I have passed by many Jamba Juice stands. I have seen the long lines. I have heard rave reviews about how delicious this place is. You say "tasty," I say "overpriced juice shakes full of sugar." But recently, I joined a colleague on a jaunt to the Jamba hut on 42nd near Bryant Park. I immediately felt like I was in a carrot juice version of a Broadway show. The staff was singing "Welcome to Jamba Juice" as if they were up for a Tony.
Right, so I placed my order (I got something like a Citrus Breeze), and the cashier asked me if I wanted a free energy boost. Free? Yes, please. After asking what these boosts were all about, I got a 15-second crackspeed rundown of maybe five different energy options. I chose the immunity. Holy hell, after downing that drink, I was bouncing off the walls at work. Whatever was in it, I wanted more - and fast. I rarely drink caffeine and probably should have thought about that before agreeing so readily to the boost. The first one is always free, right?
But this got me thinking...is Jamba Juice full of addictive (over-the-counter) drugs? The employee morale couldn't be explained by good pay or solid benefits alone. Nay, nay. Something more powerful was at work. After calling up Jamba, I learned that each worker receives a free "meal" per shift. Um...free meal as in a speedy fruit smoothie? I also found out that the number of ingredients in an immunity shot is longer than the menu at Shopsin’s. We had a Jamba employee on speakerphone in the office for a good 10 minutes. I’ve got to investigate this further...
In other news, my mom and I decided to take a pedicab for a 20-block ride from the theatre to a restaurant on 63rd and Broadway this weekend. After 10 blocks, the driver was huffing and puffing. Did she need a Jamba boost? We were passed by two pedicabs (with passengers) and numerous cars. Then one of the lights on the back of our pedicab fell off, only to be crushed under the tire of a town car. Unlucky! But funny. Shortly after that, the front wheel began to give out. Our ride ended two blocks short, and we were charged $20. Um...rip off?
