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At CIA Starbucks, Even the Baristas Are Covert

Posted by samzenpus on from the secret-coffee dept.

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for all I care," said a food services supervisor at the Central Intelligence Agency, asking that his identity remain unpublished for security reasons.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."

5 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. What's so hard about using the time-honored by Chromium_One · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... tradition of ticket numbers?!

    --
    When you live in a sick society, just about everything you do is wrong.
    1. Re:What's so hard about using the time-honored by toejam13 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Came to say the same thing. How many different restaurants print your order number on your receipt, then call the number when ready? While more impersonal than calling names, it makes it easier since you can display a number on a screen. Also, numbers are more easily pronounceable than some names, and avoids the issue when two or more customers have the same name.

    2. Re:What's so hard about using the time-honored by Jstlook · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think it would have been a great idea on the part of the supervisor to, rather than write their names on the cups, just give them each a name as they order. "Hi! Your name is Fred today, what can I get you?"

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      ---jstlook ---For that is the way of Elves, for they say both yes AND no, and mean every word of it. --- J.R.R.T.
  2. Typical Government Hypocracy by pubwvj · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yet the government (FBI) objects to our desires for privacy (Apple & Google on-phone encryption).

    1. Re:Typical Government Hypocracy by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Foreign states might try to coerce, corrupt, or disappear you?

      No, as an American citizen, my own government might try . . .

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!