Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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just a PSA that i’m still gonna batch blend (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by stonerscout455
that’s it. that’s the post. if you want your times down and your sales up, how do you want me to make $50 worth of drinks in a minute? are you that out of touch with what happens on the floor?
Reidbooty 115 points 3y ago
Yes they are that out of touch.
shawnp6298 82 points 3y ago
So very much agreed and I’d also add not only are “they” out of touch with the floor but the baristas and shifts that also complain about batch blending need to get a clue too. We are struggling to keep stores open and one of the easiest ways to combat that is getting product out the window faster and there is zero flavor difference in a batch vs individual blended Frappuccino.
WildCaterwaul 78 points 3y ago
You can fit up to three venti frappuccinos in one blender if you put the lid on and then put a dome lid on top of the blender lid before you shut the cover to keep it closed. I will continue to do this unashamedly, and I will make direct eye contact with any visiting DMs as I do if the even presents itself. Fight me, corporate.
LilKaySigs 46 points 3y ago
There would literally be no downside if corporate made it so that corporate employees have to work in a retail store for at least 2 weeks to give them an idea of what life’s like down here and let them improve the company based on what they experienced
WildCaterwaul 17 points 3y ago
OMG I've been thinking this forever
PhenomenalPhoenix 11 points 3y ago
There would be one downside - there would have to be someone there who knows they’re doing to show corporate employees how to make everything correctly and those unfortunate baristas would suffer through that but otherwise yes! Corporate employees definitely should work as baristas for 2 weeks (including a happy hour!) AND they should be forced to follow every single standard we have (so no batch blending or any other short cuts!)
dancing_durian 28 points 3y ago
As a stickler for ‘correct’ recipes and drink quality, I do NOT feel bad even in the slightest when I batch blend. A correctly made Frap has 8 whole steps. If you actually sequence, 2 makes a whole separate 16 steps. Why not cut down the time with batch blending?
When I say ‘correct’, it is both subjective and objective. It’s only correct to the Starbucks standards. Outside of Starbucks, you don’t have things like SAR or say Fraps so who to say it’s ‘correct’. Even drinks like a latte, people will argue to the death what makes a latte outside of the 4 walls of Starbucks. The objective part is that the recipes are clearly communicated with recipe cards that include step-by-step instructions and it is our job to follow that.
When I say ‘correct’, it is both subjective and objective. It’s only correct to the Starbucks standards. Outside of Starbucks, you don’t have things like SAR or say Fraps so who to say it’s ‘correct’. Even drinks like a latte, people will argue to the death what makes a latte outside of the 4 walls of Starbucks. The objective part is that the recipes are clearly communicated with recipe cards that include step-by-step instructions and it is our job to follow that.
NOTcreative- 21 points 3y ago
Batch away. Are you really under that much pressure to not batch right now? If so that’s absurd.
stonerscout455 [OP] 20 points 3y ago
yeah my SM literally acted like we could keep DT times down and blend one at a time LMFAO
NOTcreative- 16 points 3y ago
Are they as diligent about partner and customer safety as they are window times? Are they limiting customers in the cafe? Ensuring thorough sanitization happens every 30 minutes? Ensuring partner check ins happen right away at the beginning of shifts while the partner is clocked in? Ensuring hand washing is happening every 20 minutes? There are so many higher priority standards that need to be in place before we worry about batching Frappuccinos. If they’re not in place there’s an issue with prioritizing. It may not be on your manager either. It may be pressure from higher ups.
shookbarista -13 points 3y ago
I mean, I’m not going to stop enforcing standard, it’s literally my job.
NOTcreative- 14 points 3y ago
Your job is to execute your SMs plan for the store, not enforce every standard that exists. You can’t do that, it’s too much work for any ssv. As SMs we enter a store and assess the situation, plan and prioritize standards that need to be enforced first. Batching Frappuccinos is at the bottom of the list. Below partner and customer safety (number one right now), below customer connection, below window times, below quality products, below a lot more. It’s about planning and prioritizing. No store can really live up to every higher priority standard than batching and enforce that one while meeting higher priority standards, not without years of work and training. There are probably many higher priority standards being missed above batching.
WholesomeOnliPls 8 points 3y ago
The point of the post is that it's also your (our) job to keep times down and make connections. Can't do all three, so something has to give.
WholesomeOnliPls 11 points 3y ago
If I'm making a line of fraps and my SSV comes over and sees multiple of the same she will actually stop and tell me "you could have blended those together :)"
coffeeslinger2000 4 points 3y ago
My SM did this last week when we were both on bar. “Wait I have another frap like that for you!! Do with this what you will” lmao
RareLingonberry 6 points 3y ago
We have a lot of customers that order 3 tall fraps that are all the same and I always tell my baristas to just make them all at once and split it between the cups. Why waste time making one at a time especially when we only have one blender?
extra-hot-bean-water 5 points 3y ago
I’m a trainer and a huge stickler for bev routine but I’ll Batch blend all day long when I have a damn drive thru line that wraps around my building. BUT if you don’t know the ratios and batch blend a bunch of shit that makes watery ass fraps please for the love of god don’t. I don’t want to have to remake your five tall fraps just because you don’t wanna do it right. I’ve seen partners pump frap roast and syrups directly into a blender for three venti’s and free pour milk into it only for an extremely pissed Karen to come walking into my cafe a moment later saying “THESE JUST TASTE LIKE ICE! I WANT MY ENTIRE (5 drink) ORDER REMADE!!” Also please use the shakers, definitely don’t batch make refreshers and teas.
golden_pinky 4 points 3y ago
I refuse to believe it alters the quality at all. Especially if it's a bunch of little Fraps for kids, fuck em.
lunaflect 2 points 3y ago
I batched for the first time today. Felt great.
pixeld0nut 2 points 3y ago
I run a licensed operation and I say do whatever gets the drinks out the window fastest.
chom612 1 points 3y ago
Keep in mind, some baristas just CAN'T seem to figure out the subtle rules of batch blending. One did the syrups in the cups and then blended batches of coffee and creme base to dump into. Needless to say she was fast, and the drinks looked awful
stonerscout455 [OP] 2 points 3y ago
i understand this completely! but when they all taste the same.... you’re just creating a problem and for WHAT lol
chom612 1 points 3y ago
Totes agree. There are definitely times batching is best, and best practices for batch blending that could easily be incorporated into our training
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