Glad to help...

[bon3yard]

I like the coffee in Cafe Nero but am starting to get a little peeved at having to clean my own table each time I go in there. I've even started taking in my own J-Cloth and Mr.Muscle(other cleaning brands are available). The guys behind the counter are always nothing but polite and I put this down to a staff shortage situation. Pull your fingers out Nero Big Daddies!

[Nero]

For heaven's sake, why not just ask them to clean it for you and then mention it to the manager. Would you go into a supermarket and stock the shelves yourself? FCOL!

[cdonline]

I hear you. Standards of cleanliness are generally rather lax.

Am I the only one who takes their own bedding and matress cover when staying at a hotel?

Also, a discreet once over with a Johnson's wet wipe before nookie, makes for a much more relaxing experience (Other Generic-Branded wipes are to be avoided. You get what you pay for).

[bon3yard]

Touched a nerve have I Nero, again I go back to the shortage of staff. FCOL yourself.

[HonaloochieB]

I think it's very decent of you not to make a fuss about about it. I mean you could be demanding to see the manager and writing e-mails demanding that he/she do something about it, fulminating at great length about the lack of staff training and generally being the most fearful sort of perisher about the whole thing. No, you allow yourself a modicum of peevishness but don't let rancour win the day.

I think it's to your credit you don't embarrass the staff with footling objections about a bit of mess and that you take the initiative to do something about the matter yourself.

There's a few on here might want to follow your example.

[HonaloochieB]

FCOL? Some help please.

[dulwichmum]

Indeed, what does FCOL mean? Is it "for the love of Cod" jumbled up or something?

[SimonM]

fork wrying out loud?

[Brendan]

Feel Comfortable On Linoleum

[Nero]

Yup, you have touched a nerve, and I am glad I have such a nerve. I firmly believe that is not anyone's job but the employee's to clean a table/counter/bar. What is wrong in asking for the person who works there to clean a dirty table? To do otherwise is completely illogical and lily-livered and at least partly responsible for bad service. So, would you stock the shelves of a supermarket? Would you cut change the lightbulb in the lobby of an office? If it makes you feel nice and warm inside that you are subsidising a huge company that really doesn't give a hoot about you or its staff, then good for you, but I could think of better ways of directing my good feelings.

(BTW, I am not averse to direct action, such as picking up litter on my street. It improves my local environment and makes me feel that I'm making a contribution. But never in a cafe when there are staff at hand, whose job it is to maintain a comfortable and clean environment.)

[HonaloochieB]

But Nero, if it makes for a world where poor coffee house staff have more time to consider their dissertations and the original poster has an opportunity to perform an act of charity, then really, apart from every other customer who comes after him and is disgusted and outraged by the mess they find on their tables, who's the loser?

I presume there are shareholders who would applaud like performing seals at the generosity of spirit displayed here.

[CamberwellOz]

When I was a kid (all those years ago) I just did the job I was paid for. If it involved cleaning (and I worked at a supermarket for five years - so there was a lot of cleaning), I did it. I didn't complain or say 'no human should be made to clean tables. It's undignified.'

And now I'm all grown up and a working professional - I still have to clean things up. Whether it is after a huge wine evening we put on or because everyone has put their coffee cups in the sink. It isn't in my contract but *shock horror* I still do it. This is a silly thing to argue about.

We go to the coffee shop so someone else makes us nice coffee and gives it to us in a nice environment. Otherwise I'd drink it at home for free.

[bon3yard]

I'm still losing sleep over what FCOL means...

[Izodia]

SimonM Wrote:

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> fork wrying out loud?

SimonM gave an only very slightly cryptic answer. If you say it out loud, you'll get it.