Most disappointing customer service at Belverde Square branch

I visited Vida e Caffè at Belvedere Square with my friend, and unfortunately, it was one of the most disappointing customer service experiences I have ever encountered.

My friend ordered a chai latte, and I ordered a hot chocolate. After paying, my friend realised she had forgotten to ask if the regular milk could be substituted with soy milk. When she asked the cashier, she was told the barista had already started making the drink. The cashier was not approachable from the beginning, she never asked what size drinks we wanted and simply selected a size without consulting us. When my friend's drink was ready, no one called her or informed her that it was waiting. It sat on the counter for approximately 3–4 minutes until my friend had to approach the barista herself to ask if it was ready.

When she received the drink, she confirmed it had been made with regular milk. She took a sip and found that it was cold, she politely asked if it could be remade. Instead of responding professionally, the barista questioned why she said it was cold and suggested she should simply use the microwave. My friend also explained that she had wanted soy milk instead. At that point, the interaction became completely unacceptable. The barista raised her voice, accused my friend of changing her story, and repeatedly attempted to portray my friend as dishonest. She began making a scene in front of other customers, belittling and gaslighting my friend by implying she was lying.

The situation escalated further when the barista pulled me into the conversation, saying she didn't want to speak to my friend because she was "a little girl" while she herself was "a big lady." I found those comments completely inappropriate and disrespectful. Although we may appear young, we are both adults who work hard for our money. We entered the café as paying customers and expected to be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else. Our age or appearance does not justify being spoken down to, shouted at, or belittled.

To make matters worse, another staff member unnecessarily inserted himself into the confrontation. My friend politely asked him not to involve himself in the discussion and requested that he step back to give her some personal space, as he was standing very close to her and pointing in her face. He ignored her request, remained in her personal space, and continued raising his voice at her in defence of the barista. His behaviour was intimidating, inappropriate, and only intensified an already uncomfortable situation. When my friend asked to speak to the manager, he claimed that the barista was the manager, which made us feel as though we were being dismissed rather than helped. None of the staff were wearing name tags, so we were unable to identify the individuals involved.

Although the drink was eventually remade with soy milk, the experience had already been ruined. The atmosphere became so hostile that we no longer felt comfortable remaining inside the café. We took our drinks and sat in our car just outside the entrance. Even after leaving the store, we could still hear the barista loudly talking about my friend, repeatedly referring to her as "a little girl." After everything that had happened, neither of us could even enjoy our drinks.

Everyone has difficult days, and it was clear that the barista may have been having one. However, having a bad day is never an excuse to shout at customers, belittle them, create a public scene, or allow other staff members to intimidate them. Professionalism should be maintained regardless of personal circumstances.

I have visited many other Vida e Caffè branches and have never experienced anything remotely similar. This incident has significantly damaged my perception of the brand. I will not be returning to the Belvedere Square branch, and I sincerely hope that management investigates this matter and provides the necessary training to ensure that no other customer is treated in this manner. Every customer deserves to be treated with courtesy, professionalism, and respect.