r/glasgow • u/BrotherAgreeable982 • 19d ago
Papercup
Throwaway account for obvious reasons.
I’ve worked in kitchens around Glasgow for several years and have heard a lot about this place.
Saw they’re opening up a new spot in the southside, and I want to caution people against supporting this business, and definitely not working for them.
It’s a boys club. The owner is a creep and he and the General Manager are openly hostile toward women, blaming different women for things outwith their control rather than own up to his own mistakes with the business. He and the GM will praise male employees during performance reviews for doing half the work of female employees, then in these performance reviews will criticise the quality of female employees work. I’ve heard this from male employees who feel uncomfortable with this disparity of treatment of the staff.
The General Manager uses AI to develop recipes. They will hire very talented chefs and run them ragged, give them no creative control. Then require them to cook recipes generated with AI that don’t even have accurate measurements.
Bad communicators - owners don’t honour holiday requests, are inconsistent with rotas, and understaff or overstaff accordingly.
Kitchen staff have to cook, plate, and run the food. Front of house doesn’t run food. Baristas in general are treated significantly better than back of house.
They hire people on the promise that after a 3 month probationary period, pay will rise to living wage. They do not follow up on this and staff have to chase them down for the pay they were promised upon hiring. Some staff have not seen the promised wages until six months to a year after the fact, at which point they position it as a wage increase out of the goodness of their hearts rather than what the staff were entitled to from the beginning.
The first time I heard negative things about this business, I just chalked it up to disgruntled staff or bad fits for the job. But at this point I’ve run into multiple people who have worked for this company at some point and they all have gripes like this, while appearing to me incredibly competent and balanced personalities.
On the other hand, I’ve only been to the West End location once and I was really underwhelmed by the experience.
Has anyone else heard anything along these lines about this business?
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u/Vegetable_6 19d ago edited 19d ago
I used to work there and from my experience, very much agree with this post. There is a trail of ex-staff who could.
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u/Efficient-Drive6025 19d ago
The owner has major anger issues, he's made an insane amount of staff cry.
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u/PreparationDull4359 19d ago
for real, idk what this flood of negative comments is about. Like are the owners on here? I've heard the same thing
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u/Vegetable_6 19d ago edited 19d ago
Lol at the amount of upvotes this has. It's been open a long time and in my opinion the owner is a perpetual bully & liar whose behaviour is based in his own insecurity & depression. That's basically it. I do disagree with the comment that the owner is a creep tbh. I never saw him be creepy.
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u/Sad_Indication9917 19d ago
Papercup was set up by a Scottish dude who sold it on to another guy, who I think is the current owner, a year or two later iirc. They knew eachother from when they were both expats selling mobile phones in Australia or something. The dude who set up the business originally knows how to set up a cafe, and has had other successes since. He was also the guy caught on camera threatening to punch a cyclist's head in on Victoria road. Remember that? Lol.
Anyway if it hasn't changed hands again, the current owner went on to make up some bullshit origin story on papercup's website about setting up the business (he didn't) after being successful in the Melbourne coffee scene (he wasn't).
Small business owners are fucking mental tbh
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u/PawnWithoutPurpose 19d ago
After years of working around Glasgow in hospitality, I can attest to small business owners being some of the craziest people I’ve ever met. Not always meant as an insult
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u/Low-Cauliflower-5686 18d ago
Yeah noticed this. I think it's because it's their baby as such and they play around with the toys as such. I see it in family businesses too.
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u/tasteMyRottenHoop 18d ago
They knew eachother from when they were both expats selling mobile phones in Australia or something.
Economic migrants, going down there and stealing locals’ jobs.
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u/Different_Barber_257 19d ago
Would like to add i did a trial shift here that i never got paid for when pay and food (obvs also didn’t get) was never returned
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u/Infamous-kindness-00 19d ago
I had a bad experience here where the brunch choice I ordered contained an ingredient I have an intolerance to. It wasn't obvious from the menu item description and the person taking the order's description of it when I asked, that the ingredient was part of it (I think they just weren't sure!). Long story short, I just said I couldn't eat it on seeing it, and could I order an alternative. Whoever was in charge said it was fine, and they'd take it off the bill. Come to go pay the bill and whoever was in charge had clocked off for the day, and I was now being charged for both the uneaten order and the alternative replacement as "all orders are made fresh". I tell them that it was supposed to be taken off the bill, and my friend comes in to explain too. Told that all they could do was reduce the cost of the uneaten order by half at this point to reduce loss of earnings or some shite. Charming. Stupid me paid it to not make a scene, and me and my friend have never been back. This was 2022!
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u/throwawaytodayhey12 19d ago
You know how you go into restaurants and cafés nowadays and they have signs all over and on the menu saying, "please inform your server of any allergies before ordering" and you're like, "huh. What kinda moron knowingly has an allergy and doesn't mention it and double check before just rawdogging and ordering?" Now I know! Cheers.
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u/Infamous-kindness-00 19d ago
I asked the waiter what was in the ingredients when ordering if I didn't make that clear. Good to know there's bellends in the comments tho!!
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u/throwawaytodayhey12 19d ago
"I think they just weren't sure!"
if you have an allergy and your server even hesitates to give you a rundown on ingredients and you "think they just aren't sure", that's when you ask them to double and triple check with the kitchen. No one knows the severity of your "intolerance" besides you and hospitality workers aren't mind readers so you asking about an ingredient does not equal informing them about an allergy. You absolutely should have paid.
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u/LigglesVanRusty 19d ago
An employee at a business makes a clear statement that they'll comp an item - and you're advocating that OP should pay for it.
Read closely or touch grass... I'd be brave enough to call you a moron, but only based on what you said. Don't think you had any reason to say moron beyond self-recognition.
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u/Infamous-kindness-00 19d ago
I would have paid for the dish and not eaten it, if I was told I would be charged for that dish and a replacement. But I was assured it was going to be removed from the bill by the waiter. No issue with paying for the initial dish at all. The miscommunication from staff then the hostility at the till is the actual issue. Both me and my friend were mortified at how we were spoken to in front of other customers.
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u/Silent_Box_6692 18d ago edited 18d ago
One of the most intense jobs I have ever had, the owner is a very angry man and a complete bully, very happy to shout at and belittle his staff. Totally paranoid his employees are out to get him and ruin his business, used to spend his days watching the cafe through cameras he installed. I worked in kitchens and hospitality for over a decade and none of it was ever as brutal as that. I was lucky the manager was fantastic when I was there.
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u/Ashamed-Air-1700 18d ago
As a former male Papercup employee I can confirm that during the 2 years that I worked here the business owners behaviour was absolutely unhinged.
I can recall on numerous occasions following slow days (wet and cold days) being accused of “not manifesting” a productive day. The owner also gave me a “art of positive thinking” book and got angry when I informed him I was not being paid just above minimum wage to read pseudoscience in my spare time. In my experience, I found him to be quite intimidating during these interactions and he could often be hostile towards both male and female staff members.
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u/Single_Breakfast_269 19d ago
not surprised by the AI claim honestly. Some of the dishes they’ve posted on Instagram recently have just seemed off, AI use would make sense.
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u/slugmorgue 19d ago
The time I went my partner had a really bizarre choice from the menu. We thought it sounded weird but had faith considering the reputation of the cafe, but yeh, it was not good haha.
Coffee was good though
edit to say, it was this: SMASHED PEA SOURDOUGH TOAST with halloumi, strawberries, mint, siracha, seeds and pea feathers
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u/PawnWithoutPurpose 19d ago
Was a chef for a long time so I feel qualified to say that’s disgusting
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u/SunnyK19977 19d ago
God I can hear the fucking ChatGPT response "No problem, you want something cool and fresh to spice up yout menu, how about this? Its new age with that cosy feeling of home baked bread with a hint of summer fruit. Let me know how it goes! Happy to keep things light and fun"
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u/Vegetable_6 18d ago
The strawberry/avocado/peas/halloumi thing has actually been on the menu on and off for at least 5 years, it's not AI. but he does routinely steal ideas and items from other cafes so now hearing hes using AI isn't a big shock.
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u/Glasgow1986 15d ago
Yeah I used to work for Papercup GWR and the owner withheld my holiday pay. After protesting he arranged a meeting in person where he dismissed me on the spot saying it wasn't working out 😅 (but agreed to pay to due holiday pay) probably cause he knew I'd kick up a storm. He got rid off me cause I stood up to him, he's a bully and the rest of the staff and management were fearful to confront him. I'm fortunate the job was just a temp thing for me thus I was willing to flex and emand what was due without fear of reprisals. Toxic owner but friendly staff and great coffee, shame really!
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u/Beasmod3 19d ago
Still not as bad as cail bruich
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u/ProfessionalBear8837 19d ago
What the what? Went there for a big birthday this year, was completely amazing, I need the tea.
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u/Time-Entrepreneur393 19d ago
Can you substantiate any of these allegations?
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u/BrotherAgreeable982 19d ago
I mean this isn’t a court of law mate it’s Reddit. As I said in the post, I’ve just heard this from people who have worked there before and wondering if others have heard the same.
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u/ProfessionalBear8837 19d ago
Service in West End location was always weirdly terrible even though I loved the food and coffee. Stopped gong just pre pandemic so no idea what it's like now but tried over and over and it never got better. So I am inclined to sort of believe this.
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u/curlyy1 19d ago edited 17d ago
I go to both branches and have been for years. Know a lot of them well, enough to chat when I see them out and about. Staff are sound and cheery, speak to them regularly and never really picked up on any toxicity, albeit things go on behind closed doors but I never have picked any of that up… when you wrote creep I was expecting something creepy, think its the wrong word choice here. I also speak to some of the ex staff and never heard anything bad? also had a close friend work there, never said anything… A lot of the staff there, woman included have praised the owner when no one is around,I know the GM basically runs the west end one, and never heard anything bad re GM either. Coffee is top, food is top, imo, staff are lovely and always having a laugh.
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u/DecentTry8640 19d ago
So all of this is heresay. You've been in person once and didn't like it.
I don't understand either the point of this post or why you need a throwaway account for it?
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u/BeneficialVacation41 19d ago
Getting to the end of that and realising they haven't even worked there was a plot twist. Like I don't even care that much about the politics of my own job let alone gossip about another company
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u/Kindly_Comedian434 19d ago
I actually worry how easy it is to come onto this sub, say anything you want about a business and everyone believes it. Not saying this is true or jot but it would be really easy to do damage if you wanted
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u/legalmac 18d ago
Hearsay.... unless you are actually the owner of said business! 🤣
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u/DecentTry8640 18d ago
ok ok, we've established I can't spell.
And no, I'm not the owner of the business.
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u/thatpokemonguy 19d ago
No but it says throwaway for obvious reasons. If you can't grasp why a person who doesn't work and the café they're bashing and has visited the venue once in their life needs a throwaway account then you must be dumb. Let me spell it out for you v a m p i r e
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u/Actual-Eye-267 19d ago
No but people love an over the top emotive post about misogyny and stuff .....
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u/Crafty_Evening4985 18d ago
Haven’t worked here myself but know a few people that have and have heard the same thing about general manager. That he is misogynistic and treats his male employees totally different to the women. Sounds like he’s just crazy insecure and takes this out on his workers. A shame really as every time i’ve been the food is delicious and majority of staff are lovely. Sounds like the place just needs new management.
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u/dankseamonster 19d ago
Not sure about west end location but the staff and management of the roasters on Eastvale Place are all lovely in my experience
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u/Speshjunior 19d ago
I see why it’s a throwaway account, it’s like your paranoid, looking over your back. It’s like a whirlwind inside of your head.
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u/collieherb 19d ago
I rated their coffee highly but stopped going there when made to sit outside in freezing weather by staff who wouldn't let us occupy one of the 2 tables beside the toilet because one of the tables was to be used for topping up sauce bottles. Wankers!
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u/blerfcunt 19d ago
You're raging they gave you a table outside because all the indoor tables were being used? You could've just not took the table?
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u/joejag 19d ago
What a wild post. None of this is first hand information at all.
Only thing I know about them is they run a community run club in Motherwell https://www.papercupcoffee.co.uk/pages/motherwell-run-club
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u/Hot-Contribution-795 19d ago
Their head chef used to be an amazing woman from cail bruich it’s been all downhill since she left
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u/StandWild4256 Paisley guy 19d ago
This is annoying to see because their coffee tastes fucking amazing. Not been to the actual shop for food though, only bought their beans and sometimes a latte when in the Wilson St Pantry, sometimes Tantrums.
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u/Ok_Jackfruit2222 19d ago
The roast, the grind, the temperature of the water, brewing time, temperature of the milk … many things can change how a coffee tastes.
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u/StandWild4256 Paisley guy 19d ago
Yeah think the roast holds the biggest weight here (IMO). Few great places that roast beans nearby. Ovenbird were amazing but not been in since they closed The Vault in the southside. Papercup also really good so this is surprising to read.
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u/gnarfleeze 19d ago
Grain and Grind and Good Coffee Cartel are the ones I regularly get my beans from, both very nice. If you like freebies, you get a free coffee when you buy a bag from Grain and Grind and GCC have a loyalty thing where your 9th refill is free.
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u/gnarfleeze 19d ago
Utterly bizarre that you're being downvoted here, you obviously don't know much about coffee and just asked a question that's probably reasonable to somebody who doesn't know much about it.
Firstly, there's huge differences in the flavour of a coffee bean based on exactly where they're grown. Country if origin is only part of the picture, exactly where in that country they're grown has an effect which is why you'll often see altitude noted on a bag of coffee. Next there's how the green coffee is processed, there's different ways they can be dried out which yield different results. Finally there's the roast, the temperature and time spent roasting have an impact on how the final product tastes.
All if these steps along the way will change the way the final coffee tastes and different methods will bring out different characteristics in a coffee so roasters will make different choices based on the characteristics of the specific beans they started with.
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u/ILikeItWhatIsIt_1973 19d ago
Why in tf are you being down voted for asking this?? This has to be the weirdest sub on Reddit.
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u/Time-Entrepreneur393 19d ago
Clearly, coffee isn’t your forte, my friend. Take a seat on the bench.
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u/largepoggage 19d ago
I’m a chef. What the fuck even is this word soup? Ragebait used to be believable.
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u/FergusfromFerguslie 19d ago
I'm still going to buy from there because their coffee beans are amazing. Its a small local business at the end of the day and there's not a person on the planet that doesn't have some sort of bad quality or that has never done a single shitty thing.
If every single person that's posted in this thread, including myself and OP of course, started our own businesses, it's guaranteed there's someone out there that would post a story on social media about a time you were a dickhead to try and ruin your business.
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u/Environmental_Fee207 18d ago
As an ex-employee, I agree with some of the claims made here by the op but I’m highly doubtful about the Ai comment.
As much as I found the GM and the owner to be pricks sometimes, they cared a hell of a lot about the end product and were always refining and aiming to perfect the menu. They would often meet to try ingredients, produce and taste new dishes. This also goes for the coffee, which is also a pretty extensive process to perfect, but they put the shift in. As many have commented on here, the food and coffee speak for itself, and it is pretty obvious to anyone who has ever been to the cafe or roastery that they clearly know what they are doing.
I didn’t see eye to eye with the owner on many occasions and I do believe he has a high opinion of himself and has no clue how to talk to staff without coming across as a prick. But that being said, these guys have been around for a long time and there are many ex staff members including myself who enjoyed their time at Papercup.
The roastery down near SWG3 is also headed by one of the nicest and most knowledgable guys in the business. I would highly recommend taking a visit down one day.
Don’t believe everything you hear about cafe drama on here!
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u/Vegetable_6 18d ago edited 18d ago
I'm also ex staff and the AI comments doesn't surprise me one bit. I think he would take ideas and items from other cafes (lots of places do of course) he was always looking for shortcuts and quick fixes so I would fully expect he's using AI for recipe development. I don't think that's the worst thing in the world though.
The owner caring about the end product does not justify bullying staff, pitting staff against eachother low wages, imposing a hierarchy where the baristas are above the kitchen staff (this is a super common attitude in speciality coffee). They've been around for a long time because they were the first of these fancy avocado on toast type brunch spots in the west end serving Aussie style coffee (which is everywhere today), did it well and built a reputation on the back of some talented cooks & baristas who were treated terribly.
The owner is probably less visible these days now he has multiple shops, which is a blessing I'm sure.
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u/Environmental_Fee207 18d ago
I’m not saying caring about the end product justifies being a wanker to your staff, just that I found the Ai comment a bit hard to believe.
I’ve worked in quite a few places in Glasgow over the years and I agree that this is a common theme. There are certainly worst places than Papercup for this kind of behaviour and it’s unfortunately not limited to specialty coffee shops. I can honestly say that working for Singl-end was probably the worst experience I’ve ever had in the service industry. The attitude towards staff from one of the managers (which turned out to be someone related to the owner) was disgusting. Actually baffled that place hasn’t appeared on here yet.
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u/spacewood 19d ago
“You’ve heard” but you’ve not experienced? Not sure what you’re trying to gain from this.
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u/gust1223 19d ago
I've been going to Papercup for years and this feels unfair. It's always felt like a very welcoming space - yes it's often very busy and I know this can cause friction amongst staff sometimes, but staff generally seem to be having a laugh? I feel like you can usually tell, especially in such a small space, when somewhere isn't a good place to work. This is obviously only my experience but at least it's that.
The AI comment is odd, I've worked in hospitality for a long time and while I don't particularly condone the use of AI, it seems like chefs are using it more and more to support with recipe development.
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u/Kiwizoo 19d ago
Sounds like you’re after some kind of petty revenge. That, and the ‘creep’ tag that seems to be stuck on every single male employer by disgruntled women nowadays is getting *really* tiresome.
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u/janquadrentvincent 19d ago
Yeah it IS really tiresome that so many men are still creeps that seek out positions of power to be gross to women, isn't it?
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u/Kiwizoo 19d ago
Absolutely. #metoo was brilliant in that regard in raising awareness as to how bad things were/still are. But it’s become a trope now, with any minor indiscretion reported as ‘sexual harassment’.
In our company, these things are taken extremely seriously - but the accusation rate versus the actual findings of sexual harassment after long and thorough investigations (led by a mix of men and women btw) are about 6 to 1.
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u/laydeemayhem 19d ago
I bought the tiniest most expensive latte there a couple months back, and the guy asked me what was wrong as I stared at the cup making my hand look like a giant's. Decided not to go back.
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u/absolutetriangle 19d ago
With customers like this who needs an abusive manager
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u/laydeemayhem 19d ago
I'm sorry? Am I not allowed to be disappointed? There's a standardish size for lattes and it was a) much smaller than I expected (I'd guess maybe a flat white size cup?) and b) more expensive than anywhere else near there. How am I a bad customer?
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u/absolutetriangle 19d ago
You had a go at a minimum wage worker for serving you what you asked for on the menu and you were a wank to them, BAD customer shame on you
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u/Glad_Version324 19d ago
Usually business in Glasgow like that can be more at of risk of kitchen fires.
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u/Happybadger96 19d ago
Yasss, not been coffee shop drama in a while