Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
↑
4
↓
Anybody else have this experience? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by peach-lizard
So I just want to know if anyone else goes through this...
I figured most people's favorite area is the bar, making drinks. As is mine. But at my store no one is assigned to a set station really. I'd say I'm pretty good at it but it's a constant battle for me to stay on bar. For example I'm the closing shift and there's just me and one other person. I get we both want to be on bar so I let them be there most of the time but when I finally step on they start grabbing tickets and making drinks with me??? Like why are we both on bar?? Pay attention to the food or the few customers coming in.
There could be three people scheduled and we are all grabbing tickets on the bar?? I've only worked here for a couple months so I don't want to step on anyone's toes but I feel like I should communicate something because this is not a good system. I don't want to just sit back either and miss out on all the fun:/ Today I closed and did almost all the dishes myself:/ and I could count the number of drinks I made on one hand. I just feel it's not a very fair system.
I just want to ask.. what's everyone's experience at their store with this situation?
I figured most people's favorite area is the bar, making drinks. As is mine. But at my store no one is assigned to a set station really. I'd say I'm pretty good at it but it's a constant battle for me to stay on bar. For example I'm the closing shift and there's just me and one other person. I get we both want to be on bar so I let them be there most of the time but when I finally step on they start grabbing tickets and making drinks with me??? Like why are we both on bar?? Pay attention to the food or the few customers coming in.
There could be three people scheduled and we are all grabbing tickets on the bar?? I've only worked here for a couple months so I don't want to step on anyone's toes but I feel like I should communicate something because this is not a good system. I don't want to just sit back either and miss out on all the fun:/ Today I closed and did almost all the dishes myself:/ and I could count the number of drinks I made on one hand. I just feel it's not a very fair system.
I just want to ask.. what's everyone's experience at their store with this situation?
[deleted] 11 points 2y ago
As much as I HATE to be the one to say this- as a shift, you rarely should be putting yourself on bar anyway. Not counting covering breaks or helping a rush. You need to be in a position to easily move into other positions to help and to keep an eye on other things going on in the store (there’s a term for it Starbucks uses that I can’t quite remember).
Trust me, I love barring as much as the next person, but unfortunately when you’re a SSV you’re barring a significantly less amount of time.
But if people are jumping in while you’re on bar and not staying in their positions, it’s your job as the shift to give them that direction and communication. Don’t be mean about it, but if you’re not deploying them to a position and making sure they stay in position that’s where the system fails. You need to delegate tasks as well. “Hey can you do these dishes while we have a slow moment?” “Hey you don’t have any customers to ring out can you make some whips?” You’re not stepping on anyone’s toes, as the shift it’s your job to give that direction and communication that’s missing.
Trust me, I love barring as much as the next person, but unfortunately when you’re a SSV you’re barring a significantly less amount of time.
But if people are jumping in while you’re on bar and not staying in their positions, it’s your job as the shift to give them that direction and communication. Don’t be mean about it, but if you’re not deploying them to a position and making sure they stay in position that’s where the system fails. You need to delegate tasks as well. “Hey can you do these dishes while we have a slow moment?” “Hey you don’t have any customers to ring out can you make some whips?” You’re not stepping on anyone’s toes, as the shift it’s your job to give that direction and communication that’s missing.
peach-lizard [OP] 4 points 2y ago
I agree with you. The amount of time I've worked so far, as a shift, my priority is that the store is in order and I get the important things done. But from these responses I'm getting the idea that my store is a little off. I work the morning mostly and there are 3 other shifts that switch off working the mornings and they're usually the only ones on bar. But they've been here for years so I just assumed that was how it worked.
[deleted] 5 points 2y ago
It really depends. If they don’t have strong bar people and it’s busy then it’s the best place to be. “Aces in their places” is the Starbucks term for that. And it works for some shifts to just bar, but really it’s not the first place they should deploy themselves to for the Starbucks term I can’t remember for keeping and eye on what’s going on throughout the store.
But I’m gonna be brutally honest and I don’t mean to sound mean but it sounds like when you’re running your shift you aren’t telling people what position to be in, based on “no one has set positions” in your original post. If no ones told where to go- they’re just gonna wonder to whatever and usually it’s bar. It could be your other shifts aren’t doing that as well and they need to do it. OR you are doing it but because they aren’t the baristas aren’t listening to you. If that’s the case you need to have a shift meeting about it. I couldn’t tell if by you “were pretty good at it” you meant bar or deploying.
But I’m gonna be brutally honest and I don’t mean to sound mean but it sounds like when you’re running your shift you aren’t telling people what position to be in, based on “no one has set positions” in your original post. If no ones told where to go- they’re just gonna wonder to whatever and usually it’s bar. It could be your other shifts aren’t doing that as well and they need to do it. OR you are doing it but because they aren’t the baristas aren’t listening to you. If that’s the case you need to have a shift meeting about it. I couldn’t tell if by you “were pretty good at it” you meant bar or deploying.
peach-lizard [OP] 3 points 2y ago
I guess my statement ,"no one has set positions" came from my experience so far when I started working here and from what I've seen from the other shifts which have worked here 5+ years. Which is the main reason I don't try to tell them what to do when I work mornings with them and they're the main shift.
When it's my shift I close with one other person. When I show up early to count the tills I let the people there know what I need them to do before they can go.
When it's my shift I close with one other person. When I show up early to count the tills I let the people there know what I need them to do before they can go.
[deleted] 3 points 2y ago
So it sounds like the issue being the other shifts not really deploying people and so it carries over to your shift and people not staying where you deployed them.
That’s definitely something that needs to be talked about. I know being the new shift it’s hard to bring stuff up, but you can always bring it up to your SM and ask their thoughts and how to handle it. If you’re comfortable talking to them directly, just be like “hey I’m having this issue at night and I noticed people aren’t really deployed to positions in the mornings and I’d like to talk about that” maybe? That way it leaves room for discussion and gives a chance for them to speak their mind without it feeling like you’re attacking them?
That’s definitely something that needs to be talked about. I know being the new shift it’s hard to bring stuff up, but you can always bring it up to your SM and ask their thoughts and how to handle it. If you’re comfortable talking to them directly, just be like “hey I’m having this issue at night and I noticed people aren’t really deployed to positions in the mornings and I’d like to talk about that” maybe? That way it leaves room for discussion and gives a chance for them to speak their mind without it feeling like you’re attacking them?
Caramel_Muchacho 3 points 2y ago
Sounds like a poorly run store. Your shift supervisors should be deciding on deployment, not the baristas.
Just reread your post after writing the above - you’re a shift? If this is the case, I’m confused as to what is going on there more so than I was before.
Just reread your post after writing the above - you’re a shift? If this is the case, I’m confused as to what is going on there more so than I was before.
peach-lizard [OP] 1 points 2y ago
I started like two months ago and one month ago they asked me to become a shift . I work super hard and learned fast so when an old shift left they asked me to be the new one. But just for two days to close so I'm still learning the ropes and that's why I asked for fellow experience.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
[deleted]
rio8envy7 1 points 2y ago
Because they’re trying to help you. It’s called chain production. More than one person can be on bar it’s not just a one man job. Ask for more bar time.
peach-lizard [OP] 1 points 2y ago
I understand what you're saying it's just the way my store is designed is sort of strange and cramped. There's two espresso machines but the cups are on the right and the lids are on the left so usually there's one person on bar and another person helping them with toppings and lids and whatnot. It's just when it's slow in the afternoon and there's only the two of us; I usually tend to other things because it won't get done in a timely manner otherwise.
rio8envy7 2 points 2y ago
Yeah I get being crammed. Maybe when you’re busy you can communicate with whoever else is on bar. Be like hey can you do toppings and cold bar if you get a chance? That way you’re both on bar and nobody is dominating bar. You guys sound very unorganized in terms of roles.
peach-lizard [OP] 2 points 2y ago
I agree 100% !! Very unorganized. I'm hoping I can change it up around my store though. A lot of chillin going on with my fellow partners instead of getting things done. I just don't want to come off as a huge bitch when ordering people around.
rio8envy7 1 points 2y ago
Are you a shift?
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.