Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Tall rant about bar & bar support (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by golden_pinky
Phone, formatting, sorry.
I really love being on bar. I am about half a year in at the bux and I would say I've gotten feedback that I'm good on bar.
There are people who will always be better though, and that's what I want to discuss. There are people who seem to treat bar like a competition and not a team sport and it drives me insane. Some people drive support me or are bar partners (one on front and one on drive, but sharing work, too) and just completely run over me and throw me off. They are so good and so quick that they do things that get in my way and make me look bad for no reason. Just plowing through me in cold bar to get ingredients or blenders, thereby slowing me down. They just dive right in the ice bin while I'm using it to. Just rudeness and pushiness that makes them seem stellar on bar when really their talent is being inconsiderate?? To be fair, I have been this type of barista out of anxiety, but I have learned to be more aware of what I'm doing. Just want to know if anyone knows what I mean?
I'm being deliberately vague.
I really love being on bar. I am about half a year in at the bux and I would say I've gotten feedback that I'm good on bar.
There are people who will always be better though, and that's what I want to discuss. There are people who seem to treat bar like a competition and not a team sport and it drives me insane. Some people drive support me or are bar partners (one on front and one on drive, but sharing work, too) and just completely run over me and throw me off. They are so good and so quick that they do things that get in my way and make me look bad for no reason. Just plowing through me in cold bar to get ingredients or blenders, thereby slowing me down. They just dive right in the ice bin while I'm using it to. Just rudeness and pushiness that makes them seem stellar on bar when really their talent is being inconsiderate?? To be fair, I have been this type of barista out of anxiety, but I have learned to be more aware of what I'm doing. Just want to know if anyone knows what I mean?
I'm being deliberately vague.
SmittyComic 15 points 3y ago
Forgive the length of this. after twenty years doing this, I've seen it all...
Learning to "double bar" while having a support person is hard at first. It's like being used to driving on a two lane road; and then being put on the highway with drivers who are passing on the left and right. I totally understand how undervalued you feel at that point. Being treated like you're in the way of your own job.
I'm having the the same issue at my store but I'm on the other side.
I don't want to make the bar person feel like they aren't doing a good job. Yet every time I come in to deal with a bottleneck -with some- I'm seen as a helicopter parent coming in to do something they're able to do.
It can seem like they are trying to push you along while you are just trying to stay in routine.
It's crappy to feel undervalued at your job, or made to feel like things would be better if you weren't there.
Communication is huge with dealing with this as step one. Talking to your SM about this is KEY. Also addressing anything that gives you stress.
It's hard to do, but...
The stress to get drinks out ASAP and connect with customers is driving them to have to shoot up behind you and treat your area as a bottleneck.
It's not your fault, you are doing your job.
crazy part is, that's exactly how the other person is thinking too. I'm JUST doing support, because after this some kid dropped a hot chocolate in the lobby, then I have to do a lobby slide and talk to customers. Check the bathrooms where the last person has been in for 29 minutes and might be doing drugs, change the garbage at front and bar, get vanilla -- oh crap make a sweet cream. OH man, Lemonade expired back here, WHO isn't rotating these? I have to pull chocolate AND almond croissants... crap did i already pull cheese danish or was that yesterday? Hey just sold the last Ham and Cheese take it off Mobile, OH man I have to stock milk.... and they didn't rotate it right last night.... hold on, did that kid drop his OTHER hot chocolate?!?! Low on Pike? OK i'll brew that next then i have to make more iced coffee...
What they are doing is stressing you out because they are stressed out. It's not helpful to anyone.
I'm sorry you're feeling this, I feel bad when someone is on bar and is like... please don't pull a bunch of stickers, They're overwhelmed by seeing it. I know there are three fraps in line so if I don't pull these I can't make them, if I can't make them I can't do support - then you have people waiting longer and asking where is their drink, taking the wrong ones, or having you to stop and look for their drink in que because they forgot to say iced.
Please talk to your crew, we're in this together and it shouldn't feel like a competition, or feeling like you have been. Trust me we are feeling it too, and we can help if you just talk to us.
Learning to "double bar" while having a support person is hard at first. It's like being used to driving on a two lane road; and then being put on the highway with drivers who are passing on the left and right. I totally understand how undervalued you feel at that point. Being treated like you're in the way of your own job.
I'm having the the same issue at my store but I'm on the other side.
I don't want to make the bar person feel like they aren't doing a good job. Yet every time I come in to deal with a bottleneck -with some- I'm seen as a helicopter parent coming in to do something they're able to do.
It can seem like they are trying to push you along while you are just trying to stay in routine.
It's crappy to feel undervalued at your job, or made to feel like things would be better if you weren't there.
Communication is huge with dealing with this as step one. Talking to your SM about this is KEY. Also addressing anything that gives you stress.
It's hard to do, but...
The stress to get drinks out ASAP and connect with customers is driving them to have to shoot up behind you and treat your area as a bottleneck.
It's not your fault, you are doing your job.
crazy part is, that's exactly how the other person is thinking too. I'm JUST doing support, because after this some kid dropped a hot chocolate in the lobby, then I have to do a lobby slide and talk to customers. Check the bathrooms where the last person has been in for 29 minutes and might be doing drugs, change the garbage at front and bar, get vanilla -- oh crap make a sweet cream. OH man, Lemonade expired back here, WHO isn't rotating these? I have to pull chocolate AND almond croissants... crap did i already pull cheese danish or was that yesterday? Hey just sold the last Ham and Cheese take it off Mobile, OH man I have to stock milk.... and they didn't rotate it right last night.... hold on, did that kid drop his OTHER hot chocolate?!?! Low on Pike? OK i'll brew that next then i have to make more iced coffee...
What they are doing is stressing you out because they are stressed out. It's not helpful to anyone.
I'm sorry you're feeling this, I feel bad when someone is on bar and is like... please don't pull a bunch of stickers, They're overwhelmed by seeing it. I know there are three fraps in line so if I don't pull these I can't make them, if I can't make them I can't do support - then you have people waiting longer and asking where is their drink, taking the wrong ones, or having you to stop and look for their drink in que because they forgot to say iced.
Please talk to your crew, we're in this together and it shouldn't feel like a competition, or feeling like you have been. Trust me we are feeling it too, and we can help if you just talk to us.
cloudsgone -10 points 3y ago
If they're bowling over you, you're likely going too slow and not actually helping.
golden_pinky [OP] 3 points 3y ago
It's not like I'm trying to 'help.' I'll be the main bar person and these people will come in my area, take my stickers, not communicate, run over me, and they call that helping. I know I'm fast enough because I've been told so by multiple shifts. I get put on bar regularly and keep the drive times pretty decent. This is an aggressive style of bar I'm trying to describe is all.
cloudsgone 2 points 3y ago
Oic I misunderstood. These partners aren't assigned to double bar with you but are jumping in to make a drink? You need to let them know they are interrupting your routine. I have partners who try to do this (usually the dtr or dto) and I usually ask if they will restock something instead... if they are stepping out of their routine to do this and don't listen when you ask them to stop, talk to your shift supervisor.
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