really should not behave all freaky like that and so on and on. The personnel thinks that they are running the show while I'm being naive and thinking that it really should be me - THE CUSTOMER.

Is it a remnant of a Soviet era, is it a Nordic style of interaction or just giving a finger to everybody because you don't care and the boss is not watching. Combination of things perhaps?