This atrocity cannot continue. The sacrilege that has become my morning coffee run is growing.

I work near an Au Bon Pain - I’ve seen these shops from Texas to Bangkok - but still can’t find the proper pronunciation. In any event, the blatant half-assed approach this particular shop, on Market between 20th and 21st, takes to preparing my ‘joe is infuriating.

On Wednesday it’s perfect. Hot, brewed well, good lids for the coffee.  On Thursday it tastes like I’m drinking water. And some whiz kid in the back has put soda lids in the coffee lid box. I watched at least four 40+ year olds struggle with why the lid wouldn’t fit, all the while thinking that these buffoons were likely running four different companies within walking distance. I paid my $1.40 in disgust. On Friday, hoping for a taste of Wednesdays-glory, I returned, dollar-forty in hand. The coffee was brewed well, although the “morning blend” cylinder was empty. They still had the soda lids out. And even worse, the coffee was cold. Still, I purchased it, knowing that 25 seconds in the office microwave would prevent me from having to drink the flavored sewage that they try to pass off as coffee IN the office.

Am I a snob? No. But I do demand consistency. Especially when I’m paying 1/4 the cost of what a freakin’ BAG of coffee would cost me! At least at Starbucks I know they’re going to brew me a strong cup - if the beans are burnt in the process, be damned!

ABP, as it is affectionately known to the locals, please step it up. Let’s find the talented chap who brewed Wednesdays coffee and make him the regular.