Itsu

There’s a thing about places like Itsu, Pret, Wasabi, etc: the staff are generally pretty great. And the food — when you find the things you like — is fast and consistent.
These are things I enjoy.
This Itsu is around the corner from work and I may or may not go with some kind of regularity. We’re not talking everyday, or even every week. The staff certainly don’t know or even vaguely remember me. But the other day something awesome happened.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t my usual chipper self, not too gloom&doom, but in my own spaced out world. It was peak lunch hour and they were rammed. I waited for my turn and when they called «NEXT!!!» I jumped up.
Cashier (smiling): You cut the queue.
Me (wildly looking around, very confused): no I’m pretty sure it’s my turn.
Cashier (shaking his head, still smiling): No, I was kidding. You’re fine. I was making a joke. What would you like?
Me (still confused): Oh… The chicken & coconut… I’m not very good at jokes.
Cashier (still smiling and now handing me delicious soupy noodles): It’s ok. Your soup is on me today. Maybe it will brighten your day.
I was astonished. Beaming a smile at him in disbelief I thanked him and he told me to pimp it with sauces on the side. As I was about to duck out the door, I have one last look back and sure enough he was still smiling.
Needless to say it made my day.
That’s customer service.

I popped into Itsu to take advantage of their half price yummy meals. There was a huge queue but it went down really quick as my friend and I chatted in the queue to other people about the food. The staff were friendly, cheeky and dare I say it ‘happy’ (rare) and joked about charging me £2 for a bag, after I enquired if they now charge. It definitely makes a change to some places you go to where staff struggle to crack a smile. I’ll definitely buy from this store again.