Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Drive Time (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by c_reckless35
So I have a question, and also a little bit of a rant. If there are any store managers or whoever can tell me this. But why in the world is drive time so important? Drive time is the most absolute ridiculous thing. Our goal is 49 seconds, but before the pandemic it was 39 seconds. Why does it make a difference if its just a few seconds longer? I get you want to be fast and efficient. But why should the quality of the drink be lowered just to save a few seconds? People aren't going to get mad about waiting at the window for maybe 50 seconds. And people are stil going to go to starbucks regardless. Drive time is the stupidest thing and I think the quality of the drink should come first over speed. Okay rant over
official_koda_ 21 points 2y ago
I agree. But I think what’s even more ridiculous is having such a focus on “customer connection” scores at the same time. Like you can’t have both. Either we need to focus on one or the other. Starbucks has way to high expectations.
freya-flowers 9 points 2y ago
Not a manager just a ssv but the goal of 49 seconds is just at the window, so that doesn't include their wait before ordering, their speaker box time or the wait for the 2 or 3 cars in front of them between speaker box and window , I agree that drive times are a bit harsh, but if you're following proper BRR you should be able to hit the starbucks quality level most of the time (the espresso isn't really that great anyway lmao) excepting any times you have to run to and from cold bev or brew station as well, they're important because you're in competition with the other stores in your district and the more money you make(returning customers) the more hours your store is alloted and the more money the staff makes.
[deleted] 5 points 2y ago
They want window times low because if customers are at the window for a minute each, but the line is 20 cars long, then they are waiting 20 minutes from start to finish
HamiltonPolka 5 points 2y ago
Used to work at one of the fastest DT stores on Illinois. We’d average around 30ish second window times. It’s pretty much the less time each car spends at the window, the faster cars move through and more money is made
c_reckless35 [OP] 8 points 2y ago
See i dont agree with that. People who come to starbucks want starbucks. They'll sit in the line or go inside. I dont think People care whether or not they're sitting there for 30 seconds or 50 seconds.
kmoonster 3 points 2y ago
It's not just that, it's also a question of the volume:time ratio. If you can schedule most of your labor for 15 minutes short of a lunch break, and they do 400 transactions or they do 350 transactions, that's a big difference when it's added up across hundreds of stores.
It's very much a corporate-level "more in less" approach that has to do with shares and increasing value and other such things.
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Having done plenty of drive-through work I have to agree with you, at some point the approach starts to defy reality. At some point the effort starts to cannibalize itself. But what you see from the ground is usually not what someone crunching beans up top sees, and we're the ones who get to see the consequences at ground level between reduced training, increased expectations, decreased (or flat) compensation, increased product variety, less product knowledge, etcetc-- there are very real consequences, but until it comes out on a spreadsheet in a corporate office the only thing deciding this equation will be the volume:time ratio above some acceptable background level of called in complaints/mistakes.
Doesn't make it right, but that's what it is.
It's very much a corporate-level "more in less" approach that has to do with shares and increasing value and other such things.
​
Having done plenty of drive-through work I have to agree with you, at some point the approach starts to defy reality. At some point the effort starts to cannibalize itself. But what you see from the ground is usually not what someone crunching beans up top sees, and we're the ones who get to see the consequences at ground level between reduced training, increased expectations, decreased (or flat) compensation, increased product variety, less product knowledge, etcetc-- there are very real consequences, but until it comes out on a spreadsheet in a corporate office the only thing deciding this equation will be the volume:time ratio above some acceptable background level of called in complaints/mistakes.
Doesn't make it right, but that's what it is.
Simplyroro 4 points 2y ago
What no one here has mentioned in their damned support of drive time is average ticket sales... my store only averages 1069 COSD but we bring in 11k, with food sales UPH averaging 70.2 daily.
What this means is our average ticket is over $10. And our OTW time averages 61 seconds.
And we get shit on daily to strive for that elusive 49 second drive time. They can all shut their asses and get RID of the 1 minute 40 second WRAPS. The ridiculous grilled cheeses that take nearly as long.
Keep in keeping on. No one gives a damn about partners.
What this means is our average ticket is over $10. And our OTW time averages 61 seconds.
And we get shit on daily to strive for that elusive 49 second drive time. They can all shut their asses and get RID of the 1 minute 40 second WRAPS. The ridiculous grilled cheeses that take nearly as long.
Keep in keeping on. No one gives a damn about partners.
jklmnopedy 5 points 2y ago
Those wraps are RIDICULOUS for DT, especially if someone wants to tag one on AT the window? Forget it. Starbucks really needs to learn how to day no to customers instead of partners. They've got me fuming. Sorry for the rant. :)
Generic_Reddit_Bot 1 points 2y ago
69? Nice.
I am a bot lol.
I am a bot lol.
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