I was a trainer and as night lead, usually got the newbies for shifts too.

I started training by telling new partners "no one expects you to remember and do all I'm about to show perfectly off-the-bat. I want you to ask as many questions as you have, and if you aren't asking questions I'm going to start worrying. that means you're either a coffee savant or you might be doing something wrong and trying to hide it. the former has never happened. You won't get in trouble for doing something wrong, it just means i have to show you how to do it again, and Starbucks pays me to do that, so you're not putting me out."

I also encouraged newbies to call me or another senior crew member to see a drink they're proud of, or if they made a big sale, or made a customer's day. that solidified ownership and pride in work in new partners.

the managers and i would also secret shop our own stores, getting folks to make drinks without knowing we ordered them to see what the customer sees, tastes what the customer tastes. i'd also have partners take a couple minutes once-in-awhile (when rarely possible) and quietly stroll the lobby, to take it in as a customer would, starting at the front doors.

This!

255 partner here, former librarian and my "this is how NOT to train people" feelings of the training process was hard to let go when my own training was a SHAM (mostly due to many factors out of our store's and now current management s control)

I'm known as 'Momma M*****' and get the privilege of being handed most all of our green beans as soon as computer training is complete, though it has not been as much for first days of training now that I've been the opening shift (other than SM, our SOLE opener) I'm extremely in tune with my 'kids' and make sure they won't 'drown'.....however there will always be the feeling of not knowing everything and having to find your own rhythm and flow with the floor and customers. So know that you won't get it all right every time or every person, that you'll feel out of place and you'll build a good knowledge as you go. Keep being yourself, be confident and be not afraid to ask questions and transparent with your partners and customers. Everyone crawls, stumbles, and finds their footing in time! Keep your head up and you will be flying in the floor 'dance' in no time

Thanks man I really needed to hear that today. I just started 4weeks ago. Some days are good, but others make me feel like shit and like I'm not doing well there at all. Sometimes I think I know what I'm doing and that I have the hang of it, but the next day I feel like I'm not doing anything well at all. I've worked in retail before for 7 years and not new to service industry. I like working hard and all I want to do is get working and put my hands to use. But they only put me on drive thru handing out drinks. I try to do things to help people out elsewhere when I'm just standing around. some people like my help, others don't really and tell me to stay at the drive thru. Which drives me nuts, because I want to do so much more than just hand out drinks. Maybe now that xmas is over I can learn more, but it's quite frustrating right now. Anyways thanks for the post, really needed to hear that I'm not just going crazy for thinking I'm not doing well there.

Not just green beans, lol

I was considering going back to the Bux (132 here)... until yesterday when I tried to order a venti Awake Tea Misto with a Fruit and Cheese Plate lol That poor dude was so confused, and he tried to clarify, "Do you mean an English Breakfast Tea Latte?" I think the food item has a different name now, too. I don't order them much anymore, I guess they've changed the names!

I am still like, Tazo makes Awake tea, right? Doesn't Starbucks still use Tazo tea? Is it only Oprah tea now? 🤣😂 I feel reeeeal obsolete!!

Don't mind me, green bean over here, but green from rot, not youth 🤣😂

Yessss. I’ve been a barista for about a year now and I can say these feelings are ABSOLUTELY collective to just about every new person.

Green beans, you are not alone. You don’t suck.
Be patient and do your best to stay focused. Most importantly forgive yourself. This job ain’t easy but it provides amazing learning grounds in the terms of character and work ethic. If ya can survive it 🤣