Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Starbucks Staff Feel Like 'Robots' Because of Complex TikTok Orders: Report (businessinsider.com)
submitted by timcnewman
TheaTia 207 points 2y ago
Yup. I feel like I’m on the verge of a breakdown every time I’m solo bar. Which has been a lot lately due to understaffing. I pull a sticker, 1 of 5. Fuckin refreshers with mods, then double blended, then adding 2 different types of cold foam. Customers in the cafe staring like hawks while I struggle and try to keep it together. Doesn’t stop people from being rude af to me either.
philosopher_cat_lady 49 points 2y ago
I'll never understand the waiting at the handoff plane and staring. It doesn't make us go faster. If anything, it makes us go more slowly
sukikov 6 points 2y ago
Is there stickers for them to stand on in your stores? As per social distancing. There are in mine and I just don’t understand why they can’t stand on the stickers!!! Back away from the hand off point 😭
ladyelenawf 5 points 2y ago
Yes, I don't stand any closer than the stickers. Not trying to get in anyone's bubble.
philosopher_cat_lady 1 points 2y ago
Yes, but people either don't notice them or don't care.
ladyelenawf -5 points 2y ago
I just like watching y'all work. It's like getting to sit next to the sushi chefs or at an open kitchen. It's cool.
drinkliquidclocks 17 points 2y ago
Well, we aren't sushi chefs. It's not supposed to be an open kitchen. Fucking don't. Staring at people in general is rude and gross.
aisecherry 28 points 2y ago
lol I see u getting downvoted but it's true man this is not a fuckin benihana
clumsycalico 22 points 2y ago
I.....I think it is supposed to be like an open kitchen? I don’t think there’s any reason to be upset for people watching us make drinks? Before I worked there I liked watching the baristas, and now that I do work there I couldn’t less and neither do any of my coworkers. Don’t take this person with their panties in a bunch to heart. It’s so not that deep.
ah09022 6 points 2y ago
I get that you might not like it, but that's a really aggressive response. Lots of people really enjoy watching their coffee be made. It's not you they're stating at, it's the drinks.
InsertAliasHere7589 11 points 2y ago
It's intimidating and annoying when you've got four or more people watching you and especially so when you're barring alone. But if it's slow, I like showing off for customers. It is interesting to see all the steps. Milk grooming is cool. Drink shaking is cool. Macchiatos and undertows are really cool to watch. Flat whites are awesome too. So I get it lol and I like when I can exaggerate the cool techniques for customers to enjoy, given the appropriate mood.
ladyelenawf 6 points 2y ago
I can understand that. The cafe is usually empty when I go in. So the baristas talk to me and I come over and watch. If I happen upon a busy time I stand behind the crowd of people waiting and listen for my name to be called. No need to crowd y'all.
ETA: someone brought up floor stickers. I never get closer than those. Even when getting shown the Latte art.
ETA: someone brought up floor stickers. I never get closer than those. Even when getting shown the Latte art.
philosopher_cat_lady 2 points 2y ago
I mean, that's fine. I would just say keep a reasonable distance. Don't literally lean on the handoff plane taking up the whole thing like some customers do. Particularly since customers are not supposed to touch things unnecessarily (the handoff plane being a high-touch area that we're required to keep sanitized) and are supposed to keep a six-foot distance from people's drinks/food and other customers.
I've gotten used to customers watching us make drinks. But sometimes they're doing it because they want to request a customization (which would be the wrong time to do so) or they're worried we'll make a mistake, and so it can cause a bit of anxiety. But we're quite used to feeling anxious at work, unfortunately, because \*so many\* customers are impatient and rude.
I've gotten used to customers watching us make drinks. But sometimes they're doing it because they want to request a customization (which would be the wrong time to do so) or they're worried we'll make a mistake, and so it can cause a bit of anxiety. But we're quite used to feeling anxious at work, unfortunately, because \*so many\* customers are impatient and rude.
ladyelenawf 2 points 2y ago
Oh, no!I mentioned elsewhere that I stay on the stickers. I'm not trying to breathe down y'all's necks or press nose to the glass. Just appreciate the ease and skill y'all have.
Which, based on the down votes, is not something y'all want. ¯\\ _(ツ) _/¯
Which, based on the down votes, is not something y'all want. ¯\\ _(ツ) _/¯
xiew 46 points 2y ago
No point in using the shaker and it comes out real icy like a really bad carnival snowcone lol.
wanderer1522 77 points 2y ago
I'm not gonna lie, if it comes out like a bad carnival snowcone I don't really care. That's what they get for ordering off menu when we don't have any guidelines on how to make things like that 🤷
xiew 29 points 2y ago
Exactly my reasoning. I made the refresher and then blended it.
clumsycalico 17 points 2y ago
Yep. This is my favorite form of r/maliciouscompliance
philosopher_cat_lady 23 points 2y ago
It's impossible to pour out of the blender. Better grab the milk spoon
PortalOutVoyd 7 points 2y ago
Or you know, order shit how it's supposed to be ordered instead of spending upwards of 8 bucks on a damn snowcone
philosopher_cat_lady 1 points 2y ago
Customers don't realize that Starbucks has spent lots of time crafting the recipes for these drinks. And some of them don't understand the laws of physics either. When you customize, you make the drink different. (Sounds redundant, I know.) I once had a woman order a Frappuccino with an added syrup. It was something like a mocha Frappuccino, add vanilla. She then complained that the texture of her Frappuccino was watery. I said, "That's because you ordered twice as much syrup as a regular Frappuccino has. I would suggest splitting the pumps next time." Then I hoped she understood what "splitting the pumps" meant. I don't know why I'm supposed to teach basic physics to customers.
Snarkybratt 1 points 2y ago
You don’t use cream base in them?
philosopher_cat_lady 1 points 2y ago
No, I don't, because the customer hasn't paid for it. If they do want cream base, we're supposed to ring them up for a syrup cream Frappuccino since there is no cream base button, and it makes the drinks much harder to ring up.
chm124 22 points 2y ago
Same here. I’m usually pretty good at bar but when it’s super busy and drive thru is backed up, mobile orders are piling in and people are ordering in the cafe I get so anxious. I had my first breakdown on bar a few weeks ago bc of it.
Splashtonkutchr26 9 points 2y ago
Honestly, what i remind myself of constantly is, i get paid the same no matter how fast i go. Lastly, they are there because they want what they ordered. They will wait
xiew 21 points 2y ago
What I’ve been doing with the blended refreshers is just making them in the cup. Bottom line, top line, ice, 1 scoop berries, into the blender.
TheaTia 9 points 2y ago
Oh I sure shit do that. It’s just hard cause I gotta move to so many different stations while I’m trying to sequence, while getting told I’m not making drinks faster enough.
ScalieDraggy 20 points 2y ago
A Starbucks employee from a different location told me she just stares right back to assert dominance and the customers then feel creeped out and stop staring themselves.
embrACEable_me 9 points 2y ago
I love asserting my dominance at work! I did it to my SM, thought he could win a stare down with me.. I love being on cafe bar in my store lately, if someone seems severely impatient I purposely go slower while also making eye contact.
callimander 3 points 2y ago
The people staring gets me and literally slows me down
GuiltyGoblin 1 points 2y ago
Yep, everyday I work, when I get back home I don't move for at least an hour. I'm too exhausted to even think.
Theotar 40 points 2y ago
Man I happy I left before this became a really big thing. There is already so much to do working there, adding more ridiculous orders only added to the crazy.
Js_On_My_Yeet 35 points 2y ago
And yet Corporate ain't gunna do shit about it to help their employees lol
Company is a joke. Glad I'm gone.
Company is a joke. Glad I'm gone.
philosopher_cat_lady 23 points 2y ago
Ordering a drink that takes five minutes to make is "the Starbucks Experience!" And if that barista complains about it online nonanonymously, you better believe they're getting fired
Js_On_My_Yeet 27 points 2y ago
The Starbucks Experience is abusive if you haven't experienced it.
philosopher_cat_lady 1 points 2y ago
Totally. Starbucks cares much more about it and "making the moment right" than not rewarding abusive behavior or banning abusive customers.
Theotar 2 points 2y ago
The standard time to make a drink is about 1 min. Within that time there should be multiple drinks happening within that time. Usually a drink every 40 secs, or 2 every 1.2 min. If your making a drink that takes 5 mins, your probably working at a roastery where they make a top of the line coffee beverage, or your gonna be fired real soon.
philosopher_cat_lady 2 points 2y ago
Maybe you should make Edward's drink and time yourself. I don't think I could do it in one minute.
Theotar 1 points 2y ago
Lol hell no, I almost could not keep up with regular drinks. Got bad knees, and ankles. Jumping from cold bar to hot bar, left me hurting.
Numbers I showed just what starbucks expects. Which as we can all agree is unrealistic when dealing with drinks such as this.
Numbers I showed just what starbucks expects. Which as we can all agree is unrealistic when dealing with drinks such as this.
philosopher_cat_lady 31 points 2y ago
Starbucks needs to stop letting customers customize drinks. They don't even know what they're doing. They order a Frappuccino without ice. Then we don't make the drink because we know that's not what they want, so their ordering ahead was kind of pointless. Also, I understand what the article means when it says we end up not knowing what they want (and not just Frappuccinos without ice). An example would be a Refresher add apple juice. Do you want water? How much apple juice? Just order it the way it comes. I either have to guess at what you want and hope I get it right or not make your order at all. Another example is when you don't know if they want to add ingredients or substitute them. When customizing, \*be unambiguous\*.
gay_robots 18 points 2y ago
I had a lady the other day order a peach green tea with lemonade, then she bitched at me because it tasted like lemonade. Wtf did you expect??
philosopher_cat_lady 2 points 2y ago
People are stupid. And Starbucks is stupid to require us to "make the moment right" when the customer's complaint literally makes no sense. If you get what you ordered and you don't like it, that should be the customer's problem, not mine.
PortalOutVoyd 3 points 2y ago
It's especially annoying if it's a mobile or uber eats order. Uber more so because I'm look at the cup while trying to call the people who placed the order to give clarification, but no one fucking picks up. And the fact that the frappuccinos have a no ice option on the app is just ridiculous.
philosopher_cat_lady 1 points 2y ago
Right?! Luckily, my store does not do Uber Eats.
jdg996532 29 points 2y ago
I’ve been gone since 2006 and I thought the secret menu shit was insane back then. I really feel for you guys now. This TikTok stuff is bullshit.
philosopher_cat_lady 16 points 2y ago
I never use the words "secret menu" to customers and I don't even mention to them that our refreshers have water in them because I don't want them learning a way to customize
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