Tapioca Express

Locally owned & operated

Kid friendly

This coffee shop is what dreams are made of - seriously. They've perfected the formula. Friendly…read morepeople, amazing vibes for people of all ages, and incredible coffee. Mike and the entire team at Dreamwave are doing such an incredible job of making the experience worth every penny. The quality of the coffee, the work they do, and the service they provide is truly top tier. While they do have a lot of fun flavors, this is not the kind of place that drowns the palate with sweetness. They expertly balance the ratio of syrup, milk, and espresso to provide the best outcome. The nuttiness of their roast really shines, and they're always happy to adjust the sweetness if you need them to. Personally, I love the lower sweetness level being the default. These guys know what they're doing! We've been visiting for the past week and have stopped through Dreamwave four times this week. While I'm always in the need of a coffee fix, we've gone out of our way to visit multiple times because the people have been so beyond kind. We've sampled most of the house flavors and I can confidently say they have all been delicious. This would definitely be my go-to shop if I lived nearby.

This is my first time coming to this local coffee shop and we loved the decorations! We arrived…read morebefore the morning rush and we ordered 3 breakfast items and 4 drinks. We got our drinks after waiting 15 minutes and then waited another 30 minutes for our food when the morning rush came in.. and We checked in on our food and it seemed like they didnt start our food order.. Had we not checked in, we wouldve waited for something that might've not come. Definitely recommend a better system of keeping track of customers food and drinks order because it didnt come all at once.. and we hoped no one took our order by accident either. Overall, the food and drinks were good. We just wish we didnt wait almost an hour for our order.

High Tide - Our coconut vanilla Latte made with our house-made coconut vanilla syrup.

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Happy Lemon Carlsbad

4.7(242 reviews)

0.3 mi

The workers are so nice and accommodating for allergies. My taro tea was delicious! Cant wait to…read morecome back.

I came back and visited this location again. This time I got their various milk teas. The brown…read moresugar boba was quite sweet. The Oreo and puffy cream flavor was overpowering with Oreos that my nephew didn't even taste the added boba. My milk tea with puffy cream was delicious. I don't think the puffy cream is needed as the milk tea base was quite tasty already. We also got the original bubble wrap and this time it was made perfectly. Thanks Heather! Overall great experience. Staff was super friendly. Greeted us as we were walked in and wished us a nice day when we left. Indoor decor was also cute and very inviting to sit and relax and enjoy our desserts.

Honey Lemon Jasmine Green Tea (Large)

Cute logo!

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Dayon Coffee Co

4.5(66 reviews)

0.6 mi

Staff, drinks, and food are always amazing! Will come back again!!!…read more Especially the spam musubis. Theyre perfect!!

Great coffee and service. friendly staff. Worth a trip love this place. I like the salted caramel…read morelatte. Go visit .

Iced Matcha with Strawberry Cream Top

Matcha latte with matcha cream top

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Starbucks

2.4(250 reviews)

0.3 mi

Service is always great and establishment is clean. Quick when needed. Interesting spelling to my…read morename.

Smooth process. Food and drinks were consistent with all other Starbucks. Service was great. Long…read moreline but it ran fast. Don't understand the low reviews. When i asked for recommendations for children, the barista was honest and thought critically about her answer which I appreciated. In a busy location near a Target and the mall.

Pecan Cortado

Iced Banana Bread Latte

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Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha

Camp Coffee Company

4.7(601 reviews)

3.0 mi

First off, the service was incredibly kind. I think the owner or manager helped me out. He was so…read morenice. Although there was a small line, he didn't make me feel rushed to order as quickly as I could. So that was already very welcoming. I got the iced smoked salt maple latte, half sweet. He warned me it was in the sweeter side so I am glad I got half sweet because it's still decently sweet! I subbed oatmilk which was free. This was $7. There were several vegan pastry options. We got the blueberry muffin and cinnamon roll. 5/5, no notes! We grabbed it to go but there was both inside and outdoor seating.

Hmm I dunno.....the camp mocha and smoked salt maple latte tasted more like standard lattes than…read morewhat their menu descriptions hyped them up to be. :/ - Camp mocha: seemed like a drink catered more for the 'Gram with the torched marshmallow, but besides that it tasted like a straight mocha. Not the best s'mores-themed latte that I've tried. - Salt maple latte: verrrrry subtle maple taste and didn't even notice a salty flavor edge to it. Overall didn't seem like the drinks that I tried reflected their pricing. Visited on a weekday at around 8 am and service was a bit slow with one barista having to operate the cashier and prepare the orders.

Camp Merch

Cheese Danish with hot and cold versions of the camp mocha

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Loved the smoke art design

The Cup

4.4(368 reviews)

2.6 mi

The service is always excellent, super friendly and relaxed, and they prepare all of their menu…read morechoices really well. Everything I've ordered has been great and if it wasn't up to par, they would easily make you feel like no problem they would take care of it.. The location is fantastic , very close to the ocean you can feel a salty air

Came again, totally enjoyed this americano. Love the atmosphere, and really like how this coffee…read moreshop actually stays open! Who says you only want coffee early?

Ham egg and cheese

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Iced Vanilla Latte

Steady State Roasting

4.8(344 reviews)

1.7 mi

One of the best coffees i've ever had! Highly recommend the "honey please". The almond croissant…read morewas also really tasty

I visited today with my mom- I had my usual iced dirty "Indian Summer" and it was delicious as…read morealways! You can always count on Steady State for consistency in their product. What I wanted to shoutout in particular was the stellar customer service we received. We visited today, on 8/22, around 11am. I wish we would have gotten the barista's name who rang us up- but he was just spectacular. My mom has an autoimmune disease and some days are just harder than others in terms of us getting out of the house and enjoying some mother-daughter time. He really seemed genuine in his interaction, particularly with my mom, and it made her morning. Thank you kind sir for your heart and kindness- I want you to know that you made an impact!

Breakfast Sando

Interior

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Interior

Wildland

4.1(547 reviews)

1.7 mi

This place was poppin in a Friday evening! All of the food was made to perfection. Favorites were…read morethe Ribeye, Burrata with tomatoes and honey, Malfadine pasta, Chocolate Hazelnut Cake and Very Green Salad. We also got the Albacore Tuna and Fazolletti (rabbit pasta) which was good, just not as favored as the other dishes my family got. There is also a kids menu, which was helpful for the little ones with simpler palates. Kudos so the staff who accommodated my cousins kids. The service was good and accommodating. I'd definitely return as the food and ambiance are modern and a-buzz! We didn't have time to get their wood fired pizza but we'll be back for more to try that next time. It looked too good to pass up!

We were looking forward to dining here for our 2nd time, since we enjoyed our first experience…read more Unfortunately, the service and menu offerings had many elements left to be desired. VERY slow service, especially in the beginning..... waiting 10 minutes before our server arrives to take our drink orders, really? Getting a refill on our wine was also an issue. Food quality was fine, just limited selections. I've been to their other restaurants and have enjoyed the dinners. What happened here tonight?

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Gold Coffee Shop

4.0(19 reviews)

0.2 mi

I've been to the shop quite a few times over the past year or so and they always make a great…read moreAmericano for me! Staff works to tailor the coffee so it's just the way you want it. It's always a treat to grab a coffee when I'm strolling around the mall and we'll definitely be back.

I was getting hungry for a Grilled Panini Sandwich and a flavored Frappuccino. On Tuesday, May 21,…read more2024 at 7 p.m. , this is my first time ordering at this Gold Coffee Shop from the younger woman who I placed my first order with last night. I ordered the one medium size White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino with whipped cream and I also ordered one Albacore Tuna Melt that includes Mayonnaise, and mild melted Cheddar Cheese that is toasted in the oven as a Panini. My total cost was $12.00. This Gold Coast Coffee Shop Is located inside the Westfield Shopping Center Mall in the corner on the second floor across from the J. C. Penny's Department Store. When I was walking towards the front entrance to the Gold Coast Coffee Shop last night , I could smell the aroma of a flavored Iced Frappuccino being made in a blender and being served for one of their customers. I received helpful advice on the different kinds of flavored Coffee Drinks, Chai Teas, Coffee Lattes, and different varieties on the Flavored Cold Frappuccinos that were on their menu board last night. The Gold Coast Coffee Shop also serves really delicious pastries I was staring at these pastries in their clear display case last night. I noticed their breakfast pastries were Strawberry Cream Cheese, Blueberry Cream Cheese, Chocolate, Cinnamon with a white cream cheese icing that was drizzled on top on every one if these yummy looking desserts. The younger woman employee told me she has been working for this Gold Coast Coffee Shop for one year now and she does enjoy working for her manager because she is very respectful and will coordinate with her college schedule. I enjoyed my first time experience drinking their really refreshing and very decadent White Chocolate Frappuccino with the added Whipped Cream Topping. And especially trying one of their very popular and New Albacore Tuna Panini Sandwiches. I told the woman employee that I will come back again when I am shopping at this Carlsbad Westfield Shopping Center Mall soon and rider a new flavor. I received excellent customer service and really delicious flavored FrappuccinoCoffee. This Frappuccino was lightly sweetened. I highly recommend this Gold Coast Coffee Shop.

Inside

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Bound Coffee Company

4.4(239 reviews)

1.7 mi

Came here today (Sat morning) and noticed it was pretty busy but no line which is awesome! There's…read morea nicely sized parking lot as well which makes coming here very convenient. My boyfriend and I got a bergamot latte and coffee soda as our coffees. We felt like the coffee was pretty good. It was maybe a tad bit sweeter than we typically prefer but still very enjoyable and definitely not sickeningly sweet. For breakfast we did their heirloom tomato bagel on an everything cheddar bagel and an everything bagel with the seasonal jam which is currently strawberry. We LOVED the heirloom tomato toast. It was fantastic!! So delicious and the tomato's were nice sweet and juicy. I loved the bagels a lot too and I'm not usually a huge bagel person. My boyfriend liked his bagel with jam but he enjoyed the tomato one more. I also loved the chill location and was happy to find a coffee spot where it isn't packed with a long line/wait. Overall great experience and I'll come back again soon!

Bound to falling in love with this gem!…read more This is my new go-to coffee spot here in Oceanside. Their game is so strong across coffee, matcha, and bfast items! Everything has been a hit. Of all the things I've tried, their Salted Caramel Latte is king! I love a mixture of sweet and salty and this latte really delivers. The coffee is smooth and on the stronger side. As for matcha, I think Bound is miles ahead of any spots in the area. Matcha notes always shine through and it never tastes milky. Lastly, shoutout to their Breakfast Burrito! Every burrito is made to order and features tots, cheese, bacon, egg and a roasted Fresno Chile crema. It's served with TWO (red and green) salsas on the side. Could not be happier every time I order this!

Bench with outlets underneath (great place to study)

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Inside

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18 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jamie J.

10 years ago

There is the cutest, most friendly boy that works here, Bobby. He is the poster child for perfect cheekbones and gut wrenchingly beautiful hair. Also he makes the smoothest avocado snowbubbles. I would die for him. Just to breathe the same air as him is better than the heavens created by God. Side note: another great employee, Tatiana. Sometimes I feel like I'm walking into Krispy Creme instead of a boba shop because of this glazed donut goddess. Her lips remind me of two perfect breakfast sausages. She's very friendly and always answers my sometimes repetitive questions. She makes very good taro drinks. And I honestly only come to this location to see her and Bobby yet they never work together. My heart would explode from happiness if they ever did. but you never see Clark Kent and superman in the same room and the same goes for Bobby and Tatiana so I know I will never be truly happy in this life. read more

Kyume S.

5 years ago

Holy shoot okay I love this place but I haven't been here in months what's up with the girls working night shifts here ? Does the management not care ? Extremely rude workers the cashier with a tattoo in her inner arm absolutely disgusting attitude. Will be calling corporate for this look at the reviews these are the worst of the worst read more

Antonio E.

4 years ago

One of the best boba place around San Diego. I don't remember the name of the drink I got, but it was the best one I ever tried. The level of sweetness was perfect because it's not too sweet. I recommend getting 100% sugar because the flavor wasn't that sweet, so if you get less sugar then you might not like it. read more

Diego S.

12 years ago

I like this place cause is clean and organized, also they yogurt frost is really good ! The employee are nice too ! I need to try the food, is something that I can't really talk about right now !! Come and try, you will be happy ! Also is at all mall and have a lot of parking avalaible ! read more

Rob S.

5 years ago

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Way to expensive than San Marcos and La Jolla. read more

Troy A.

4 years ago

My wife always goes here and is constantly talking about how good their boba drinks are. I went for the first time and the drink is good, but the people working looks like they hate their job. read more

Mike P.

11 years ago

Awesome awesome awesome Awesome awesome awesome Awesome awesome awesome Awesome awesome awesome Awesome awesome awesome Awesome awesome awesome. Need I say more?!?!?! Try it!!! read more

Ron J.

6 years ago

Literally took 45 min just to get 2 boba drinks and a popcorn chicken. Sloooww AF! Here at 4pm on 09/19/2020. I dont understand?!? Maybe because they are owned by white ppl. read more

Estefani A.

10 years ago

It's rare to find a good boba place in North County, but TapEx does the job well!! The slushes are my favorite, but anything on the menu is good really. read more

Allyson L.

2 years ago

Great service and food quality, defiantly must to go boba tea place and you can also order food together with good deal

Christina R.

10 years ago

All the workers had such a great, positive energy! I HIGHLY recommend the Mango Peach Snow Bubble! :) Love this place!

Melissa N.

10 years ago

So glad to have a great local boba place! The staff is always friendly and energetic! The drinks are always delicious!

Mason S.

134

10 years ago

Says take out, but when I called to place an order on my lunch break i gotta "we don't do that."

Quỳnh T.

1 year ago

I don't understand why I got such a dish, so disappointing. I don't know if I ordered wrong.

Christine F.

123

13 years ago

a nice relaxing place for a tasty beverage! Oceanside was in need of one of these places.

Charles P.

8 years ago

I like it. The service is good and the people are better

Mamu C.

12 years ago

Great staff and drinks!!!

Steven Y.

280

13 years ago

wonderful thai iced tea

Tapioca Express - coffee - Updated August 2026

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3.2

(95 reviews)

Great place for Boba. Thai Tea is a bomb. they also have a…read moreclaw machine with great prizes. I acc love this place. the drinks r really good

Came here for a quick boba drink on our way back to the resort. Ordered a Taro snow with boba, a…read moreSpicy Mango icy with popping mango boba, a Thai iced coffee, a Secret garden which sounded like a delightful mixture of tropical fruits but when I drank it, all I tasted was a strong tea taste. I asked the guy helping us for a fruity drink that didn't taste like tea and he suggested a strawberry milk tea with a mango milk. He said it wasn't on the menu but they make it when requested. I got it with boba too. It was absolutely delicious and I'm so glad he suggested it! The boba was really soft and chewy too. I highly suggest that drink too if you're not into that "tea" taste and are looking for more of a dessert boba drink. Really great service!!

Starbucks

3.1

(65 reviews)

This review is a shoutout to the staff here for their kindness and what they have to put up with…read moresometimes. I was in line in the drive thru behind a customer who had "just placed" their mobile order and wanted to pick it up immediately. The barista taking the order had found their order in the queue but warned them they had just placed it, asked them if next time they could please give them more time before picking it up, and that they may need to pull into the parking lot (for staff to bring out to them when it's ready), or make a quick trip around and back into the drive thru so they have time to prepare it. The driver didn't like that answer and refused to move out of the line. If you've ever been to McDonald's, you know they ask you to pull over all the time and I've never seen an incident like this there before... I could hear their conversation as I was the car behind the person with my window down waiting to order. I ended up waiting a total of 12 minutes in line because the person ahead of me didn't want to wait their estimated time before picking up their order (the app tells you when it's ready typically...).They had a huge order (more than 6 drinks). I could have been in and out of the line, but this person kept everyone waiting, causing a long line during the morning rush hour. This is not the first time I've seen this happen at this location. You're probably asking, so what's the difference if I order a large order at the box or mobile order and pick it up right away...that was my question too. So I asked the lady at the window. She was very apologetic for the wait and super friendly. She explained that their system routes the orders to them in a queue. There is a queue for drive thru orders only, and one for mobile and in-store orders, as well as food delivery apps. So, when you place an order for mobile order pickup, you're routed to a different queue than the drive thru, which means they have to search your order up in their system and move yours ahead and try and work on it out of order. This is what caused my delay today. (Also learned there is a drive thru mobile pickup option in the app!j If you're reading this, do the people who are making your drinks a favor and don't be this person.

One of the better options for reliable, quick coffee before 7am is probably Starbucks. This one has…read morea small drive thru that you might miss if you go too fast. Not busy before 7am so I got my order quickly. Came here twice when I had early morning starts and just needed a reliable coffee and a quick breakfast option. Staff was super nice and welcoming on both visits.

Starbucks

3.0

(62 reviews)

This location is the LOUSIEST Starbucks we've ever set foot in. My drink (a simple espresso blended…read moredrink) cones to a grand total of $4.95 each day at our neighborhood Starbucks. Their extremely rude barista "Nikki" today demanded $12+ for the exact same drink our local Starbucks makes for $4.95. Manipulative "Nikki" kept me waiting around more than 1/2 hour to speak with her "manager Vicki" who ended up not even existing. Nikki happily skipped off from her ship leaving me still waiting to speak with "Vicki". Come to find the actual manager is "Kelly". Kelly stated up to me already annoyed that I'd dared to question her staff about the inflated cost of my drink. Kelly strikes me to be an immature person with a little bit of power.

What happened to getting a good cup of coffee at Starbucks??? They automated their entire coffee…read moremaking process! A barista has no clue how to prepare a mocha or a cappuccino anymore. They press button and boom a crappy cup of coffee. The barista that worked today made a horrible attempt at an iced Carmel macchiato or should I say a cup of milk with a splash of espresso. I'm done paying $6 bucks for crap!

Kung Fu Tea

4.6

(10 reviews)

Excellent! I had the iced Matcha Milk with crystal boba…read more The crystal boba was chewy and bouncy - very good. It was so refreshing, great new place to stop by.

Enjoyed my drink and friendly staff. But I think they are stilll working on some minor issues…read more Drinks did take a while but we did have 4. Also boba texture was just a bit off. Could be prepared differently than other locations. I do prefer kung fu tea in San Marcos. But since we live here we will most likely be back

TNL Boba Tea

4.3

(582 reviews)

Totally Not Loser. Totally top in quality and taste and customer service…read more Sincerely stellar every single time! Is it expensive... yes, but at least here you are truly getting quality ingredients, fresh (they will not serve you anything that's not in great quality, always ripe and ready , if not they will kindly explain the avocados are not ready and suggest another drink, and you will NOT be disappointed with what they suggest, I've never had a bad experience here and I've never had a bad drink ever here, I've actually only had top quality drinks here, seriously each have been consistently top tier in taste, texture, and presentation). Do your tastebuds a favor and try one of their smoothies. Don't wait money on processed sugary drinks that leave you feeling blah afterwards. I feel incredibly well after having their smoothies. Super satisfied. I get the avocado coconut with boba. This one I shared with my daughter.

Service was great and answered any questions.'I had seen reviews about tofu banh mi sandwiches but…read morewas told they discontinued them a long time ago. Bummer! We got watermelon slushies with popping boba which were very tasty and I had a rose milk tea with oat milk. While tasty, it wasn't cold enough and could have used more ice. We enjoyed our drinks and appreciated that they didn't use premade powders that sometimes contain diary. Everything was tasty and we hope to return. A little pricey for three drinks but a nice treat nonetheless.

Yum Yum Donuts

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(30 reviews)

Jan 18, 2026 (Sun 10:10a): Our first time visiting this…read moreplace. The cashiers/servers were friendly. The shop was clean.

I would say it was decent, nothing too crazy. The food was okay, service was fast, ambiance is…read morenice. The donuts are pretty average and the breakfast sandwich was also average. But they're open 24/7 which is pretty cool.

Yogurtland

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(44 reviews)

Before heading to the commissary, we stopped by Yogurtland for a sweet treat, and it was the…read moreperfect stop! There was only one employee working, but they were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and did an amazing job keeping everything stocked and clean while helping us with a smile. The toppings bar had so many great options--fresh fruit, cookies, candy, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and more. Everything was fresh and delicious, and everyone in our family made the perfect cup. We'll definitely be back! Also peep out their Toy Story 5 spoons

I am impressed they have Ube Flavor now!…read more This location is super busy because it's on base, but on weekends super slow. Service is professional and friendly. Location is always well maintained and clean.

Oakberry Acai

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(29 reviews)

Fantastic service! Delanie who helped us was awesome at making the drinks, very friendly, and…read morewelcoming. And she was by herself the poor young lady! But we had a big group and she worked through all the orders very quickly. I hadn't been before but tried out one of the drinks with the vanilla whey protein. Delicious! Like a milk shake I would highly recommend that one. So overall, great service, very clean and comfortable location and good drinks. We all enjoyed it and will be sure to come back when we're in town.

Get anything but their matcha! Rating is purely based on the matcha I got…read more Honestly, it's my bad for trying to get matcha from a smoothie place, but if you love matcha and you see the vibrant matcha color on their poster, you'll understand! It's basically milk with a drop or two of food coloring. Luckily, they're nice enough to swap it for a strawberry and banana smoothie which you can't really messed up I think. There was one blonde lady who looks to be in charge and 2 other people that were getting trained. Service could be better but then again, i'm glad they were able to fix it for me:)

Fugu Taiyaki

3.7

(289 reviews)

Went for the first time last night on the hunt for some good ice cream and stumbled across this…read moreplace. Definitely recommend to anyone to come and check this place out. The service was amazing. I love oceanside. Ate it too fast to take a picture.

I like Taiyaki ice cream and have come here for years whenever we visit Oceanside. I was just there…read moretonight. My order was taken promptly and the gentleman who took my order had excellent customer service taking my order, then...there was the wait to get my order. There were 3 employees and two were standing around while one worked. A customer who came in after me got his order, and all employees were just standing around. I went to the counter and asked if I had been forgotten. 2 of the employees got to work on my order. The only young woman working there was on her phone and handling food with the same gloves. I said excuse me, to her and pointed out that she had been on her phone and handled food in without getting new gloves. She looked at me and said, "So do you want me to change my gloves?" I replied "yes, it's a sanitation issue. I have worked in the industry and taught restaurant management." She changed gloves, cut off the edges of the Taiyaki waffle she had touched with the other gloves, finished my dish, and slid my finished dish across the counter. She said nothing as she slid the dish of taiyaki towards me, and turned and walked away from the counter. The restaurant had an "A" rating, but the cross contamination issue of handling personal phone and food with the same gloves, is not "A" rating behavior. It was close to closing and I do understand that it was getting late. It is still very disappointing. The restaurant did appear to be clean in the customer area. As I watched all 3 employees, the gentlemen working showed safe and sanitary work behaviors. I hope this cross contamination behavior by the female employee gets corrected.

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