Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Whats the protocol for iced coffee if there is syrup and milk involved? Syrup->coffee->milk right? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by Background-Pitch-392
I used to work at Starbucks so I know what the protocol was and I have experience as a barista. Both at Starbucks and at a regular coffee shop. This was a few years ago, I stopped working as a barista.
Now fast forward to today, I always get an iced coffee with syrup. Every day. Sometimes twice a day. Once I pick up my mobile order I ask for some cream on the side so I can pour it in. The baristas are giving me a hard time for it. I told them that whenever I order milk with my iced coffee and syrup, they put syrup in first, then cream, and then top it off with coffee. I know this is wrong because i used to work at Starbucks and this wasnt our protocol. Mixing syrup and milk together gives a coffee a different taste. Thats how dunkin makes their iced coffee and thats why their drinks are inconsistent all the time.
I told them that and they said they dont care and to order milk within the app in the drink so they wouldnt have to give me a short cup filled with cream all the time. Did they change the protocol? They said that they do syrup first, then milk, and then they top it off with coffee.
Or are they making it wrong? I dont want to be annoying but i look forward to my coffee every day so when it tastes weird I get put off.
Now fast forward to today, I always get an iced coffee with syrup. Every day. Sometimes twice a day. Once I pick up my mobile order I ask for some cream on the side so I can pour it in. The baristas are giving me a hard time for it. I told them that whenever I order milk with my iced coffee and syrup, they put syrup in first, then cream, and then top it off with coffee. I know this is wrong because i used to work at Starbucks and this wasnt our protocol. Mixing syrup and milk together gives a coffee a different taste. Thats how dunkin makes their iced coffee and thats why their drinks are inconsistent all the time.
I told them that and they said they dont care and to order milk within the app in the drink so they wouldnt have to give me a short cup filled with cream all the time. Did they change the protocol? They said that they do syrup first, then milk, and then they top it off with coffee.
Or are they making it wrong? I dont want to be annoying but i look forward to my coffee every day so when it tastes weird I get put off.
yukhentai 8 points 2y ago
they’re making it wrong then, it is like tattooed into my brain to go syrup, coffee to the second, milk to the third. idk why they’d give u a hard time for asking for milk on the side, they sound like meanies :(
Background-Pitch-392 [OP] 3 points 2y ago
I thought so too but the woman working there said so confidently and pointed to my cup at the lines saying its used to measure the milk. I was like thats not what the lines are for its for the amount of product in the cup and the lines are for knowing when to start adding ice but she wasn’t listening so i just went with it
yukhentai 5 points 2y ago
wtf thats so weird, and even weirder that they would try to argue the point with a customer that hard. they could look at their own recipe cards and be proven wrong lmao. but they sound like the kind of store to not even know what the recipe cards are.
edit: i have a venti cup in my house rn and i just looked for fun and filling with milk to the first or second lines would be nearly a half of the cup being milk. how could they think that’s the recipe? lmfao
edit: i have a venti cup in my house rn and i just looked for fun and filling with milk to the first or second lines would be nearly a half of the cup being milk. how could they think that’s the recipe? lmfao
Background-Pitch-392 [OP] 2 points 2y ago
The lines arent for milk though and thats what i was telling the barista. The lines on the cups are for the amount of product intended to be in the cup. For example drinks should be filled to the last line on top and then filled rest with ice. If customer ask for less ice than they pour in a little more over the line and add ice. Its so unfortunate that I have to tell them anything though.
violetskies7 5 points 2y ago
the standard for iced coffee with milk is syrup, iced coffee to the middle line, milk to the top line, and then ice. so yes, the lines are used for measuring milk. but the coffee should be poured first.
your best bet is mobile ordering is to order a regular iced coffee with no milk, light cream. if you’re a little more picky about how much cream there is, order a regular iced coffee with no milk (with room if you want) and ask for the cream on the side when you get there.
your best bet is mobile ordering is to order a regular iced coffee with no milk, light cream. if you’re a little more picky about how much cream there is, order a regular iced coffee with no milk (with room if you want) and ask for the cream on the side when you get there.
mr-potatohead_ 3 points 2y ago
My thought (not that you should have to do this because the baristas are clearly in the wrong) is that you can specify light milk when you order. If they are putting in that outrageous amount of milk, light should be the perfect amount 😂 and if they don't put enough just look at the color before you touch the cup and ask for a little bit more. I have no problem with giving a little milk on the side and they shouldn't either.. is there another location you can go to? They sound so mean😭😭
Background-Pitch-392 [OP] 3 points 2y ago
Theres no other close locations, I think I’ll make my own iced coffee from now on. I just really like the experience of going out for a walk and picking up a coffee but honestly its not worth the hassle anymore.
59625962 3 points 2y ago
Sounds like a wonderful idea
mr-potatohead_ 3 points 2y ago
God thats so shitty 😭 I'm so sorry they are treating you this way. It's not ok and should not be the norm. I wonder if they would do that if you ordered a cold brew? Or iced americano? I would try a couple different drinks before giving up altogether. Don't let them win and take away the joy you find in a routine thats supposed to be relaxing
Background-Pitch-392 [OP] 3 points 2y ago
I stopped ordering americanos with milk from there because what they did was atrocious, they literally made a latte and then added hot water to it. They’d put Espresso and milk together and then they added hot water since milk and espresso was on the bar and then they’d walk to the hot water dispenser near the hot brew.
I thought i’d escape from ordering iced coffees but honestly I think its the location that just does their own thing. I sound so annoying but as a coffee lover its so hard to overlook these things. And I feel bad saying anything to them.
I thought i’d escape from ordering iced coffees but honestly I think its the location that just does their own thing. I sound so annoying but as a coffee lover its so hard to overlook these things. And I feel bad saying anything to them.
ajspivey 1 points 2y ago
Based on the replies you're getting I'm uncertain if the issue here is that the milk is mixing with the syrup prior to mixing with the coffee or that you're getting inconsistent levels of milk due to them not measuring from the 2nd to the 3rd line when adding your milk.
But stricly based on the measuring lines provided on the cups, it doesn't make sense to do it any way other than milk first thing or milk very last (after ice). Because you need to be able to measure light, regular, and extra. If you do milk first then: it's first ridge (from the bottom) for light, second for regular, first black line for extra. But if you do milk last you would use upper ridges of the cup after adding ice up to the appropriate ridge(from top to bottom: light, regular, extra). The issue with adding the milk last is, even if you are accounting for the milk volume before you've added the ice, you can't measure all three volume levels necessary on the black lines so you will ultimately end up with a more inconsistent drink that way.
Personally, the way I do it is milk->sryup->measured ice->fill to top with coffee. Just because that works slightly better for my sequencing. Fyi, the ice scoops measure out the amounts for one size up from their Frappuccino size (i.e. the grande scoop is the amount of ice for a venti iced coffee).
I don't literally have the drink card in front of me, but I have been to the batista championships on three occasions so I do hope I'm not messing up.
But stricly based on the measuring lines provided on the cups, it doesn't make sense to do it any way other than milk first thing or milk very last (after ice). Because you need to be able to measure light, regular, and extra. If you do milk first then: it's first ridge (from the bottom) for light, second for regular, first black line for extra. But if you do milk last you would use upper ridges of the cup after adding ice up to the appropriate ridge(from top to bottom: light, regular, extra). The issue with adding the milk last is, even if you are accounting for the milk volume before you've added the ice, you can't measure all three volume levels necessary on the black lines so you will ultimately end up with a more inconsistent drink that way.
Personally, the way I do it is milk->sryup->measured ice->fill to top with coffee. Just because that works slightly better for my sequencing. Fyi, the ice scoops measure out the amounts for one size up from their Frappuccino size (i.e. the grande scoop is the amount of ice for a venti iced coffee).
I don't literally have the drink card in front of me, but I have been to the batista championships on three occasions so I do hope I'm not messing up.
Background-Pitch-392 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thanks for the reply. I’ve gotten some answers but the main problem for me was that 1) the baristas aren’t making drinks properly, so that’s causing my drinks to taste different and inconsistent and
2) they’re giving me a hard time when I ask for milk on the side. Prior to covid they had the milk canisters out at the bar and people would add the amount that they would like.
I guess if they would put the milk out again so people could pour in however much they need would solve the issue but with covid its not happening soon.
I know Im being picky but as a decade long coffee drinker I always want my drinks to taste good. Its the best part of my day. I know im being so annoying but I’ll just make my own from now on.
Also that’s really cool that you went! My previous boss was so unorganized, I couldn’t even get him to send me to the black apron training so I could be a coffee master, I never got the chance.
Anyway, thanks for replying:)
2) they’re giving me a hard time when I ask for milk on the side. Prior to covid they had the milk canisters out at the bar and people would add the amount that they would like.
I guess if they would put the milk out again so people could pour in however much they need would solve the issue but with covid its not happening soon.
I know Im being picky but as a decade long coffee drinker I always want my drinks to taste good. Its the best part of my day. I know im being so annoying but I’ll just make my own from now on.
Also that’s really cool that you went! My previous boss was so unorganized, I couldn’t even get him to send me to the black apron training so I could be a coffee master, I never got the chance.
Anyway, thanks for replying:)
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
Classic 3,4,6 right?
Background-Pitch-392 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Yes ;) unless its a hot drink then venti only gets 5
Flappadingo 1 points 2y ago
stopping my flow on mobile bar to get you a short cream is annoying.
Order light cream.
but they are making the IC wrong. your choice ... ask about it each time, find another SB or quit going
I’d call th store and tell them the IC issue lost them a customer ...talk to the SM, Maybe everyone really thinks they are right.
either way yhave a choice to make
Order light cream.
but they are making the IC wrong. your choice ... ask about it each time, find another SB or quit going
I’d call th store and tell them the IC issue lost them a customer ...talk to the SM, Maybe everyone really thinks they are right.
either way yhave a choice to make
59625962 0 points 2y ago
Its not that deep
Background-Pitch-392 [OP] 4 points 2y ago
For you, maybe not because you don’t care about the customers you’re serving. For me I care because I’m paying 6$ for an iced coffee and I’d like it to taste well. On top of that, when I was a barista I’d double check with my customers to make sure their drink was made the way they wanted.
59625962 -1 points 2y ago
Maybe dont order $6 coffee from a giant soulless corporate coffee chain then :)
mr-potatohead_ 3 points 2y ago
You should be able to get a drink you like 😂 $6 or not you should be able to tell the barista, Hey! I dont like that much milk in my coffee 🤷🏼♀️
yukhentai 3 points 2y ago
girl who said it was deep? we’re on reddit where we can choose to discuss whatever “petty” things we want. this person asked for a clarification, if you dont wanna make drinks right and you hate this coffee chain sm then why be on here lol
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