I grab a cup coffee from a shop and it’s ruined because the barista is wearing cologne or perfume that inevitably has gotten on the cup and it’s all I can smell when I take a sip. I guess 2 things, this means 1 they haven’t thoroughly washed their hands, and 2 I can’t drink the coffee because it smells so bad and I have to throw it out. Not sure why, but I haven’t had this happen with any other type of food/drink, just coffee.
I don’t wear it myself, but I think a lot of people apply it by putting it on their hands then “dabbing” it on their neck, face…ect… Then they touch the cups. At first I thought it was just at one shop, then it kept happening at different places. I wonder if has something to do with the cup being warm, maybe it’s more likely to have the scent stick to it or something.
I learned to dab a small drop right on the underside of your wrist, then dab those wrists on the back of your neck or behind your ear. I never ever used my palms for that, that seems crazy to me. But I’m also pretty sensitive to smells so…
I personally suspect your bloodhound nose is to blame
Food service requires hand washing!
But not everyone sticks to that! (Also why the OP suggested that it means they haven’t done it)
It requires a human to do a thing. It doesn’t happen automatically.
I guess what I mean is, if you have indication that frequently baristas are serving food without following hand washing protocol, maybe something bigger is going on that if OP has a smell sensitivity or not. The stores should be informed they are not operating correctly.
You’re not wrong! That is behavior that should be addressed - much moreso at food-related businesses than like, the hardware store, but is just good-human behavior when you interact with others. (Not everyone does that tho)
And if it is repeatedly happening at one place, it might just be someone working there who isn’t doing the right thing. (Or the soap there is potent and not in a way that you like.) If it seems like it’s happening everywhere, it could be more of a sensitive sniffer thing… Which isn’t really a Big Deal, it just is. Like the reason we are expected to wear less cologne/perfume in some spaces, to account for others’ sensitivity or allergy. As a courtesy
And frequently, at that!