Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Looking for opinions/solutions on how to teach customers about refills and ordering a short coffee in a venti cup then requesting us to fill it with milk is annoying. (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by xsshazamm
At my cafe store we have a handful of customers that abuse our $0.50 refills. They will come in for their first time that day and request a refill even though they haven’t been in our store more than 5 minutes. **What’s the best way to go about teaching them our refill policy is for customers that have been in the store and not left without policing them?**
The other thing we get a lot are customers who think they’re sneaky when ordering a short coffee in a venti cup then going over to our condiment bar and using a whole carafe of milk to fill up their cups. And when the carafes don’t have enough milk they ask for milk at the end of the bar. All of us know who these customers are but no one will up-charge them. **What’s a good way to help our customers learn that what they’re ordering is a misto and get them to understand without making them furious?**
The other thing we get a lot are customers who think they’re sneaky when ordering a short coffee in a venti cup then going over to our condiment bar and using a whole carafe of milk to fill up their cups. And when the carafes don’t have enough milk they ask for milk at the end of the bar. All of us know who these customers are but no one will up-charge them. **What’s a good way to help our customers learn that what they’re ordering is a misto and get them to understand without making them furious?**
Cariboumoo 15 points 3y ago
"Excuse me, the carafe is empty."
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"Yea, I know. You're abusing our system and we know what you're doing. Coffee with a bunch of milk is a part of our menu."
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"They let me do it all the time."
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"I know. And it stops now."
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Aggressive customer: "This is bullshit. I'm never coming here again."
Passive-Aggressive: "Accepts this but bitches about it to other people."
Passive: "Apologizes and is embarrassed when called out on their bullshit.
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Guess it could lose a customer (Based on the way it played out in my head) I mean, 2 dollars for a cup of milk is still a pretty good profit for the company considering the most expensive part is the labor and the printed cup.
​
"Yea, I know. You're abusing our system and we know what you're doing. Coffee with a bunch of milk is a part of our menu."
​
"They let me do it all the time."
​
"I know. And it stops now."
​
Aggressive customer: "This is bullshit. I'm never coming here again."
Passive-Aggressive: "Accepts this but bitches about it to other people."
Passive: "Apologizes and is embarrassed when called out on their bullshit.
​
Guess it could lose a customer (Based on the way it played out in my head) I mean, 2 dollars for a cup of milk is still a pretty good profit for the company considering the most expensive part is the labor and the printed cup.
yyz_barista 6 points 3y ago
If you want to be really petty (and it's not busy) you can be the milk police. Our store used to have someone take the carafes away momentarily and let them know that we'd give them milk at handoff if they wanted for their coffee.
We'd then get out the sample cups (4oz) and give them one of those filled with milk. As per the BRM, that's the maximum milk that we can give them without charge.
While it's not the nicest thing, they'll learn what's acceptable and not while you remain in compliance with policy.
(I haven't been a partner for a few years now so idk if policies are still the same, MTMR still applies so I guess you could give them an extra 4oz as a one time thing).
We'd then get out the sample cups (4oz) and give them one of those filled with milk. As per the BRM, that's the maximum milk that we can give them without charge.
While it's not the nicest thing, they'll learn what's acceptable and not while you remain in compliance with policy.
(I haven't been a partner for a few years now so idk if policies are still the same, MTMR still applies so I guess you could give them an extra 4oz as a one time thing).
idkmyusernameagain 3 points 3y ago
For refills I just say “sorry! The refill price is only valid when purchased and consumed in the store, same day, same visit!” And usually they fess up. As far as how much milk they pour in at the condiment bar- honestly I have too much to do to police that. It annoying, but it is what it is.
ashley441 2 points 3y ago
this isn’t helpful, but i once had a lady order a tall pike and pour the whole thing into her own cup (without finishing it) and then came back twice for a refill, without having finished any of her coffee. i literally didn’t know what to do
ShogunDro 2 points 3y ago
If it were a one-off situation it’s just one of those things you allow to happen — there’s no point in going after those few extra cents because it could open a can of worms.
If it were a regular and was becoming habitual I’d greet her at the register with something like “Hey, good to see you! Did you bring your personal cup today for the discount?.” To passively acknowledge the fact that, yes you are aware of what’s going on. If it deters her then good. If not, then it is what it is. If you think it’s an issue, refer to your SS or SM.
If it were a regular and was becoming habitual I’d greet her at the register with something like “Hey, good to see you! Did you bring your personal cup today for the discount?.” To passively acknowledge the fact that, yes you are aware of what’s going on. If it deters her then good. If not, then it is what it is. If you think it’s an issue, refer to your SS or SM.
ashley441 6 points 3y ago
i think it was a one time thing. if anything, she wasn’t doing herself any favors! a venti pike it like $3 maybe, but a tall is $2.15 and she had 3 “refills”, so she probably spent more money than if she had just gotten a venti. people can be so funny.
cardawbal 1 points 3y ago
People who want refills on mistos is abused constantly. Because one barista lets them do it they think they can do it all the time.
groundbeefandpeas 1 points 3y ago
Oh no, am I one of these people? I order a venti iced coffee with extra milk, in a venti cup. I order it this way because I assume you will charge me for what I am ordering. I don’t want a misto because it doesn’t taste the same. Also isn’t a misto made with espresso? That takes a lot more work than just pouring an iced coffee so I feel like it’s fair to charge more for that. I didn’t realize there was a limit to how much milk I can take in my coffee, lol. Sorry I’m getting defensive but I am the last person to ever try to “cheat the system” and if people have been assuming that this is what I’m doing, that’s really embarrassing and I have to find another place to get my coffee now.
kaisatra98 3 points 3y ago
A misto is half coffee, half steamed milk. You would be cheating the system is you ordered a tall iced coffee in a venti cup, then added milk all the way to the top. What you're doing is totally fine
groundbeefandpeas 2 points 3y ago
Ok, thanks. You sure man? Because I’m not a cheap ass lol. If I should be ordering that way I will.
nihilism-for-worms 1 points 3y ago
The people that this post is talking about order a smaller sized drink in a large cup, and then go and add extra milk themselves from the carafes that are available for customers to use in order to fill their cup up the rest of the way. It’s obviously stealing, and they know exactly what they are doing as they’re doing it. What you’re doing is completely different and perfectly fine!
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