While driving home last night, I stopped at the rest area in Fairfield, CT, to grab some coffee and stretch my legs. I approached the Lavazza counter, and asked the woman to refill my travel mug. She gave me a strange look, which usually means they are trying to figure out how to ring it in. So I offered that I usually get charged for a medium.She paused another moment, and said, "I'll give you a cup."
Now I was the one giving her a strange look.
She filled the paper cup, put on a protective sleeve and a lid, and handed me the coffee.
I showed her my travel mug again, and asked, "So you gave me a coffee in that cup, just so I could pour it in this cup, and throw that cup away?"
In halting English, she said she was sorry, and motioned over to the McDonalds, where I presume the manager was, and said they would not let her handle the travel mug.
I thanked her, and didn't stick around to argue. I just wanted to get home. But as I walked over to the trash bin, poured the coffee from the disposable cup into my travel mug, and disposed of the former, I was shaking my head at the absurdity of the exercise.
My motivation for the travel mug is equal parts of trying to be friendly to the environment while also keeping my coffee warmer for longer. There's few things worse in my book than tepid coffee.
Near as I can figure, the Lavazza manager was being extra cautious with germ prevention, except when I realized later that the woman who waited on me did not have any plastic gloves on, so they couldn't have been THAT concerned about the germs.
Even more curious, though, was I had no trouble getting a refill at a different I-95 Lavazza the night before. Granted, that woman was wearing gloves.
I guess I should be grateful for the combined germ prevention and hot cup of coffee in that instance, and will now be on the lookout for plastic gloves at future coffee stops. I'll know my chances for getting a travel mug refill will be greater.
Note: Photo courtesy of Bridge and Tunnel Club Big Map
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