Imagine that you're an artist. Someone has commissioned a piece of art from you and based on their description of what they want, you feel inspired and energized to create a something good. But the person who commissioned you insists you use their own tools and supplies. As the project goes on you realize that all the tools they give you are broken or insufficient. Some of the things you need are missing entirely. Sometime they come and take away what you need at the very moment you find yourself needing them the most. But they seem completely unaware that you are not equipped to do what they want you to do. They demand your finished work even though they have spent the whole time undermining your best efforts. Very frustrating.

Majority of us loved our jobs at first. We loved making genuine connections and taking time to craft the perfect drink, because we had enough staffing and support to do so. Starbucks has recently taken a turn to be all about speed and forced connections. We’re incredibly understaffed all the time, and we never feel supported by upper management. Also we put up with a lot of SHIT for very very little pay. You won’t necessarily learn to hate it, but most people eventually do once they realize how much shit we’re put through, but it personally took me 2 years to reach that point.

We hate Starbucks because:

DMs and SMs seem to have this disconnect. They act like baristas ans SSVs are making a comparable amount of money to them. No SM, you are the only one here that can afford to drive nice ass luxury SUV thats only 5 years old. A pat on the back and a thank you is nice, but it does not pay my bills. It doesnt allow me to have money to spend. A thank you becomes worthless and empty feeling after a while. Yes, I am always working my ass off. So why am I still making the same as the new hires?

Starbucks doesnt give raises easily. I worked for the company years ago, around 2015-2016. Base pay was $9. We got somewhere around $1-1.50/hour extra with tips. Only because my manager was a big contributor to the stores success. He was upfront with us often, and was always one of our strongest workers on the floor. Now, a whole 4 years later, they've only given $0.50 company wide raises. Meanwhile, several companies that paid similarly and demanded the same kind of IQ or experience to work at have given huge company wide raises. Walmart is at $12/hour. Bestbuy starts people off at somewhere around $10 apparently. Annual raises. And Ive read on employee forums that people have gone to their boss, said they think they deserve more than the standard $0.50 raise, and got more than a $1.00 EXTRA in that annual raise. This is how a company with millions of dollars is supposed to treat employees.

I personally dont enjoy that Starbucks tries to use us as their political pawns for PR. They're pretty quick to hop on things like BLM, give them to employees so they look "inclusive". Then queue the angry Trump supporters to come and yell at you.

Speaking of PR, Starbucks lied to the public about giving us raises. Said they will, they never did. They still just give a few cents every year.

People who have been here for a while are given a lot more responsibility. A lot of my shifts have been training/helping new people learn while also pushing through rushes in a drive through store. Ive never been yelled at or scolded by my manager because I know what Im doing. But I watch her yell at new people who've barely been here that long over the smallest, pettiest shit.

Starbucks refuses to let us accept tips through card transactions, which is A LOT of our sales. This is the main reason why local coffee shop employees are making $15-18/hour. Instead, people can only tip through cash. Which people hardly carry around with them. Or the wonky app thats half developed. We could be making at least $14/hour if we were able to accept tips through card. This alone I believe would actually get us more hardworkers who have more drive and enthusiasm.

But to be clear, I hate the company, not my job. I actually enjoy this job. The work environment and my coworkers. But it pays shit and is way too much work for the pay. There isnt much to learn here. The only things I feel I really learned here is how to multitask, and keep my cool during shitshow hours.

I started off as an introvert and working at Starbucks helped me to connect with people. As of recently, even a little bit before the Covid pandemic, the demand of the job has become to much to tolerate. Labor cuts, increase in drink complexity, added on tasks you name it. All for the same pay and less hrs. I’m a young hard worker but I leave work drained mentally and physically with little to no energy left for outside hobbies. Minimum wage and benefits that aren’t exactly the greatest. I honestly can’t even look customers in the eyes anymore it’s gotten so bad. I was making so much progress in life and now I have to drag myself to work in the early morning with no closing shift to lighten the stress bc of Covid block scheduling. I’m leaving soon hopefully with another job lined up because I can’t anymore. My health is at jeopardy.

95% of your coworkers will have the work ethic of a 3-toed sloth. Nothing will change their attitude but as you are the most responsible, you are the one held at fault.

Starbucks baristas: don't ruin the experience for new partners!

Also baristas: this thread.

I actually love working at starbucks :) have been at starbucks since 2012 (took a little break in the middle to travel).

I don't hate Starbucks. In fact I really like the partners, customers and management I work with.

If the time comes that I do dislike the job I'll quit rather than bitch about it.