Café charges customers more if they’re rude

La Petite Syrah Café in France has introduced a tiered payment system that leaves impolite customers paying more for their coffee than those who treat staff with respect.

When pricing models are adjusted depending on individual customers, the results can understandably be controversial for those who believe every customer is equal — take Samoa Air for example, which implemented a risky system that charges passengers according to their weight earlier this year. Now La Petite Syrah Café in France has introduced a tiered payment system that leaves impolite customers paying more for their coffee than those who treat staff with respect.

The café — located somewhat aptly in the city of Nice — has a new menu board which lists three different options for ordering a coffee. Customers can say “Bonjour, un café s’il vous plaît” in order to pay EUR 1.40 for their caffeine fix, but if they forget to greet baristas, they’ll be charged EUR 4.25 instead. If they’re even ruder and demand “un café” without saying please, they’ll end up paying EUR 7. According to reports, manager Fabrice Pepino started the pricing system as a joke, but stressed office workers and those in a rush have begun to check their demeanor before they order. He told The Local: “I know people say that French service can be rude but it’s also true that customers can be rude when they’re busy. People are more relaxed now, and they’re smiling more. That’s the most important thing.”

Although the pricing system is fairly light-hearted at this café, could a similar model perhaps be implemented by other businesses where staff abuse can be a more serious problem, such as public transport operators or call centers?

Spotted by Lily Dixon, written by Springwise