Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Venti sized "I almost quit on the spot" Rant (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by PenguinUrinal
I've been having such a hard time on bar recently. I feel frantic and frazzled when I realized that's there's too many people that "try to help" on bar. It honestly messes up my rhythm and makes sequencing super difficult.
Today we were pretty busy, very consistent stream of people coming in and getting drinks. I'm solo barring and I set up 2 doppio shots to pull for a quad shaken espresso. I go to make a refresher as the shots pull, and why on God's green earth does the person on POS feel the need to take the cup off the bar after the first two shots and put it on the counter??? Why are you here? Why are you messing with my sequencing? Why are you messing with my drinks? I look back confused and I see that the other two shots haven't pulled yet, but getting ready to. I take the cup and put it back on the bar to catch the shots, not saying anything, just giving her a face (which you can't really see under the mask).
But she does things like this all the time and I hate it so much. Any time you go to work on another drink, she's there in my way trying to "help." Other times today she'll just start making a personal drink for herself while I'm trying to bar at a consistent rate on mobiles and customers coming in. I always always always feel like I have to work around my coworkers, not just her. And it's so frustrating and it makes me frazzled that I can't just worry about making the drinks... Everyone else is so ready to take over bar that's sometimes there will be four people on bar in a cafe store! Like stop, please. Then I'll have my SSV come over asking if I need a break from bar in the most condescending voice.. like NO, I Need People To Stop Messing With My Sequencing And Get Out Of My Way!
When she took the cup off bar I wanted to just walk out right then, because I can't take it anymore. I hate working with her the most and work never feels fun anymore... seriously if I'm such a bad barista that I need three people "helping me," just fire me please because it's so hard to work like this.
My rant is over. I'm sorry, this has been building up for the last couple of months. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, maybe look for something else beside the bux?
Today we were pretty busy, very consistent stream of people coming in and getting drinks. I'm solo barring and I set up 2 doppio shots to pull for a quad shaken espresso. I go to make a refresher as the shots pull, and why on God's green earth does the person on POS feel the need to take the cup off the bar after the first two shots and put it on the counter??? Why are you here? Why are you messing with my sequencing? Why are you messing with my drinks? I look back confused and I see that the other two shots haven't pulled yet, but getting ready to. I take the cup and put it back on the bar to catch the shots, not saying anything, just giving her a face (which you can't really see under the mask).
But she does things like this all the time and I hate it so much. Any time you go to work on another drink, she's there in my way trying to "help." Other times today she'll just start making a personal drink for herself while I'm trying to bar at a consistent rate on mobiles and customers coming in. I always always always feel like I have to work around my coworkers, not just her. And it's so frustrating and it makes me frazzled that I can't just worry about making the drinks... Everyone else is so ready to take over bar that's sometimes there will be four people on bar in a cafe store! Like stop, please. Then I'll have my SSV come over asking if I need a break from bar in the most condescending voice.. like NO, I Need People To Stop Messing With My Sequencing And Get Out Of My Way!
When she took the cup off bar I wanted to just walk out right then, because I can't take it anymore. I hate working with her the most and work never feels fun anymore... seriously if I'm such a bad barista that I need three people "helping me," just fire me please because it's so hard to work like this.
My rant is over. I'm sorry, this has been building up for the last couple of months. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, maybe look for something else beside the bux?
rio8envy7 12 points 2y ago
Happens to me all the time. Maybe you need to talk to this girl and be like look I know you’re trying to help but I need space to work and I can’t do that when you’re trying to make your own drink or moving things around. Or say. I appreciate you’re trying to help but maybe you can help me by restocking lids or cups or milk.
Trust me I get it. I snapped at my shift a few weeks ago because I was feeling like I had so many people crowding around trying to help me when I didn’t need it.
Trust me I get it. I snapped at my shift a few weeks ago because I was feeling like I had so many people crowding around trying to help me when I didn’t need it.
PenguinUrinal [OP] 4 points 2y ago
Thank you. I'll see if I can talk to her. I luckily have the next day off so I can cool off.
FfierceLaw 7 points 2y ago
Part of sequencing is keeping it in your head. If someone is moving your partly finished drink components they may as well take and hide your stickers! They are going to cause you to repeat things you have already done. Plus it pisses you off which gets in the way of your being “in the zone.”
You’re going to have to be direct without upsetting them, unfortunately. DTO/DTR is all about hand off times so stay in touch verbally about what is needed at the window. I have a hunch they start messing with you when the car at the window has been stuck awhile waiting for one last drink. They know you have to do cafe and mobile orders and people are standing there staring at you in the cafe. But they just want the drive through line to move and they are thinking you’re a bit temperamental (we all are to some degree) so they’re looking at whether you’re making that one drink that will move the line but they’re afraid to even say “We need tall cappuccino at the window “ or risk upsetting you. It’s a tense dynamic and the only way out is talking through the headsets
You’re going to have to be direct without upsetting them, unfortunately. DTO/DTR is all about hand off times so stay in touch verbally about what is needed at the window. I have a hunch they start messing with you when the car at the window has been stuck awhile waiting for one last drink. They know you have to do cafe and mobile orders and people are standing there staring at you in the cafe. But they just want the drive through line to move and they are thinking you’re a bit temperamental (we all are to some degree) so they’re looking at whether you’re making that one drink that will move the line but they’re afraid to even say “We need tall cappuccino at the window “ or risk upsetting you. It’s a tense dynamic and the only way out is talking through the headsets
PenguinUrinal [OP] 4 points 2y ago
I've been a borrowed partner at a DT store and it's pretty intense and I admire all of the baristas able to work under that pressure. I work in a cafe only store. We're right next to a downtown strip and get a lot of customers (not as much as a DT, but still one of the busiest cafes in our district). As a barista I luckily only worry about cafe and mobile orders, but sequencing is definitely still needed and when people move my cup or in the way of the ice bucket or standing where the inclusions are, it's makes the job so hard.
I'm still going to see if I can talk to her after I cool off.
I'm still going to see if I can talk to her after I cool off.
FfierceLaw 5 points 2y ago
Frankly it sounds like she’s bored, now that I know you don’t have drive through. She needs some CS duties or something, sanitize the customer side of the counter
PenguinUrinal [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Agreed.
FfierceLaw 2 points 2y ago
Right now if customers are unable to sit and chill, socialize in your cafe they’re just going to stand there and watch the barista. I don’t know how baristas “connect” under those circumstances. I’m new and consigned to DTR on a regular basis but I’m curious and I observe
sydbey_ 1 points 2y ago
when people do this to me I just say try my best to say hey, I appreciate your help, but maybe you can help out with some cold bar drinks when / if I get some.. some people just need a little direction. there’s always a million things to do
Ashesremindme 6 points 2y ago
I hate when people touch my bar without asking. It seems like the people who want to "help" the most only want to do the fun hot bar drinks. No one is taking the stickers for frapps or refreshers. Then I'm the one who's actually on bar and I'm stuck in Frappland while someone else is doing all the real drinks. JUST ASK. I'll give you the drinks I want you to do if I have any.
PenguinUrinal [OP] 3 points 2y ago
100% Agree. I just want to be the leader of the ship if I'm main bar. If I'm second, I'll take what ever you throw at me. I'll wait for your instruction before just grabbing stickers. If I haven't received instruction, I'll stock the bar, wipe counters on the wet bar, or look to see if you need syrups or milks or cups. I'm not going to climb under or over you to grab stickers because that's not helpful. I'll ask you you want me to be a second bar and I'll do that.
I just hate that no one has this respect for me... ever.
I just hate that no one has this respect for me... ever.
Davidjames726 4 points 2y ago
EXACTLY what happened to me on Thursday. I got written up.
FfierceLaw 5 points 2y ago
I didn’t read anything in OP’s post to merit a write up! Why did that happen to you?
Davidjames726 3 points 2y ago
I was having a meltdown. Wasn’t my best moment.
FfierceLaw 3 points 2y ago
Nothing but empathy from me, sorry that happened. There’s something wrong if they don’t understand
PenguinUrinal [OP] 2 points 2y ago
I'm so sorry. I do hope you're doing much better in terms of your work situation. I feel a meltdown from being overstressed, in most circumstances, shouldn't warrant a write up, but compassion from the team. Again. I'm so sorry!
PenguinUrinal [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Why did you get written up? What did you do?
Shakespeare-Bot -4 points 2y ago
Jump what hath happened to me on thursday. I did get writ up
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greener-bean 1 points 2y ago
It doesn’t matter which station I’m working at, I appreciate your help only when I ask for it. If I am at bar and you touch my shots, I will tell you to get off my drink and go wash your hands. If I am at warming and you open the beeping oven, I will tell you to get off my oven and go wash your hands. Etc etc... I get that they want to help but it’s my station and to stay in routine I very clearly communicate when and how I need help. I do ask for help, when I need it, but just jumping in without any communication isn’t help
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