A puzzling situation

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On weekends, I treat myself to a 20 Oz. cup of coffee fortified with a shot of espresso and sweetened with 3-4 spoonfuls of honey at a local cafe. Not only that, but I also sometimes eat breakfast there, and on lesser occaision have dinner as well. I have frequented this cafe since early 2005.

This morning the owner of the cafe grabbed the jug of honey from me before I was done using it, and when I requested it, he gave me a lecture that I use all of his honey, which I don't, as I'm in there maybe three or four times times a week for coffee. --Then, he tells me that he's just kidding.

I really don't know what to make of this, as I find myself predisposed to believing that he's not kidding. I have a difficult time distinguishing between kidding/ not kidding, and his may be errant judgement, however repeated bad experieces in the past when dealing with people who are allegedly 'just kidding' inclines me to err on the side of the fact that he's serious.

I find myself upset by this, not only because of the fact that I have patronsied the place for three years in which nothing was ever said, but also because every time I get a cup, I pay full price, ($3.21) and forego the discount price for a refill on coffee ( $.50) on the occaisions that I have more than one cup.

Should I believe his statement that he's just kidding? Or should I patronise Starbucks instead? --At least with Starbucks I know I won't be treated like dirt after paying them $3 + for a cup of coffee, even though it's a bit further away.

Anybody have insight as to how I should handle this?

I'd say if he told you that he was just kidding then he was probably just kidding. He probably wished to innitiate "banter" between the two of you feeling that, since you go there fairly often, you two are familiar enough with one another to "talk down" to each other without it being rude(even if you almost never talk to him). It's weird, I hate it when people do stuff like that.

I think he was just kidding.

Especially considering that you are a regular customer, he was probably just joking around. In situations like this, it's best to give the other person the benefit of the doubt, so if he was joking, you saved yourself some worry, and if he was serious, then you're the better man.

Yeah he was joking I believe. I work in a cafe, and the cafe manager, at least mine, is always up beat and trying to be very friendly to people, and what she does is that she always tries to at least know her regular customers like to make a personal connection with them. So I think that this guy is just trying to do the same thing.

Working in a cafe, you learn what regular customers get. Like one before he gets in line I already have his cup ready or their cookie ready. I don't really like to get all talky and jokey, but I still acknowlege that I know what they want. People tend to like that. So that guy's joke was probably meant to make you know that he knows what you like, that they cafe is a community hub where people know each other and such.

I'd go to Starbucks, because there would be more anonymity there than in a "cozy" local place.

I've had weird reactions like that from clerks and salespeople before. If he was kidding, he was only half kidding. 4 large spoonfuls is about 1/4 of a cup, so he may well have been annoyed (though at the price you pay it wasn't founded). Honey is about $1.50-2.00/ cup for the cheaper varieties so he is probably watching 40 cents being "taken." If he doesn't like it, he shouldn't put out the honey!