While we're complaining...I can do better than the no grind before pulling a shot.

At the cafe that's in the building where I work (at a college), when I order an espresso or Americano, they pour the coffee from a shot already made, sitting on the machine in a metal pitcher. In other words, to save time, they don't just grind a hopper full in advance, they actually pull the shots in advance too. That might be acceptable during rushes, but not in the afternoon when I go for a quick shot. Nothing like cold, stale espresso to tickle the taste buds! Needless to say, I drink a lot more from my thermos than from my cafe. Too bad for them, because I wouldn't mind the price if the coffee was half-drinkable.