Slashdot Mirror


At CIA Starbucks, Even the Baristas Are Covert

An anonymous reader writes with this interesting story about what it's like to work at “Store Number 1,” the CIA's Starbucks. The new supervisor thought his idea was innocent enough. He wanted the baristas to write the names of customers on their cups to speed up lines and ease confusion, just like other Starbucks do around the world. But these aren't just any customers. They are regulars at the CIA Starbucks. "They could use the alias 'Polly-O string cheese' for all I care," said a food services supervisor at the Central Intelligence Agency, asking that his identity remain unpublished for security reasons. "But giving any name at all was making people — you know, the undercover agents — feel very uncomfortable. It just didn't work for this location."

7 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Typical Government Hypocracy by VanGarrett · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ah, but they know why they want their privacy, and are concerned that you might want yours for the same sorts of purposes.

  2. Re:What's so hard about using the time-honored by pushing-robot · · Score: 4, Funny

    They tried that, but the customers all fought for ticket number 7.

    --
    How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
  3. Re:Typical Government Hypocracy by Deadstick · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hypocracy? That's awful. I'd hate to be ruled by hypos.

  4. Re:Yeah So? by russotto · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can picture it now; they got a whole queue of people called "Bond, James Bond", "Jason Bourne" and "Jack Ryan". Hilarity ensues...

    Yeah, just watch out for the one who asks for Kim Philby.

  5. Re:What's so hard about using the time-honored by pipedwho · · Score: 4, Funny

    I am not a number, I am a free man.

    Oops, my bad, I forgot we're talking about somewhere in the USA.

  6. Re: What's so hard about using the time-honored by devilspgd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Better yet, go with "Bueller" and then leave without your coffee, leaving them calling Bueller, Bueller, Bueller.

    --
    Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to phish...
  7. Re:What's so hard about using the time-honored by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 4, Funny

    There is nothing more annoying than:

    1) Fake friendliness (if you care so much about my name try and remember it for next time since I tell you it on almost a daily basis)

    2) People who can't pronounce my name

    3) People who can't spell my name

    4) People who use alternate spellings of my name without confirming the correct one (my name has 3 alternate spellings)

    I get that all the time because of my European surname, I mean how hard can it be to pronounce Echsteinlefahrtengruber? With my Serbian wife I can understand it, Grzplstcknfltmrzovic can be a bit of a mouthful the first time you see it, but anyone should be able to get my name right.