Lactose Intolerance and Coffee Bean

I am Lactose Intolerant for around 15 years and my condition just gets worse and worse every year.  The sight and smell of milk these days can already make me sick.



This afternoon I had  a very interesting discussion with the staff and eventually the manager of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at Robinson's Cybergate.  All about the promo ticker for their planner.  Gumaya kasi sila sa Starbucks this year, so you need to collect 18 stickers to get the planner.  The 18 stickers correspond to 15 drinks of your choice and then 3 specialty drinks.  All 3 drinks have milk.  So here you go.

I told the staff that I have 3 CBTL tickers that look the same, all stickers for regular coffee had been filled-up except for the drinks with milk.  The staff said, I really need to buy the specialty drink.  Of course I argued, saying I am lactose intolerant.  I offered to present a medical certificate.  Not 30 seconds the manager came. 

I told the manager that the same thing.  I am lactose intolerant.  I have 3 tickers that look like that - everything complete except the drinks with milk.  He said, how about your friend sir, doesn't she drink milk?  I said this is my ticker.  The manager suggested that I bring a friend who drinks milk ang buy it for my friend. 

At this point, I am not liking what I am hearing.  So I said, so there is no chance for a lactose intolerant person to complete the ticker and receive a Planner?  I also said that the name of the place is Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf - there is no word there for Milk or anything dairy, so I should not be deprived of a promotion because I am lactose intolerant.

Needless to say, the manager was really firm with the decision.  They would need me to buy the Red Velvet Drink before I receive the planner.

My girl friend reminded me that I had the same conversation with Starbucks 2 years ago.  Explaining to them my lactose intolerance.  Starbucks listened, so they changed the whole scheme in 2011.

I actually think that Coffee Bean has the better coffee even compared to Starbucks, Bo's, or Seattles.  But I cannot accept the fact that they will force me to buy a drink with milk to get the planner. 

So I hope Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf initiates a promo that will be kind to our kind.  After all, most of their sales come from coffee and tea, and not from the milk-based drinks. 

Until then, I will not buy Coffee Bean.  They may have the better coffee, but they marginalize us who have illnesses. 

me. with 7 of the 14 Starbucks planner I collected this year.  I wonder if anyone collected more CBTL planners? If yes, that person does not suffer from Lactose Intolerance.  That I know for sure.