Dear Flour Bakery (Back Bay location)

Dear Flour Bakery (specifically the Back Bay location),

One thing I learned from working in advertising for a long time is that we always start with the positive. [True story: one time my friend Mike presented some radio scripts to the clients over the phone. There was a beat of silence after he finished, and then one of them said, “I hate them. I mean, I really hate them.” That’s what not to do.] So let’s start with a compliment: your Lola cookies are the second best cookies in the whole world. That means they’re second only to my mother’s gingerbread “crack” cookies, and place above Samoas, which is a compliment I rarely dole out. They are truly exquisite.

Now let’s get to the constructive feedback. Great googly moogly, what are you people thinking with your ordering process?

Let’s say someone wants to come into your bakery and buy a Lola cookie. Here are two ways this could go down.

1)  Option 1

Flour employee: Can I help you?

Patron: Yes, may I have a Lola cookie? (perhaps even pointing at the cookie, which the patron can see with her own hungry eyes)

Employee: Sure, here you go. (HANDS PATRON COOKIE) That’ll be $2.08; pay at the register.

Patron: Thanks!

2) Option 2

Flour employee: Can I help you?

Patron: Yes, may I have a Lola cookie? <again, pointing at the cookie, perhaps a small bit of anticipatory drool falls on her jacket>

Employee: What’s your name?

Patron: What? A Lola cookie. Oh, my name? Natasha.

Employee: Head down to the register and they’ll ring you up.

Flour Employee #2: What did you order?

Patron: I’m Natasha? I ordered a Lola cookie?

Employee #2: That’s $2.08. We’ll call you when it’s ready.

Patron waits 5 minutes.

Patron: Any word on that Lola cookie?

Employee #2: What’s your name?

Patron: Natasha.

Employee #2: Do we have Natasha’s order?

Employee #1: What is she waiting on?

Employee #2: A Lola cookie!

A third employee puts the Lola cookie in a little paper bag and hands it to the employee at the register.

Employee #2: Here you go! (like she’s some sort of hero, which I guess she is for managing to negotiate that system on a regular basis)

Patron: Thanks so much! (because, manners)

Which process makes more sense to you? I’m leaning towards Option 1, but you seem to have embraced Option 2. Could we maybe try Option 1 for a little bit? I can tell you that your sister bakery on Washington Street uses this system, with great results.

In the meantime, keep up the good work with those Lola cookies. I’ll be waiting over here in the bullpen for mine.

Still yours,

Natasha