Jess R.'s Profile

Tasty bagels, tolerable espresso, really rude counter staff.

I don't mind waiting in a long line. I do mind when the line is that long because the barista is chatting with her friends (who already shrieked and giggled, twice, that they're not buying anything) instead of making my coffee. If you can do both at once, great. If you can't, try sticking with the thing you're actually being paid for.

A tip for the counter staff at the ERC: When you're trying to compete with a bigger, more smoothly run coffee shop chain that has four branches within two miles of you, you need to try a little harder. Offering an 'alternative experience' isn't enough all by itself, especially when what you're offering an alternative to turns out to be prompt service.

In the future, I'll be taking my business to Soulsuck$. Their food is nowhere near as good, but their staff's attitude is a whole lot better.

I've had pretty consistently good experiences at several Qdoba outlets around Boston and Cambridge.

Upsides: Service is fast and efficient, guacamole is excellent, cafes are tolerably nice for dining-in (nicer than Au Bon Pain, not as nice as Starbucks, but way less crowded than Starbucks and the bathrooms are cleaner).

Downsides: Meat is inevitably cooked in overly salty marinades or sauces, and cooked rice and beans are pretty gross. They give you big portions, but it's a lot to pay for something you don't like all that much. The only thing I ever order there now are the nachos, which are reasonably priced, and which can be ordered with just  the non-cooked items (veggies, shredded cheese, pico) all of which taste pretty fresh even if you're in there late at night.