Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Old barista with a comment on drive thru (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by JayyGatsby
Used to work there. Was great at taking orders and even better at the window. I hated how the shift supervisors would basically tell the window person to force a conversation with the drive thru customer.
*Not all people want to talk.* Everytime I go to my local Starbucks now, the window person inadvertently asks me “what I’m up to today” or “if I have any plans”....totally odd questions and I feel bad for the barista cuz I know they are told to say that stuff.
I always try to answer thoroughly so as not to discourage/make them feel awkward, but I think it’s a dumb practice. Conversation/connection should be encouraged, but if it’s forced it comes across as fake. Change the policy.
Oh, and don’t even get me started on the drive through being forced to ask for your name. One time, I was like f it, my name is King Solomon the Fifth. I felt bad for trolling, but I used to work there for two years so I’ve been through it. The shift supervisor (one of those type of shifts who take the job *a little too seriously*) looked pissed at me and it made me chuckle.
*Not all people want to talk.* Everytime I go to my local Starbucks now, the window person inadvertently asks me “what I’m up to today” or “if I have any plans”....totally odd questions and I feel bad for the barista cuz I know they are told to say that stuff.
I always try to answer thoroughly so as not to discourage/make them feel awkward, but I think it’s a dumb practice. Conversation/connection should be encouraged, but if it’s forced it comes across as fake. Change the policy.
Oh, and don’t even get me started on the drive through being forced to ask for your name. One time, I was like f it, my name is King Solomon the Fifth. I felt bad for trolling, but I used to work there for two years so I’ve been through it. The shift supervisor (one of those type of shifts who take the job *a little too seriously*) looked pissed at me and it made me chuckle.
TheaTia 46 points 2y ago
My SM has been really anal over DT connections lately. They don’t want any silence happening at all on window, said you need to be constantly talking. “Because it’s our job” I said I can’t force conversations, it makes me uncomfortable. I’m told to ramble on about myself to the poor customer. I said I’m not comfortable with that. I’m told to then make something up and lie then. All the partners at my store are so exhausted on window. There’s a few who actually like it but the vast majority of us do not. The job is already hard enough and this is making everything worse. I dread going into every shift cause we all have to spend at least an hour and a half on window. I am so tired. I wish more customers started complaining saying they don’t wanna be harassed or asked so many personal questions, but I doubt that’ll ever happen.
mradeline 17 points 2y ago
I'm a little jealous your store rotates who is on window throughout a shift. I'm typically stuck on window for my entire 6 hour shift
reinadelastrigoi 18 points 2y ago
My newer partner was asking for the customers’ totals in pennies the other day. It made even our most introverted customers giggle.
imtheirmom_927 2 points 2y ago
I do this... mostly to my anti social customers.
sweetpotatoqkween 15 points 2y ago
I don’t see the trouble in giving/receiving a fake name. it’s something different and it makes me laugh. As long as it’s not offensive or inappropriate and I have something to put on the cup I’m cool.
interyx 9 points 2y ago
Man I hate the thing where we're supposed to ask for names. I don't think it's actually helping because our DT audio system is BS -- we can barely ever hear people trying to order, and when we can't hear their names and get them wrong I don't think that's increasing our connection score.
I won't do it. At least they've stopped telling me to.
I won't do it. At least they've stopped telling me to.
dthomp0806 7 points 2y ago
I agree. If i was a customer and the baristas sat there with the window open and tried talking to me for 2 minutes, i would never come back. I greet the customers, say thank you, im very polite. But i close the window if their shit isn't ready. And idc what anyone says, I'm not leaving it open and forcing a conversation. No other fast food place does this.
CobaltLemon 7 points 2y ago
I will say as a partner having a name on the order helps keep more more organized especially if I’m soloing DTO/DTR. I don’t care if it’s a real name. Also, we get a lot of basic names and I entertain myself with seeing how many ways I can spell X name after I’ve had the same name for the third or fourth time. I swear the matrix gets stuck on names sometimes. 😂😂
I can’t force connections at the window though. I’m good at connecting, but I’m an introvert by nature and I just pick up when people don’t want to talk to me.
I love when they just roll their window up. Like, thank you.
I can’t force connections at the window though. I’m good at connecting, but I’m an introvert by nature and I just pick up when people don’t want to talk to me.
I love when they just roll their window up. Like, thank you.
PluralPaul 5 points 2y ago
Wait, there are drive-thrus that have to ask for your name? That feels like an additional and unnecessary hassle, and I'm sorry some managers are making other partners do that.
We usually only ask for someone's name at the window if we've noticed they've become a regular because the drive-thru is the one thing you can rely on being in the correct order versus cafe and mobile customers.
We usually only ask for someone's name at the window if we've noticed they've become a regular because the drive-thru is the one thing you can rely on being in the correct order versus cafe and mobile customers.
ZaftigZephyr 2 points 2y ago
We get a batman on mobile most days
em-corpse95 1 points 2y ago
it’ because it affects your DMS and SMs bonuses if your customer connections scorers are high
FfierceLaw -17 points 2y ago
you know the people that need to see this won’t, right? So instead you torment the shift supervisor and the partner on DTO? Thank you for the extent to which you play along. I mean, I was absolutely agreeing with you until you recounted effing with partners on the front line
JeanLucPicardsAss 17 points 2y ago
Saying a fake name one time isn't tormenting... plus I'm a shift and I would have laughed so hard. OP said they do their best to help them make connections at the window whenever they go which is more than most customers do, so whats the big deal
JayyGatsby [OP] 8 points 2y ago
Thanks. Please, go ahead and tell me how me stating my name as king Solomon the fifth affects the partners on the line? Do you have to write that name on the cup? Do you have to type that name on the label?
When I worked there, no drive thru customers had names on the orders because it’s a two minute in and out thing. We weren’t told to even type the name on the computer so I don’t see how this could waste anyone’s time. Shit, maybe it made a disgruntled partner chuckle for a second and make the shift slightly easier.
Maybe the fact that the shift supervisor was so pissed at me made her realize she needs to calm down. I know I would’ve cracked up if I had a shift like that.
When I worked there, no drive thru customers had names on the orders because it’s a two minute in and out thing. We weren’t told to even type the name on the computer so I don’t see how this could waste anyone’s time. Shit, maybe it made a disgruntled partner chuckle for a second and make the shift slightly easier.
Maybe the fact that the shift supervisor was so pissed at me made her realize she needs to calm down. I know I would’ve cracked up if I had a shift like that.
FfierceLaw -2 points 2y ago
I misunderstood your tone, sorry! My dt store is one of the lucky ones that only requires names in the cafe, we like funny names but if you’re going to give one that long do it when there’s no line behind you otherwise “Batman” will do, and just empathize with the minions who are being held to an impossible standard, SSVs included, and save any ire for the top brass - Kevin and the board
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JayyGatsby [OP] 3 points 2y ago
Now that wasn’t quite the customer connection, was it?
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