...My friend was getting ready to leave (I was staying back to take pictures) and she was staring at the bottom of her glass. I asked her what the problem was. At the bottom of her cup there was a pool of cinnamon. What? How is that possible? I walked over to the cash register to pay and asked the girl at the cash why there was cinnamon at the bottom of my friend's cup. She said something like this, "oh I poured the coffee in the original cup and then I realized that I should use a new cup and so I dumped the coffee in a new cup." Just like that she said it. Very nonchalant. The worst part was that the owner was standing right behind her and said NOTHING! At this point was I upset. Ok, if it was a free refill, fine. Pour it in the original cup. But this? My friend did not want cinnamon in this new cup and if she did, she would have requested it or done it herself. Their "whatever" attitude and then charging full price for everything even though my friend did not get what she ordered (a new cup of coffee!) just turned me off completely. If anything like this had happened at a chain coffeehouse we would have been at least apologized to. My friend then admitted to me that she knew the coffee tasted odd but she did not want to say anything about it because she thought that the owner was my friend.
Look, I get it. People make mistakes and that is understandable specially at a new establishment. And it would not have been a big deal if the owner had not just stood there mute as I expressed my unhappiness with the situation and then to further have her tell me the total (full price).
Service and food quality are critical determining factors on whether I will return to a restaurant/coffeehouse or not. At Cafe M the space was cute, the coffee was fine and the service lacking. Will I return? No. I rather go to a chain and get the proper service. And if they mess up and not take responsibility, I at least have the option to follow-up with head office.