I'm no longer a barista full-time, but still find time to work freelance on the weekends, and occasionally on the holidays. There's just something therapeutic about watching baristas make beverages. I love the finished product, but also the process of making it. Although I can no longer survive on a barista's pay, somehow, watching videos of baristas working, puts me on ease.
Anyone make videos or know of any good ones? I love watching baristas work!
This applies to any baristas either in college right now or were in college while still working as a barista. From my sample of friends, it seems to be a mix of humanities and STEM majors and an outlier of another friend going to culinary school. I’m currently in uni as a cell & molec biology major. What major are/were you in?
I think it’s either the fact that grande and venti hot drinks get the same amount of espresso or the $1 charge for glorified whipped cream.
He said, "You have very average ears."
I’m sure you’ve all heard about Starbucks’ customer connection scores and the pressure corporate puts on stores to achieve a high score.
Many people don’t want to interact with strangers out in public (especially when it’s someone being paid to interact with you) - I’m one of those people, I have social anxiety so I get it. Most baristas understand this as well.
But in case anyone wasn’t aware, the customer connection score that a store receives is based off of only one (1) question from the survey the customers take. That question is: ”Did your barista try to get to know you?”
If you answer no because you mobile ordered and only got a greeting when you popped in and out - you’re hurting the team at that store. It takes zero effort to just say yes and then everyone gets to stop bothering everyone else. No district managers bothering stores, no baristas bothering customers.
So if everyone wants to support their local store and they’re doing a great job and either talking with you or leaving you alone, whichever is your preference, give them the highest score you can for that question.
In fact, if you get a customer survey, unless the store is actually failing you in some way, give the highest score possible on every question because that’s the only way it’s counted as a good score. Anything below “highly satisfied” is considered a fail.
I’ve started doing this for any survey I take anywhere now and y’all should too.
Another post reminded me of this.
(Spoilers: I’m on mobile and I’ve been drinking. Punctuation and spelling may be hit or miss.)
I used to live near a coffee shop in Portland. (A coffee shop in Portland? How rare!)
My drink of choice was $5.55. I would write $1.11 in the tip line then draw a pentagram in the total.
(Price + tip = $6.66 for those that are reading this in metric or whatever. Thus pentagram.)
I did this for months and months. The baristas would generally say, “The usual? Hail, satan” and give me devil horns. (The hand gesture. They wouldn’t physically manifest devil horns. Because if they could, I’d tip more.)
There was a new barista that only took my order once. Every other time she’d say that she was going on break or need someone else to take over so she could do a thing. And one of the veteran baristas would come take my order. (Devil horns!) (And it was awkward every time. She’d realize that it was me and then shout, “I need to go on break!” And then she’d sprint into the back room.)
This happened enough that I started to take it personally. (Insert Michael Jordan meme.)
I asked one of the other baristas why she always runs away when I try to order from her.
“Dude, she’s afraid of you.”
Wait. What? Why? What did I do?
“You drew a pentagram on a credit card slip…so she’s terrified…she asked the owner if we should call someone…she keeps asking all of us how we can “deal with you” when you come in. It’s honestly hilarious.”
So let’s go through all of this.
- She’s terrified that I drew some lineses on a piece of paper.
- She talked to the owner about who they need to call to intervene in this situation to stop me from “the drawing of the lineses.”
- When the owner wouldn’t call “the authorities,” she started asking her coworkers how they were physically able to interact with me when they knew, they f—ing knew that I’d drawn the lineses, and I’d probably draw them again.
- When everyone kept clowning her by showing her my credit card slips with “the lineses” she decided to stop doing her job so that she wasn’t directly responsible for me drawing the “lineses.”
- Who were you planning on calling? The Spanish Inquisition? Nobody expects them…to take your call.
I don’t understand how someone can function with this level of fear. I mean she couldn’t. She was “unserviceable” as we say in the Marines.
I think that’s it.
Wait.
Hail Satan.
i’m sorry if this is against the rules but i have to say something, throwaway because i’m honestly afraid to use my main acc.
i’ve been a barista for about two months now, with 5+ years in food related customer service, and while at starbucks i’ve definitely had some of the craziest custom orders i’ve seen, the way some of you guys on here post about them is a little excessive. I understand feeling like you have the right to judge your customers especially because we have to deal with their abuse, and most of the drinks are definitely more sugar than coffee, however they’re people too.. As a preteen I used to really love starbucks so it’s been lowkey really fun working here, but i have to admit i was one of those sugary-beverage ordering “i loveee coffeeee!!!“ annoying ass kids myself. However i didn’t know better and it was innocent, imo. I learned about nutrition and calories bc i needed to (starbucks wasn’t the only thing contributing to my sugar intake then) and i think that’s a completely human mistake to make nowadays if that makes sense.
I don’t know, all i can think of reading these posts is how much i would have absolutely hated myself if i read any of this 8 years ago. Another thing I keep thinking about is that some people use sugar as a stand in for other addictions they are trying to break; My father does and while I would much rather he drink excessively sugary coffee than pick up crystal meth and alcohol again. Everyone has their vices but it isn’t really within our right to judge ANYONE. (i want to side note that eating disorders come in many shapes and sizes too and your customer may already feel terrible about their choices.)?I don’t think the worker-customer relationship makes a difference. I know there’s a TON. of fucking shitheads, like more customers than i can count who treat customer service workers subhumanly, but i try to think about the customers that are really kind and have told me a little about their lives and we make pleasant conversation to get myself through that. It feels much better to focus my energy on making the customers i care about smile i guess.
Idk i’m sorry but you guys can be really harsh sometimes.
if so, what are some judgments you make (positive or negative)? ETA: my go to drinks are iced peach green tea lemonade, iced chai latte, london fog (ONLY when in cafe and it’s not busy), and i used to get the honey citrus mint tea until i learned it’s hell for baristas, now i only get it if my throat is icky (ETA: PRE COVID WHEN I WASNT SICK, JUST WINTER DRYNESS OR OVERUSE). what do you think about me?
Just curious
What are some stuff you found strange that you either did something about it or pretty much shrugged off.
Triple iced blonde espresso with a splash of oatmilk is my jam. But every other time I order it, at least, they fill the cup to the brim with milk. Today, they gave it to me in a venti cup... filled all the way to the top. I just drink it cause I hate having stuff remade, but what gives?
Does everyone just assume I'm trying to game the system and get a cheap latte, so they do this? I order through the app and specify a "splash of milk". Do I need to start specifying the cup size, too so they don't overdo it?
Here's a trenta rant for all you lovelies. Today I had to call off because my child is sick with confirmed covid. We both have the same symptoms. We did at home tests yesterday and they both came out negative. Today my child was tested at school and sent home with a confirmed test. We both have fevers and we both are sick sick. I immediately told my boss and I was told of the situation with Starbucks not allowing me to quarantine without a positive test. got my shift covered. But told me until I have a positive test I will not be paid and I will be considered as calling out without reason. I called my primary care doctor. I can't get a test until I talk to a doctor on Friday by appointment so that the doctor can order the test. I scheduled it. I checked Walgreens and CVS no appointment available until a week from now for both tests. Starbucks does not accept at home tests, not like I could find one locally anyways since they are always sold out. My boss got my shift covered until next week and seems upset with me. Idk what to do. I'm sick with covid and I was expected to come in. I can't get a test because covid is surging. This is forcing people who are sick to come in with covid and serve people food and drink. I'm not upset at my boss. My boss is actually decent. But I'm already behind on rent by a week and now I don't see how I can pay it. I will not get paid at all. I have covid and I'm fucked. So just know there are people at work serving you while sick. Covid has been running through our store for weeks and nothing is being done. They need to do something. A close close family friend of mine just died at 52 from covid. This is not a joke and I don't understand how people are supposed to survive. I was told over and over again of Starbucks policy. Apparently having a child I kiss on the face goodnight who is positive and showing the same symptoms as me is not enough. I'm looking at eviction soon. Great.
Just a little story I think you'll all appreciate.
I'm a DM for a small coffee chain partnered with a company in a totally different industry. Yesterday I attended an EOY meeting—last minute, after hours, mandatory of course—with the rest of the management team, including our six GMs, two DMs, Dir. of Food and Bev, VP of Ops and head of HR. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss our thoughts on 2021, general plans and trajectory for 2022, and ways to better integrate the two sides of the company. Again, this was thrown on the calendar literally five minutes before we were supposed to attend, so there was no time for any of us to prepare our thoughts and strategies in a way that would be presentable. So the vibe of the meeting was a lot like a college classroom, where a bunch of people insert longwinded, off the cuff commentary on things they only just found out existed, in an effort to impress everyone. Just an all around fun time.
So around the 90-minute mark, we get around to the company's favorite topic: itself. Specifically, company culture. More specifically, the VP (finally) noticed that there had been record turnover in baristas in 2020 and 2021 (gee, can't imagine why...) and she wanted to brainstorm ways to integrate them into the culture faster and get them to, and this is a direct quote, "fall in love with the company." Hard eye roll.
Her solution was two-fold: first, we should integrate the baristas into the corporate side of the company by forcing them to attend meetings once a week, once a month, and quarterly, all scheduled after close on Fridays and Sundays to ensure everyone would be there. Oh but they'll be paid! So it's fine! Right? Right?? Second, she wanted to stretch out the barista training period to a full month, so that they could spend the first two weeks "immersed in the company culture." For example, they could watch training videos and have discussion sessions with a "culture buddy," really dig into the heart and mind of this company that's totally a person and not a for-profit enterprise. They would do this every day. For two weeks. Before they ever even touched coffee.
I suggested that maybe, just maybe, that wasn't the best use their time or ours, and that when retail and food service hires someone it's because they were needed two weeks ago, not two weeks later. She countered that company culture is too important to ignore, and that the lack of "controlling the narrative" was the reason for the turnover. She asked
... keep reading on reddit ➡
I saw a recent ask me anything recently and thought I would do the same with my life. I'm feeling a bit melancholy with my life right now, so I suppose I would answer some questions regarding the above. This is more for me, then it is for you, although if there's anything I can do to help, I will try!
Does anybody else genuinely just find making plain latte’s/cappuccino’s/etc highly enjoyable? (All the other drinks are meh. Making frappes and cold foam bevies are the only ones I actually hate making).
I love that I get to make them and I don’t even have to drink them after lol.
Am I one of few who genuinely enjoys this part of being a barista? Or does absolutely everybody enjoy this part of the job?
So today was Christmas and I worked 4:30 am -12 pm. The situation went like this :
C- Customer S - supervisor P1- partner 1 P2 - partner 2
Me : on bar , reads venti blonde roast sticker. I know we don't have any ready
Me : calling into lobby CUSTOMER I'm so sorry we don't have any blonde roast brewed, I can make you a pour over it will just take like 5 minutes, or I can get you a medium roast or even a blonde americano?
C : aaa to be honest I really wanted blonde roast ,I'm willing to wait for one. But I don't want a pour over!!
Me : I'm so sorry that would be the only way because we don't have any brewed right now. I assure you the pour over is the same.
C : I'm sorry I really don't like those they get cold by the time they get to me. Can't you just brew a batch? I'm fine with waiting! (He said all this kindly)
I literally shook my head in confusion, before catching my self. (I'm so grateful for those masks or else the look on my face would have gotten me a write up)
I wanted to protest and say no... But it's literally Christmas...
Me : ya know what it's Christmas, I gotcha my guy *I shot him finger guns cus I try to be silly to lighten interactions)
He was overly thankful (didn't tip) and went back to wait at his table.
S to me : OP you're literally the only person who would have ever done that .
P1: dude I was thinking that - I would of just said no sorry. Pick from the options I gave you
P2 : yeah me too! Op
Me : oh. I mean, I don't know I like blonde roast so I kinda feel his pain.
I kinda can't stop thinking that like...seriously? It's easier to brew a 1/4 batch than make a pourover...so why would you just do it to make someone happy ?not to mention on Christmas. I totally get that his reasoning is very dumb but??? Like I don't know I keep thinking about it. He was super nice about everything and it made both of our days better...plus someone else ended up wanting blonde and it didn't go to waste.
Edit : I feel I didn't get my main frustration across. It's a bit upsetting to think that if it weren't for me that guy would of been turned away. He was SO happy when he got his Christmas treat that...it breaks my heart that everyone probably refuses little moments of happiness when...it's such a simple thing to fulfill...
PS thank you for all the comments 🥺 it's nice to talk to my Starbucks peeps
A brewhaha
I'm no longer a barista full-time, but still find time to work freelance on the weekends, and occasionally on the holidays. There's just something therapeutic about watching baristas make beverages. I love the finished product, but also the process of making it. Although I can no longer survive on a barista's pay, somehow, watching videos of baristas working, puts me on ease.
Anyone make videos or know of any good ones? I love watching baristas work!
I'm no longer a barista full-time, but still find time to work freelance on the weekends, and occasionally on the holidays. There's just something therapeutic about watching baristas make beverages. I love the finished product, but also the process of making it. Although I can no longer survive on a barista's pay, somehow, watching videos of baristas working, puts me on ease.
Anyone make videos or know of any good ones? I love watching baristas work!
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