Jarkko Ikonen, the entrepreneur of Cafe Taideterassis, met a customer last week, to whom he still wants to express his thanks.
These earplugs are a selection from Fazer’s coffee shop. Joel Maisalmi
The weather was sunny and warm Jarkko Ikonen to open his Cafe taideterassi summer cafe in Helsinki’s Linnunlaulu already last week, even though there are still no summer workers to help in April.
There were more customers than expected. You had to hurry, because Ikonen couldn’t get anyone to help him that time.
– I thought, yes, this is it, even though there was an incredible crowd, Ikonen tells Iltalehte.
As you might expect, dirty dishes began to accumulate on the cafeteria tables. According to Ikonen, during the afternoon, the counters gathered on the terrace, because his time was spent cooking and customer service.
Then one of the customers came to help. A young woman came to say she could help.
– At first he thought that a stranger couldn’t help, but he said that the job of a waiter is familiar.
Before Ikonen noticed, the customer had started collecting dirty dishes and taking them to the dishwasher in the kitchen. Judging from the excerpts, restaurant work was familiar to him and he knew how to use a dishwasher in a professional kitchen.
When all the dirty dishes on the terrace were collected, washed and put away, the woman said goodbye and said she would continue on her way.
– We didn’t have time to talk much, because I had customers all the time. However, I asked if I could offer him a year’s worth of coffee as a thank you, but he refused because he lives in Porvoo. I was so amazed by his kindness that I didn’t even realize to ask his name, regrets Ikonen.
The customer who sorted out the mess just said that this was his day’s good work.
The incident troubled Iko so much that he posted a wanted notice on his cafe’s Facebook page.
– It was an absurd situation. He genuinely came to help when I seemed to need it.
In return, Ikonen would like to donate money to a charity chosen by a friendly customer.
Ikonen adds that he has a new permanent employee starting today, and the summer employees are already working on weekends.
– I would have hired last week’s benefactor from that sitting. That’s how self-initiative he was, Ikonen laughs.
He really hopes to find a helpful customer so he can thank him one more time.
– It was a memorable experience when someone wants to do a good job without any hesitation.
Identification marks of the wanted person:
– A youthful woman, dark hair.
– Lives in Porvoo. Maybe work in the cafe or restaurant industry.
– Was visiting his mother in Helsinki on Wednesday 12 April 2023.