Scooter's Coffee — Restaurant in Rochester

My wife and I have been excited to have a Scooter’s in Rochester. However, this was by far the worst experience I have ever had in my 45 years of life not only at a coffee shop but at any business that requires customer service. My wife and I waited 30 minutes in the drive-thru (four vehicles deep before we got to talk to an employee); and once we finally arrived at the drive-thru speaker, no one talked to us for five minutes. I thought the speaker must be broken, so we pulled around as we had entered our order ahead order while we were waiting in line. We waited another 15 minutes (45 minutes total now) before we got to the window. Once I let the employee know that we had an order ahead order, she asked if I let them know at the speaker. I said I waited 5 minutes at the speaker, and no one acknowledged my presence, so I thought it was broken and pulled around. She said they they would have to make the order now, and I said that was fine (even though Caribou and Starbucks make any order ahead order as soon as it is placed so it is ready when you get there and don’t make you wait until you get there to start making the order). After another 5 minutes, another employee told us we would need to pull back around in line and let them know we had an online order. I said absolutely not and that we would wait at the window until we got our coffee that we had waited for 50 minutes now for. She asked why we didn’t let them know at the speaker, and I told her no one acknowledged us for 5 minutes at the speaker so I assumed it was broken and not terrible customer service. She again said I should pull around and re-wait in line or tell all of the customers behind me why they are waiting. Are you joking? That is the worst customer service I have ever experienced! I will be surprised if this Scooter’s stays in business. Here are a couple of basic customer service items that might help in the future (though they burned their bridge with me-I will never go back): I get being busy and/or short-staffed. However, acknowledge every customer and let them know you’re working on another order. “Hi, we’ll be with you in a few minutes. We’re working on other orders.” Do not place the blame of your situation on the customer and definitely do not tell them to tell all of the other customers why they are waiting so long. Avoid this Scooters...

This chain "Coffee House" is created by people who doesn't live or seem to know anything about coffee! There are NO MUGS! Absolutely a non-friendly environment of plastic and paper disposable one time use cardboard things. Recently Starbucks announced they will throw away one time paper cups and return to ceramic mugs, as coffee should be enjoyed. The disposables will be !

The interior design was thought to be a modern welcoming atmosphere. They tried to make the interior (pretty simple Ikea style) for people to sit and relax, but sitting with paper cups is garbage in your hand and drinking coffee out of it?!

And don't tell me about Covid please - simply wash the mugs, after the customer use, as better shops are doing with forks, plates and spoons.

Secondly, and a real experience started when we came to the register and we couldn't find the basic main base coffee drink such as espresso or even cappuccino?!?

We saw honey something, coco something, chocolate, etc etc. When we ask - worker (barista?) they could not find it either. Manager came - in 1.5 minutes they found it on the screen of terminal!

But the main problem was they don't have espresso, they don't have double golden standard espresso - they have triple espresso!

Finally the manager victoriously announced the main that made my week: the manager boasted "we could do double espresso for you but you will pay for a triple"! LOL! LOL ! LOL! Farewell!

RETHINK before it's too late: rethink the whole concept, rethink menu, rethink prices (awfully high - hello hello - it is not NEW YORK! IT isn't.), start from the base roots of coffee.

Get a Flatwhite finally on the menu- be...

Scooters Coffee is a nice little coffee shop not too far from downtown Rochester and the Mayo Clinic. It’s very nice inside and clean and well maintained. There is nice seating from booths to tables to couches and even a little 2 person table that is very private. There is an area with children’s books and toys.

We were promptly greeted and taken care of and our drinks came out quickly. My wife got the strawberry açaí lemonade and I got a hot chai latte. Neither of us were impressed with our drinks. Her strawberry açaí was not gross but it was essentially a strawberry lemonade and nothing special. I only order chai lattes at coffee joints and I would put this one near the bottom on my list of favorites. It’s super sweet and the chai flavor is off, almost black licorice. I did finish it and it was hot but it was not a great experience. We paid just over $11 for both drinks.

Scooters would be a great place to meet and I’m sure there’s people who love their drinks but...