Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
↑
3
↓
First Day at Starbucks (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by noah_sandytaco
So it was my first day training at a target Starbucks today and it was extremely stressful my trainer was super supportive and nice and helped me with everything but when she went on break I was left with another co worker who yelled at me when I didn’t know things or made stupid mistakes with the register even though it was my FIRST day working. She got super mad that I didn’t know how to make the drinks that the customers ordered and was just not nice. Apparently she’s on “thin ice” though because of her negativity but I guess we’ll see how it plays out.
I don’t understand how you guys remember the recipes and how to make all the drinks because it’s super hard. I forget how to make a lot of drinks even after I’ve been told how to do it. It’s crazy how you guys know like so much. Hopefully I’ll adjust and get the hang of everything. They mainly have me just making all the refreshers and ice teas and stuff which is super easy for me but everything else besides like caramel macchiatos and chai drinks are hard for me to remember. Also all the tasks like making coffee and just everything is super confusing and stressful.
Again with the negative co worker I forgot to mention. When I asked her questions about what to write on the cups for what the customers ordered (abbreviations and stuff) she got super pissed that I didn’t know and keep in mind again this was my FIRST day training. Crazy to me that she wouldn’t understand this is my first day. I hope tomorrow will be a little more positive and less stressful because the weekend was just a little more fast paced.
I don’t understand how you guys remember the recipes and how to make all the drinks because it’s super hard. I forget how to make a lot of drinks even after I’ve been told how to do it. It’s crazy how you guys know like so much. Hopefully I’ll adjust and get the hang of everything. They mainly have me just making all the refreshers and ice teas and stuff which is super easy for me but everything else besides like caramel macchiatos and chai drinks are hard for me to remember. Also all the tasks like making coffee and just everything is super confusing and stressful.
Again with the negative co worker I forgot to mention. When I asked her questions about what to write on the cups for what the customers ordered (abbreviations and stuff) she got super pissed that I didn’t know and keep in mind again this was my FIRST day training. Crazy to me that she wouldn’t understand this is my first day. I hope tomorrow will be a little more positive and less stressful because the weekend was just a little more fast paced.
TheBlueSuperNova 2 points 2y ago
1. Like you said its your first day, she’s on thin ice. Just do you. They won’t and shouldn’t expect you to be a master barista day one.
2. When ringing on the register, the right hand side will tell you everything that goes in a drink, including what the code for the drink is at the very bottom (kinda shocked you don’t have stickers). Take time to take note of this if you can, and just be sure to write the correct code for the drink
3. There is a lot to learn. But it comes with time. Some people take 1 month or 3 to get the hang of it. Everyone learns at their own pace, so don’t feel like you need to go home and memorize anything. You work when you clock on, and don’t once you clock off.
4. If you have downtime, take time to really explore the register. See where drinks are located. Play with buttons. See how you can edit drinks or have another partner test you to see what you can come up with/ how fast you can find an item.
5. There will be times in the future guaranteed you just won’t know how to input something or find something and that’s okay. Partners who have been working for 5 years sometimes can’t find something. You can only do so much, so just control what you can. You’re not working for the whole store, you’re working as part of a team, and a team is only as strong as their weakest link so if they can’t support you like you need, they’re really only hurting themselves.
6. Although I don’t think you’ll be touching bar for a couple of weeks, again take note of components in drinks and ask if you don’t know what a certain abbreviation means. If you at least have an idea of all ingredients, it will make your transition a lot easier to actually making drinks.
7. A lot of drinks are actually the same. Speciality drinks like pumpkin spice lattes, mochas, white mochas, etc. are actually super similar in all but what their ingredients are. If you know how to make one, you probably know how to make the other. There are weird exceptions like caramel macchiato’s, but don’t worry about that. Just get main drinks down and work from there.
8. Ultimately it’s just coffee and non coffee drinks. You’re there to get paid, make connections, and be part of a time. You will have amazing days because of customers or partners. You will have horrible days because of customers and partners. Just like any job. Remember why you applied for Starbucks specifically, and just enjoy yourself. And smile for those people who don’t have the strength to smile for themselves.
2. When ringing on the register, the right hand side will tell you everything that goes in a drink, including what the code for the drink is at the very bottom (kinda shocked you don’t have stickers). Take time to take note of this if you can, and just be sure to write the correct code for the drink
3. There is a lot to learn. But it comes with time. Some people take 1 month or 3 to get the hang of it. Everyone learns at their own pace, so don’t feel like you need to go home and memorize anything. You work when you clock on, and don’t once you clock off.
4. If you have downtime, take time to really explore the register. See where drinks are located. Play with buttons. See how you can edit drinks or have another partner test you to see what you can come up with/ how fast you can find an item.
5. There will be times in the future guaranteed you just won’t know how to input something or find something and that’s okay. Partners who have been working for 5 years sometimes can’t find something. You can only do so much, so just control what you can. You’re not working for the whole store, you’re working as part of a team, and a team is only as strong as their weakest link so if they can’t support you like you need, they’re really only hurting themselves.
6. Although I don’t think you’ll be touching bar for a couple of weeks, again take note of components in drinks and ask if you don’t know what a certain abbreviation means. If you at least have an idea of all ingredients, it will make your transition a lot easier to actually making drinks.
7. A lot of drinks are actually the same. Speciality drinks like pumpkin spice lattes, mochas, white mochas, etc. are actually super similar in all but what their ingredients are. If you know how to make one, you probably know how to make the other. There are weird exceptions like caramel macchiato’s, but don’t worry about that. Just get main drinks down and work from there.
8. Ultimately it’s just coffee and non coffee drinks. You’re there to get paid, make connections, and be part of a time. You will have amazing days because of customers or partners. You will have horrible days because of customers and partners. Just like any job. Remember why you applied for Starbucks specifically, and just enjoy yourself. And smile for those people who don’t have the strength to smile for themselves.
noah_sandytaco [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Also what do you mean by the bar? If you mean like making drinks. Oh they’ve already thrown me into drink making. Whenever there’s one or two customers and no one in line they’ll bring me over and walk me through making the drinks which isn’t a problem for me but once I’ve made a drink once they think I remember it so whenever it comes up again they ask me to make it. I know all the refreshers and some of the iced teas by memory because those are super easy but today I’m going to make sure to ask more questions and try to get more information about things I didn’t understand so that I won’t be confused.
noah_sandytaco [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thanks for the advice I’ll keep all of that in mind today for my shift! What part of the register shows that because I was taught to take the drink order and write it on the cup before actually putting it into the register. No we don’t have stickers we just write on the cup and put it on the side for us to make or the other barista to make. I guess my Starbucks is different because it’s a target Starbucks but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it. Thanks again for the advice !!
Dunber1234 1 points 2y ago
You’ll learn I promise. I’m almost a month in and I’ve only worked the bar a few times but I’ve gotten better at remembering the drinks.. also there are recipe cards for them online that I personally studied from time to tike
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.