Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Drive-thru (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by philosopher_cat_lady
Customer, upon arriving at my window: \*emphatically\* Can I just tell you that I have NEVER, EVER spent that long in a drive-thru line at Starbucks.
Me, working DTR and DTO by myself on a Sunday afternoon: \*stares at customer, takes my next call\*
Customer at window, to her friend: As soon as I get home...
Me: \*returns to customer at window\* I'm sorry, ma'am, two of our baristas called out sick today, which is why your wait has been long.
She left at a drive-thru time of 14 minutes. I gave her a recovery card even though she sure as hell didn't deserve one. I later learned I'm supposed to get authorization from a shift supervisor to give those out now. I completely didn't think to refer the situation to my shift supervisor as I was exhausted, dehydrated, and hungry, not to mention busy and anxious due to her rudeness. I worked an eight-hour shift entirely in the two drive-thru positions and only had time to eat a scone for lunch. But let me worry about your wait in line, which you willingly entered into seeing how long and slow-moving it was, while I'm risking my life to serve you. I honestly hope she does contact corporate to complain but know they're not going to care.
Me, working DTR and DTO by myself on a Sunday afternoon: \*stares at customer, takes my next call\*
Customer at window, to her friend: As soon as I get home...
Me: \*returns to customer at window\* I'm sorry, ma'am, two of our baristas called out sick today, which is why your wait has been long.
She left at a drive-thru time of 14 minutes. I gave her a recovery card even though she sure as hell didn't deserve one. I later learned I'm supposed to get authorization from a shift supervisor to give those out now. I completely didn't think to refer the situation to my shift supervisor as I was exhausted, dehydrated, and hungry, not to mention busy and anxious due to her rudeness. I worked an eight-hour shift entirely in the two drive-thru positions and only had time to eat a scone for lunch. But let me worry about your wait in line, which you willingly entered into seeing how long and slow-moving it was, while I'm risking my life to serve you. I honestly hope she does contact corporate to complain but know they're not going to care.
[deleted] 73 points 2y ago
What? You don’t need authorization to give out a recovery card. It’s up to the baristas desecration and what they think can do to make the moment right. If you needed authorization I doubt it would be so easy to give them out.
star_pants 27 points 2y ago
Certain stores try to reign in recovery card use. I used to work at a store where a couple of baristas knew where they were and were giving them out like candy instead of trying to fix the issue. So we had to put them all in the safe and the SS would have a couple in their apron pockets. It had gotten so bad that there were customers flat out expecting/asking for recovery cards in addition to getting their drink remade+keeping the mistake drink.
Then we also started seeing recovery cards come back in that were never loaded, because baristas just saw someone else give one out and didn't actually know how to use them and also gave them out with any issue, which of course made the original issue worse when 9 times out of 10 just remaking the drink and listening to the customer would have fixed it in the first place and now it was a multi trip issue that still hadn't been resolved.
Not that all stores have this problem, it was just one that was particularly bad and took a while to resolve and bring our scores back up so we just took a preemptive approach with having SS try to resolve an issue if a barista couldn't and then if the situation could use a recovery card we'd use them.
Then we also started seeing recovery cards come back in that were never loaded, because baristas just saw someone else give one out and didn't actually know how to use them and also gave them out with any issue, which of course made the original issue worse when 9 times out of 10 just remaking the drink and listening to the customer would have fixed it in the first place and now it was a multi trip issue that still hadn't been resolved.
Not that all stores have this problem, it was just one that was particularly bad and took a while to resolve and bring our scores back up so we just took a preemptive approach with having SS try to resolve an issue if a barista couldn't and then if the situation could use a recovery card we'd use them.
aimsthename88 4 points 2y ago
We had the same issue at my store, so we also tell baristas that only SS can hand them out when they see fit.
hopelovepeace33 2 points 2y ago
My store doesn’t hand out recovery cards that often unless it’s for an actual reason and we make the moment right on top of that. What my store does have is a bunch of entitled customers who like to come through here every now and again assuming they are going to get a recover card for a drink that we made hot instead of iced even though they never said iced to begin with and the barista clarified with them as well.
star_pants 2 points 2y ago
That's exactly what we ended up with before making people check with SS before giving them out, it breeds a different kind of customer
esaeklsg 9 points 2y ago
Sounds like either the store has been giving out too many recovery cards or they have a controlling manager. In either case, they’re still being coached to confirm with an SS, so they should probably continue doing that.
I was at a drive thru years back that regularly had long waits for a bit. I think we stopped giving out cards because it was just such a constant problem. We wouldn’t be making any money.
I was at a drive thru years back that regularly had long waits for a bit. I think we stopped giving out cards because it was just such a constant problem. We wouldn’t be making any money.
[deleted] 6 points 2y ago
desecration
astivana 2 points 2y ago
“barista’s desecration” is making me giggle so much, A+ typo or malapropism
philosopher_cat_lady [OP] 1 points 2y ago
I THINK that's what my shift supervisor said, but maybe I'm mistaken. It came from a shift supervisor who frequently changes her position on rules. Also, your typo of 'discretion' really made me lol.
Blueoctokat 37 points 2y ago
Ughhh, so sorry. She sucks bad. What a child. I waited 20 mins in my Starbucks drive thru today, so what? Prioritize your time better, Karen. You're not the only customer.
different_as_can_be 10 points 2y ago
we once had a SS from our own store do this in the drive thru. she told me she waited 30 minutes in line and that i should “rearrange the play” even tho i’m not a SS and just a trainer who has no control. we were short a person and slammed for hours. boy was i angry and so was the rest of my crew. now we joke about it. but it still heats me.
[deleted] 7 points 2y ago
I would have asked them if they wanted to clock in.
philosopher_cat_lady [OP] 3 points 2y ago
Your SS was an idiot with a very strange lack of self-awareness. I will never understand partners who are Karens. One time my DTO refused to get me a cheese danish because I told her I needed one. She shook her head and corrected the way I asked. She said, "'May I PLEASE have a cheese danish.'" I stared at her for a second and went and got it myself.
Beap92 8 points 2y ago
You don’t need authorization to give out a recovery card, I don’t know how that rumour spread
sparkytheboomman 7 points 2y ago
I think it varies by store
Beap92 4 points 2y ago
It’s in the company wide training though
aimsthename88 4 points 2y ago
It depends on the store/manager.
tricializ1 7 points 2y ago
First world problems for her. She can see, can’t she? Line is long, it’s hand-crafted beverages customized to each person. Deal with it or get off your butt, park the car and come in and order or mobile order. It’s called plan ahead Karen. I’m sorry you had to deal with her.
philosopher_cat_lady [OP] 1 points 2y ago
It's called have patience like an adult. The long wait can be explained by the facts that it's a weekend and there's a global pandemic which causes short-staffing. The weird, sad thing is she probably didn't realize how rude she was being. She may have just wanted to communicate that the length and speed of the drive-thru line was unacceptable. I heartily agree with that, but not only is it not my fault but there's very likely a reasonable explanation for it and she should have just sucked it up.
dalenakitty 7 points 2y ago
I just tell my baristas that if DT hits a certain time to just recover a drink on the next couple orders and that always solves the problem and keeps people from being assholes.
philosopher_cat_lady [OP] 3 points 2y ago
That's a great idea, it's an even better one than giving recovery cards. Thanks.
april4_21 6 points 2y ago
I was really hoping this story was going another way & she continued to say "As soon as I get home, I'm writing a letter suggesting they staff properly." I guess I'm naïve that way.
Wishing you a better day today. ALL of you.
Wishing you a better day today. ALL of you.
philosopher_cat_lady [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Yeah, somehow I doubt that's what she's gonna tell corporate
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