Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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New partner vent (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by rxdc1220
hey!! this is my first time posting here so sorry if this breaks any rules. I just started working at starbucks about two weeks ago, the first week being training. All's been going well, I'm really good at DTW and customer connections, so that's where I've been placed pretty much all of my first week of working and not training. I have very little bar experience outside of training and I don't feel confident enough there yet especially by myself. Today was pretty rough though. There was an unexpected rush this afternoon and we were understaffed. I was on DTW and occasionally DTO when the person doing DTO went to front register. The people doing bar were struggling to keep up with drive thru orders, but I didn't want to get in their way since I would've definitely had to ask a bunch of questions and slowed them down even more. At one point one of my coworkers turned and accidentally knocked over a drink and, while I was able to catch it before it spilled completely, some coffee splashed onto a stack of cups. Another one of my coworkers saw the cups and told me I had to throw the cups away and that I wasted them. A cup was also hidden by a bunch of pitchers and it was unattended to for a while, and it was for the order that a woman had been waiting on for a while. I had looked all over the store for her drink and figured they were still working on it, but when I found the cup and picked it up, that same coworker saw me the moment I picked it up and got SUPER pissed at me. He took the cup from me, handed it to someone, took off his headset and stormed off the floor. I don't want to sound like I'm shit talking my coworkers, because a lot of them are super kind and helpful, but today made me feel like I'm holding everyone back and I'm a burden. Has anyone else felt this way? I feel like I need more experience in bar but I've only been put in bar for like 10 minutes before going back to DTW or front register/ovens. I'm sorry if this seems super whiny, this was my first bad day at work and I feel super defeated. I really don't want to seem like I'm shitting on my coworkers, they're way more experienced than me and I haven't gained the confidence for the job that they have yet. It's just upsetting having the confidence I was gaining get crushed.
lovebymistake 14 points 2y ago
I’m really sorry you had that experience. You shouldn’t be treated like that and it’s not your fault at all. I’m not sure what those partners were thinking but having to toss cups and lids is a regular occurrence. Losing cups is also a regular occurrence and the partner should have just made it for you. It’s not fair that you did what you were told and were treated like you weren’t.
rxdc1220 [OP] 3 points 2y ago
Thank you. I mean don't get me wrong, the more cups the merrier, but I really couldn't understand why he was so upset.
NoFaceAllex 1 points 2y ago
Honestly some people deal with stress by getting frustrated at everything and everyone around them. Don’t take it personal, unless they keep being a jerk.. lol
yuungblud 6 points 2y ago
i totally feel this. i just started less than 2 weeks ago and didn’t have the best training experience (me and another new partner were being trained at the same time by the same person??) and i wasn’t shown how to do a lot of specific things like making sweet cream or whipped cream, and i didn’t get trained too much about making drinks (training was very basic) so i don’t feel confident doing bar AT ALL. yesterday was my first shift where i wasn’t being trained and when i told my supervisor i didn’t know how to make sweet cream or whipped cream because my trainer didn’t teach me, he basically accused me of making it up and blamed it on me just forgetting which hurt a lot because i’ve been trying so hard to do the job the best i can. it especially sucks because i felt like yesterday was a really good day until he said that stuff to me. sigh :/
rxdc1220 [OP] 3 points 2y ago
I'm really sorry you have to go through that :( I've just been trying to remind myself that the job has a really steep learning curve, and I'm making progress even when I think I'm not. I feel kind of okay with hot bar but cold bar overwhelms me so much :(((
yuungblud 1 points 2y ago
yeah you’re right, i guess a lot of learning the job just comes with experience and i can only get better from here. for me cold bar is much simpler for some reason but hot bar stresses me out smmm
Fit_Willingness1229 3 points 2y ago
hi!! i’m also newish (297xxxx) and luckily i’m feeling a lot more confident and comfy after these free months. first of all, none of that was your fault! you’ll see as you’re there longer that throwing stuff away happens sooooooo much. food, cups, lids, drinks, etc. it’s sucks that there’s that much waste but for food safety it’s standard and that’s ok! things happen. i miss stickers that say >delivery< or >cafe< every once in a while and they’re waiting on my drive counter instead of by the walk up window. it gets busy and things get hectic so just breaaaathe. i was losing my mind the first month or so. i didn’t think i could do it, but i love starbucks <3 just push through. luckily i have shifts that have me bar time more and more as we had some gaps in rushes, later on in the evening, right before close. it’s hard because we’re one of the busiest but little by little i got more practice. now i solo bar and i’m pretty confident! i’m not as fast as the others but w bar support knocking out a line is no biggie. i used a TON of help from reddit and i watched youtube and tik tok drink compilations to help me with watching how drinks were put together over and over and over. (just be careful bc sometimes tik tok baristas be doin weird things). hang in there, you’ll be a thriving bean in no time 💚
FruitPoopLoops 3 points 2y ago
Sorry that you had a bad day. I also work at a drive thru store and understand the pain of being understaffed and super busy. But when times gets stressful it isn’t fair for your coworkers to freak out at you, and they should know that it isn’t your fault. Sure accidents happens, but I don’t go freaking out towards someone because of a lost drink or a spill. That happens often when things get chaotic. No one intentionally tries to sabotage their fellow partners. So it’s their problem for having anger issues. I’ve had my fair share of angry fits, but I make sure to never take my frustration out on a barista. We are a team after all. You just gotta remind yourself that at the end of the day it’s just coffee and not to take things personally. Plus you’re new to the job, you shouldn’t be held accountable for something silly like spilling a drink. I spill one or two drinks per shift and been working for almost two years
BatWeary 2 points 2y ago
I’m super sorry you have to deal with that :( I don’t know why your coworkers were so upset about throwing out a stack of cups (besides, you aren’t even the one who knocked the drink over wtf!), I guarantee they probably drop half a stacks’ worth throughout their shift if not more. And a cup being hidden isn’t your fault- you didn’t see it and the person who placed it there should give a heads up. Shit happens and things like this happen daily at my store. Don’t let it ruin your day because a coupe of coworkers are grumpy during a rush.
old-spirit 1 points 2y ago
First off I just wanted to say it really sucks that you have been treated this way! You are a green bean to be cherished and roasted to perfection and that process has gotten off to a rocky start! Screw those people freaking out over coffee and taking it out on you because you are just the newest partner at the time.
I just wanted to offer you a few ideas for boundaries you can put in place to help you feel more confident at work! Take what feels right and toss the rest! There's no need to freak out over a missed drink. Usually when that happens it's something bigger. Totally not your fault! This was inappropriate behavior on their part and you can feel free to write it off as not your circus not your monkeys. It sounds like some cups got spilled on which as someone else said totally doesn't even matter! Mistakes happen and it was even yours to begin with lol. You could try to set some goals for yourself to focus on so that you can take your development into your own hands as much as possible. That way if you have an experience similar to the ones you described, you feel more confident in yourself and what you have accomplished so far.
I just wanted to offer you a few ideas for boundaries you can put in place to help you feel more confident at work! Take what feels right and toss the rest! There's no need to freak out over a missed drink. Usually when that happens it's something bigger. Totally not your fault! This was inappropriate behavior on their part and you can feel free to write it off as not your circus not your monkeys. It sounds like some cups got spilled on which as someone else said totally doesn't even matter! Mistakes happen and it was even yours to begin with lol. You could try to set some goals for yourself to focus on so that you can take your development into your own hands as much as possible. That way if you have an experience similar to the ones you described, you feel more confident in yourself and what you have accomplished so far.
_Pulltab_ 1 points 2y ago
That partner’s reaction had nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. Whether they were having an off day or are just a total a-hole, nothing you were doing is responsible for their behavior. I’ve been a partner for almost two years and sometimes have the same things happen as you did.
Two weeks is super green. It’s pretty common to spend the first several weeks on front or window in a drive through store, especially if you mostly work mornings. Don’t get discouraged. You’ll get there!
Two weeks is super green. It’s pretty common to spend the first several weeks on front or window in a drive through store, especially if you mostly work mornings. Don’t get discouraged. You’ll get there!
Tiny_Independence675 1 points 2y ago
I know a bunch of people already said this, but I’m sorry too. It SUCKS to feel like you’re holding everyone back and being a burden. I definitely felt that my first little while at the bux. The partner who was getting upset might’ve just been stressed/overwhelmed and not dealt with the situations like they should’ve. I PROMISE YOU it will get better. It takes a few months, but once you’re there, I bet you’ll like your job a lot more. It is still fast food kind of, and that’s never easy no matter where you’re at, but if you find it enjoyable right now in the places where you feel confident, you will probably feel the same way in other areas once you feel confident there too. Just know that asking questions is never a bad thing, and be open and honest with your coworkers. Ask them what you can do to help. Ask your SSVs for bar time when it’s not too busy. Be very proactive and you will see these positive changes happening quickly.
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