The Coffee & Tea Exchange — Restaurant in Lake View Township

A couple of thoughts I need to share before I proceed: I live in Chicago so I have never been to one of the actual walk in locations on the west coast. This is my experience dealing with them via purchasing coffee online from them and having it shipped USPS, and as much as I now loathe this company, I have to admit their prices were quite a bargain - yet even that being the case, it doesn’t make up for what a God awful experience I had with them. Now, as I attempt to be as succinct as possible:

Pros: very affordable coffee

Cons: it took them over two weeks to ship my order to my front door, When opening the shipping box one of the 2 pound bags had opened Coffee smelled faint and stale, and really didn’t brew up a decent cup under any circumstances Customer service is nearly non-existent, and what small opportunity you have to communicate is strictly through online chat. They are extremely rude, and dishonest regarding shipping. The tracking number showed it was somehow shipped through 3 different west coast states before it even arrived in my hemisphere. I was able to talk to USPS and I was told they had printed up a shipping label (and debited my account of course) but never actually shipped it out even remotely close to the “5 - 7 days” they guarantee on their website. They have a phone number online but calling the number, and selecting customer service option only reroutes you to the original recording, which then disconnects your call. I understand shipping issues on occasion, but via web chat they straight out lied to me telling me it was “in transit” when upon researching the tracking number I found out was absolutely false. As I said, mistakes can happen but don’t lie to me about it, or rudely tell me what “you think I want to hear” because of your mistakes. And yes, just to reiterate, they were extremely rude. The post office told me one of the most common problems regarding shipping is companies creating a shipping label to provide some sort of relevance of distribution, then not actually shipping an item out. At the least, that’s dishonest and unprofessional at worst, that’s fraudulent and an example of how people can get scammed easily online. The post office told me it may be in my best interests to request a refund and call it off. But seeing as how the company was playing this game of: “don’t listen to the post office, we totally intend to maybe someday send you something but in the meantime we’ll just lie to you....” it was infuriating, nothing tries ones patience like a situation where someone’s lying to you, you know they’re lying, THEY know YOU know they’re lying, but there’s nothing you can do so let’s just keep up the facade. And, btw, when I mentioned the fact that I had ordered it over 2 weeks ago and have no discernible proof it was actually going to be shipped at all, they invited me to “take it up with their legal department” when I started mentioning a refund.

Folks, there are many high quality coffee outlets out there that are prompt, respectful, and honest. Yet still providing high quality coffee. The Blue McCaw coffee company is a favorite of mine, but I warn you, this company is garbage in every facet possible. All the way down to the apparently “bitter fossilized dust” I received from them. If you happen to just love this chain of coffee houses then good on ya, but I can’t see why anyone should have to put up with the fiasco that ordering coffee from...

I usually have a good experience here and the drinks are good, but today's visit bothered me. There was a couple in line in front of me and when one person came out the female went in and the male waited until two more people came out (meaning 3 people were inside) so I figured it was one in, one out and since 2 people came out that meant me and the male could go in. As soon as I stepped in a worker said only 2 people were allowed inside and that there was a line, as if implying I had cut or not noticed the line even though I had just waited in it. I went back outside and by then another couple was in line and I told them only 2 people were allowed inside. Not even 30 seconds later a guy walks up to go in and I said there's a line and only 2 people at a time and he said he was just picking up and walked right in. Me and the couple gave each other a look like okay but there's still a line to get in but I thought whatever the workers will tell him he has to wait outside. Apparently it wasn't an issue as he was in there for a couple of minutes getting his drinks even though there's again now 3 people in there. The guy leaves, but I wait until the couple inside leave because you know only 2 people inside at a time and I go in to order. The female of the second couple comes in and the worker indicated that the male could come in too so now there are again 3 people inside. I'm not sure why I was singled out and made to wait outside when it was clearly okay for 3 people to be in there, but it made me feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed. I'm all for following the rules of an establishment but they should apply...

I simply cannot put into words how much I love this place. I discovered it on a walk around the area when I moved to lakeview last year. I was enticed by the creative themed drinks outside. Upon entering I was greeted by barrels upon barrels of coffee, jars of tea lining the walls, and fun/silly pottery as well as other gadgets for your coffee/tea affini(tea). I had come back multiples times and it is consistently great every time. The baristas are friendly, and efficient. When it is busy they take your order in line before the register, so even if there is a line close to the door, it wont take more than 10 minutes to get a drink. The workers are amazing, I had wanted a tea that they had just ran out of, and they made the blend for me on the spot. The creative menu is what gets me coming in time after time, knowing that there is always some fun combination to try. They have themes based on bugs, queer haircuts, famous mothers, and most recently, recession indicators. I love that they always have a fun corresponding menu on the inside as well. Whenever someone I know visits the city, or I make a new friend, the first thing I suggest is that we go to the Coffee and Tea Exchange. In a world where every coffee shop menu is the same maybe 10 drinks, Coffee and Tea exchange is bringing back the fun side...