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Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind

r/starbucksbaristas

Full History - 2021 - 06 - 14 - ID#o007rt

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214

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Anyone else getting hit with customers who try to pay with $100 bills for their $5 order and expect us to give them their order for free when we can't break their bill? (self.starbucksbaristas)

submitted by designated-grapes

I get yelled at at least once a shift because of this.

I know we need to "make the moment right" but I hate it. I had four cars in a 10 minute span trying to pay with a large bill the other day. I can't keep "making moments right" for everyone.

lelaluv 154 points 2y ago

i literally don’t care because you should have more than one payment method. there’s no reason to only have a $100 bill and no apple pay, no debit card, or credit card. those ppl just want to be complicated

hecaete47 89 points 2y ago

I had a woman ready to pick a fight one morning because she came through the day before I told her no to a $50 and so she found some other cash. Then the next day came back and gave a dramatic sigh and was all huffy and snapped “this is all I have!” Like ma’am you have had over 24 hours to break that 50 or get another form of payment. We are directly between TWO major banks.

OneRoseDark 94 points 2y ago

I straight up tell people I don't have the change for hundreds. "I'm sorry, due to our cash handling method the only way I could break that is to clean out my drawer and give you a bunch of 1s and rolls of coins." I cannot imagine someone being like "waahh give me my drink for freeeeee" but I imagine my response being something like "unfortunately I'm not going to be able to do that for you today. How would you like to pay?" because I deal with customer tantrums by being deadly calm.

For 50s I tell people I can break it, but I can only give them 5s and 1s. A lot of them magically find a 20. Or a 5.

square_pulse 51 points 2y ago

LOL I learned this "trick" with the quarter or dime rolls last week hahahaaaa and everybody had magically a $20 or smaller bill on their hand.

In the past month I also learned not to give in nor to react or respond to their yellings. I just kill them with kindness (and also, I am too old for this childish shit handling an adult with a tantrum). It happened 3x now that I looked at my SSV while they were at bar 2 and they gave me the sign to refuse the service, so I did and hah all of a sudden they were "compliant" and became quiet and stopped being so dramatic and theatrical.

G37_is_numberletter 18 points 2y ago

They have this complicated bill that they can’t spend anywhere and drive their ass home with a roll of quarters lol like shit what the fuck am I gonna do with 40 quarters?

blueteas 3 points 2y ago

why is this so funny

juiceyluicy 67 points 2y ago

This man straight up told me to pay for his $17 order because I wouldn’t break a 100. I was so taken aback I just went stared at him and after like 20 seconds of complete silence I just said “no” and held my hand out for some other paymentz

CoffeeIslander 13 points 2y ago

YES!!!!! That's exactly what you SHOULD do. There's absolutely NO reason why you should cave and let them leave thinking they played you.

Anonymous_SSV 44 points 2y ago

YES! Had a guy cuss me out today because I couldn't break his hundred... had to ask him to leave because of his constant loud swearing about the situation. He immediately hit me with the "BuT STarBuCKs CaNt TaKE AWaY mY FrEEdoM oF SpEEaH"... Like I'm sorry sir but I will not let you cuss out a bunch of minors over something so dumb.

ryzzostar 33 points 2y ago

Ok so hear me out...if you're buying coffee I'm sure you've been to other drive thru establishments, am I correct? And what do 99% of these drive thru windows display in plain sight? A sign usually telling the customer that 'anything over a $20 bill cannot be accepted because they don't keep enough cash in the drawer to make the change required to take larger bills'. So..... Why, in hell, would ANY drive thru be able to break your large bill? Or better yet why would they be EXPECTED TO? Most point out the lack of signage stating that we can't take larger bills. Can we get a gosh dang sign please so that Joe-frikkin-Shmoe doesn't have meltdown at the window because it's the ONLY FORM OF PAYMENT HE HAS in 20twenty--frikkin-1 and he absolutely NEEDS his iced venti 5 shot Americano with light cream and 8.5 pumps of classic and vanilla sweet cream cold foam? Just give us the sign.

aspen_silence 31 points 2y ago

My cafe only, major university store was closed for 6 weeks during Covid lockdown last year. We'd just reopened the cafe for customers to order in when a guy wanted a doppio, that's it. $2 and he tried to hand me a $100. I just said "there literally no way for me to break that unless you want a bunch of loose change'

The staring contest was fun. I'd noticed he had many other bills in his wallet, including a number of cards, but he stubbornly held out that $100.

He finally conceded when I opened my drawer and started counting out the change starting with the pennies. Still baffles me to this day

hailvy 20 points 2y ago

Yesterday at 6am this lady handed us a hundred dollar bill. I asked her if she had anything smaller because we don’t have enough change this early. She said “but I wanted change for it…whatever” and used her card.

I’m sorry but when did we turn into a bank?? How much money do you think we keep in these registers?

Jew_3 4 points 2y ago

I manage a WPS (at a college), I constantly have other departments on campus come and get change from me because they don’t have any. I get a $50 bank and most days I do less than $50 in cash. Even breaking a $20 bill can be a hassle. So when they need change ASAP for a student I end up having to walk across campus to the main office to get more fives and walk back all because the department that deals with student finances doesn’t keep a cash bank (COVID).

hailvy 2 points 2y ago

I’m very glad I don’t have to do that. Kudos to you, my friend

impasse602 19 points 2y ago

Dude yes and it’s ridiculous at my store like idk bout you but i was taught to never carry that much cash on you otherwise you’ll get robbed. Like shit put that $100 in the bank

P_2_P 5 points 2y ago

My thing is you specifically have to ask for the 100 dollar bills at the bank

MawcDrums 16 points 2y ago

It'd be nice if Starbucks would support us in this and just put a friggin "No bills over $20 accepted at the window" or something.

USSTrashBarge 13 points 2y ago

I had a guy scream at me the other day because I told him I wouldn't accept a $50 to pay for a small Americano. And you know what??? He had a smaller bill. He finally gave me a $20 after snatching the $50 out of my hand and refusing to even let me hand him the change. He made me set it on the counter because apparently he didn't want to be contaminated by my stupidity.

triplevirgo 13 points 2y ago

I just say “we don’t have enough change to give back to you.” They can’t argue with me then.

designated-grapes [OP] 3 points 2y ago

Lucky. People still argue with me no matter how many time I tell them I can't break their bill. People twice my size yell at me and try to intimidate me into giving them free shit. 🙃

What they don't know is I don't play that game. 😂

rudebii 10 points 2y ago

Threatening to make change with rolls of quarters and dimes usually worked for me. In most cases that would have literally been the case.

It’s like “sir, we sell coffee by the cup, it’s not like we’re set up to take large bills”

stratamaniac 9 points 2y ago

Counterfeits. Who buys coffee with $100 bills? Criminals.

designated-grapes [OP] 6 points 2y ago

That's what my friend told me. She also told me they've gotten more creative where they just slap Benjamin's face on a five so the pen will read it as a real bill but if you put it up to the light, you see Lincoln's face.

Even if I were able to break a $100 bill, I wouldn't feel comfortable breaking it anyway.

sidneyistrash 8 points 2y ago

One morning, we almost had to call the cops on one guy because he refused to leave until we gave him his Frappuccino for free because we just opened and couldn't break $100

Adventurous-Path-976 8 points 2y ago

Had a lady pay $100 for a $6 drink and she didn’t even tip after she got her change lol

dittyquadrant 7 points 2y ago

"I apologize, due to security reasons, we don't carry enough change in the til to break a $100. Do you have any smaller bills?"

designated-grapes [OP] 5 points 2y ago

Said that last week but still got screamed at by a dude twice my size for not being able to break his $100. They don't care about our safety. They only care about themselves. lol

gay_robots 5 points 2y ago

Honestly the max I will break is a $50. Since I work at a licensed sbux in a grocery store people treat us like we’re a goddamn atm. A guy came up to me this morning right after we got our new till and asked if I had change for a $100. What the hell man? I probably don’t even have $20 in here, we just fucking opened

dthomp0806 5 points 2y ago

We don't give them their order for free at my store. They just have to find another form of payment or leave.

tamstr8 3 points 2y ago

luckily my location is attached to a bank. i'm like yes just pull around to the ATM ma'am see ya shortly lol. 8 times out of ten they come back.

it baffles me that people only carry such large bills with no alternative way to pay. and then get bent out of shape bc they had just planned for sbux to be the one to break it. go to a bank or a gas station.

narhiril 2 points 2y ago

Where are all these people getting $100 dollar bills all of a sudden? Every ATM I've ever used doesn't give them, and I can't imagine going into the bank just to ask for something that is in every way less useful to me than five 20's.

designated-grapes [OP] 1 points 2y ago

I have a feeling a decent amount of them are fake and they get defensive when they can't dump it on us.

Maybe they picked up making fake money as a pandemic hobby lol

CoffeeIslander 2 points 2y ago

I live for these moments where they act like it's so ridiculous that we can't break a 100 since we have "millions of dollars." And then I look at them like it's ridiculous that someone would only walk around with just a hundred-dollar bill and literally nothing else. They're more ridiculous. And I laugh at them. Thank you universe for showing me these jokes.

dcho94 2 points 2y ago

I guess people just mistake us for a bank.. thats liTerally the only reason for them being THAT stupid giving us a big bill for us to break for them.. 🤷🏻🤷🏻

AccordingBroccoli2 1 points 2y ago

I rarely take 50's and never take 100's. I'll only take 50 if I know I have enough change or if it's a big order and I know the change will be less than 15 dollars back.

HollowRibcage 1 points 2y ago

Ive learned that in this moment what works is dropping a tone of the “customer service voice” to something a little more serious then saying “I can’t break that.” and just handing it back and looking at them waiting for another form of payment. 8/10 they’ll (at least from what I’ve encounter which has been A LOT lately) pull out a card. And normally this happens during our peak too. So what will likely end up happening (specifically if it’s a big order) I’ll let them know we can hold the drinks and save the order till they come to pay/get them.
Either they come back or they don’t. Or they magically find a new payment.
Now if my manager is on DTO or she’s watching from MOP she’ll tel me to just give it to them- not so much for making the moment right but just to get them out the window.

D73548 1 points 2y ago

I learned to tell them the "exact" change id have to give them back. "Sorry but i dont have $98 in change to give you. Do you have another form of payment?" And they usually cave. I havent had anyone yell at me since and the last time i got $100, they actually left and came back with change.

[deleted] 1 points 2y ago

[removed]

eagle6705 1 points 2y ago

I remember putting in a new policy, no 100 dollar bills before a certain time after opening. The time would be after the first morning rush depending on the area or after a certain amount has been made in cash. Like in my store back in the day before all this fancy fruit pay, robot withdrawals, can't even bother to wait in line so i'll order by phone orders....We would dread the refill and here is a 100 bucks...

Thankfully we were a high traffic store and we were easily able to break the 100s from our tip jar.

STILL it would be great for a no 100 before a certain time policy, this way it would help build up our cash reserves

ConsciousNotice8021 -1 points 2y ago

i agree it's irritating that they pay with that large of bills but why can't you break them? (not to come off rude) my store always breaks them even though we wish we couldn't.

designated-grapes [OP] 5 points 2y ago

I was told I wasn't allowed to. Also, I'm not going to break a $100 bill at 5am and clear out my smaller bills from my till. 🤷‍♀️

OakTreeTrash 1 points 1y ago

At my store, 20$ and above go into the storage box we don’t have access to. So we have 10s which we don’t start the shift with any, 5 and 1 and coins. We don’t have any change for 100s.

LatteMaster -38 points 2y ago

“I am sorry I cannot accept a 100, we like many businesses only accept up to 20 dollar bills typically. This time I will cover the drink for you as of course there is no way we can expect a customer to know this ahead of time. However, please bring a different form of payment on future visits as we can only make this accommodation once” Also if you ever do take a 100 the counterfeit pen needs to be used.

Good_Viibes 13 points 2y ago

I think there’s a general consensus that you should have multiple methods of payment or smaller bills if you’re going to a drive-thru lol. I’m not gonna reward people with a free drink because they were too lazy to go to a bank.

LatteMaster -1 points 2y ago

Its part of starbucks making the moment right. If you cant accept that its probably not the job for you.

Good_Viibes 1 points 2y ago

Actually, you’re incorrect. This is massively misunderstood. Our updated SSV training explicitly states that we shouldn’t immediately equate making the moment right with giving them drinks on the house. They aren’t synonymous, and frankly, you should make sure you know what you’re talking about before you come for me. Ty bestie ✨💅🏼

LatteMaster 0 points 2y ago

How are you going to make the moment right if they do not have an alternative form of payment? “Sorry better luck next time”? All you responded with is “I am not gonna reward people because they are too lazy to go to the bank”. That is not even close to making the moment right. We get it you don’t give two flying ducks about your job.

Blocked.

UnusualCanary 7 points 2y ago

Fuck that noise and fuck coddling people who pretend like they don't understand how the world works.

LatteMaster 0 points 2y ago

Welcome to customer service, its the job... probably not right for you

No_Yogurt_4602 1 points 2y ago

So which part of this discourages them from using you as a human ATM in the future, exactly?

LatteMaster 0 points 2y ago

You only do it once. Its a warning not to do it again. If they do then you have plenty reason to refuse service. Better than potentially pissing off a customer that will make your business hundreds if not in the thousands of dollars annually. The problem is no one here views it as a business and just as a platform to bitch about how oppressed they are and how unfair life is. But thats aside the point, if they do it again with another barista its not even that big of a deal it cost literally cents for the company to give out a drink. Our markup is over 100% easily. It probably cost .50 for a venti mocha and its sold at like 5.20. Eventually they will get caught and never come back. Long story short you dont get paid enough to give a shit what stupid antics customers are up to and its sure as shit not worth risking your job arguing with one. The only person who is gonna ever win in a customer vs barista fight is the customer. Welcome to customer service, no one ever said you had to like it.

No_Yogurt_4602 1 points 2y ago

1) Idk why you're banking on you being the person who happens to be on DTW the next time they come back, ignoring the fact that Starbuckses are *everywhere* and there are probably at least one or two others that they regularly go to at all different times of the day.

2) Sure it's a business, but we're not businesspeople; we're workers who are often working understaffed and at lower wages than we would at other fast food restaurants that have less psychotic corporate cultures around customer satisfaction. I do not care if profits at my store are up or down relative to last week or if our connection scores are at slightly less than 7 because those things are literally not my problem.

3) You're right that I'm not being paid to care about customer antics, but if taking the time to shut some entitled customer down makes my or my coworkers' (at any store) lives even marginally easier--or even just more palatable--then I'll do it. And I *will* get paid for it because I'll be on the clock.

Honestly if you like the taste of customer boot that much then hire a dominatrix and ask if you can call her 'Karen'.

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