Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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What’s the etiquette on free drinks? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by maddlpie
hi all!! I’m a green bean and really enjoying the job so far (midway through week 3 I think?? the time is flying by) however because I’m ~anxious~ I’ve been worrying about the rules on taking free drinks.
I heard stories while I was training about people who would ring out 5 drinks at the end of their shift, etc. and I’m not planning on doing anything like that.
However, I get rides from my parents/friends and would like to get them a drink in exchange! I’ll grab my parent a cold brew as a free bev and run it out to them before my shift. If I do that, I won’t get myself a drink. Or yesterday I got 2 drinks (1 for a friend as I was leaving) and I used my discount on one and free for the other.
How not okay is it to a) be clearly handing free drinks to other people or b) to some of the time ring both drinks out as free if I want to get one for me and one for another person.
Note: I say “etiquette” in the title because I’m not that concerned about the official rules or being fired or anything, just whether my coworkers secretly consider this problematic (as I said, ~anxious~)
Thanks in advance for anything y’all have to share!!
I heard stories while I was training about people who would ring out 5 drinks at the end of their shift, etc. and I’m not planning on doing anything like that.
However, I get rides from my parents/friends and would like to get them a drink in exchange! I’ll grab my parent a cold brew as a free bev and run it out to them before my shift. If I do that, I won’t get myself a drink. Or yesterday I got 2 drinks (1 for a friend as I was leaving) and I used my discount on one and free for the other.
How not okay is it to a) be clearly handing free drinks to other people or b) to some of the time ring both drinks out as free if I want to get one for me and one for another person.
Note: I say “etiquette” in the title because I’m not that concerned about the official rules or being fired or anything, just whether my coworkers secretly consider this problematic (as I said, ~anxious~)
Thanks in advance for anything y’all have to share!!
ryzzostar 12 points 2y ago
I usually get a drink to take home with me and my roommate usually wants a frappuccino so I mark out one and pay for the other using my discount. That is the proper way. Sometimes I don't get a drink for me and use my mark out for the frappuccino and I get a water for myself.
jcj44 12 points 2y ago
The rule is one drink at a time. If you don’t want a drink for yourself you can give it to someone else. The proper thing to do is what you said, free drink on one and discount on the other
Alana_Chowdhury_ 11 points 2y ago
While marking out multiple free drinks a day is a fire able offense there is a loophole. Baristas are allowed unlimited free drinks during their shift. To technically if you were to make your drink during your shift than mark out a friends drink after your shift it would still be ok. As long as you aren’t making 5 drinks during your shift then taking all home then nobody would really care.
Alana_Chowdhury_ 9 points 2y ago
Also you are allowed to hand out free drinks if you call it “making a moment right.” ;)
esaeklsg 4 points 2y ago
I’m no longer with Starbucks, but I used to be a pretty by-the-book shift. If I see you giving away free drinks that’s technically me seeing an employee committing theft and puts me in a real awkward position.
Definitely don’t be regularly marking out multiple free drinks at the same time.
You can note I’ve left a lot of grey area here.
Definitely don’t be regularly marking out multiple free drinks at the same time.
You can note I’ve left a lot of grey area here.
maddlpie [OP] 4 points 2y ago
It’s my understanding that 1 drink is allowed per break and 30 mins before/30 mins after. Is that not correct? Also I haven’t ever marked out multiple during one of those time periods (I’d pay for the second drink). I definitely don’t want to put anyone in an awkward position.
esaeklsg 8 points 2y ago
(Note that it’s been a couple months for me, somethibg mignt have changed)
Technically those drinks are for you and you only. And yes, a limit to one before and one after. Past that it’s unlimited during your shift, but only one at a time. So you can chug a quick espresso and then go in for a real drink. It’s common to make a drink even when not on break at a lot of stores, but that’s a questionable area as well.
Overall it sounds like you’re treating it respectfully. I’ve definitey ordered my drink at the end of shift and then… yknow my mom ended up drinking it. It happens.
Technically those drinks are for you and you only. And yes, a limit to one before and one after. Past that it’s unlimited during your shift, but only one at a time. So you can chug a quick espresso and then go in for a real drink. It’s common to make a drink even when not on break at a lot of stores, but that’s a questionable area as well.
Overall it sounds like you’re treating it respectfully. I’ve definitey ordered my drink at the end of shift and then… yknow my mom ended up drinking it. It happens.
WorthPrinciple7049 3 points 2y ago
The way you’re doing it is basically the right way. I personally never give a drink to anyone else before my shift, but I can see how it’s not much different from after. Yes, sometimes people will get a drink after their shift and then give it to someone else (one partner used to not drink coffee so she would take home a frap for one of her kids each day instead). It’s definitely not the worst thing in the world as long as you are not just getting free drinks for people all day, and you can see there are a variety of answers for this. I would honestly just ask the shift if they care. Be honest about your intentions and each store will have their own way of handling things. If you sense hesitation, assume you shouldn’t. If they’re like, “oh, yeah, it’s fine,” go for it.
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