Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Mass walkout at a local store (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by FragrantWin9
Word on the street is there was a mass walkout last week at the busiest store in my town. “Over 10” employees walked out on their shift. Now that store is now only open for half days.
They were already hurting for more staff- so now they have to find 20 people to hire.
I asked if they were doing any hiring promotions- nope.. I don’t think many people will apply to that job without a sign on bonus- that Starbucks is notorious for being “wrapped” (drive thru line wrapped around the building and parking lot) at all times. even the Taco Bell in my area has a $500 sign on bonus, and my new job gave me $1000. Starbucks needs to step up, and pay us more. I’m proud of that store for doing the walkout, and I think more stores should. You all deserve more money, respect, and acknowledgment from the company for continuing to try to “make the moment right” throughout this hellish year. Now is the best time to get a new job. SO MANY PLACES have raised wages. Don’t get stuck and keep your eyes open!!
They were already hurting for more staff- so now they have to find 20 people to hire.
I asked if they were doing any hiring promotions- nope.. I don’t think many people will apply to that job without a sign on bonus- that Starbucks is notorious for being “wrapped” (drive thru line wrapped around the building and parking lot) at all times. even the Taco Bell in my area has a $500 sign on bonus, and my new job gave me $1000. Starbucks needs to step up, and pay us more. I’m proud of that store for doing the walkout, and I think more stores should. You all deserve more money, respect, and acknowledgment from the company for continuing to try to “make the moment right” throughout this hellish year. Now is the best time to get a new job. SO MANY PLACES have raised wages. Don’t get stuck and keep your eyes open!!
Hoax_Pudding_Cup 155 points 2y ago
18 partners walked out last week from my district alone. My ASM said we had over 500 walkouts within the country, which is surprisingly though considering what they're putting us through. Power to the partners.
FragrantWin9 [OP] 58 points 2y ago
Just in one week there were 500 walkouts?
The walkout i mentioned in the op set off a chain of other baristas putting in their two-week notice. We already have one store in our district closed bc they can’t staff it- I feel like this is going to close another one down. Power to the partners indeed.
The walkout i mentioned in the op set off a chain of other baristas putting in their two-week notice. We already have one store in our district closed bc they can’t staff it- I feel like this is going to close another one down. Power to the partners indeed.
dragonfruitte 20 points 2y ago
damn I just put in my two weeks and had no idea about all the walkouts and people quitting. happy to contribute to it haha
[deleted] 94 points 2y ago
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bigasstittiestimes2 75 points 2y ago
That $200 referral is bullshit, pass that money on to the people who are working hard already, given that they admit there’s labor issues and current partners are struggling just by virtue of raising the referral bonus so much, and allowing you to cash out on it their FIRST SHIFT.
FragrantWin9 [OP] 38 points 2y ago
When they did the $350 referral bonus two (?) Christmas seasons ago I got my friend hired. It took 9 months and multiple phone calls to get my bonus.
FlippinAsian 12 points 2y ago
I heard your referral had to work for x amount of months before you are able to get the bonus. I think it was 3 months ?
FragrantWin9 [OP] 13 points 2y ago
Yep! He ended up working with us for a whole year. Got my bonus right before he left.
bigasstittiestimes2 4 points 2y ago
Now it’s the first day they’re employed.
jams1015 43 points 2y ago
"Another store near me had a 5 person call out in protest, they closed down mobiles and drive for the whole day- I came to help"
FYI: This is a scab move. You don't go help, you come up with excuses not to help. Crossing the line is a slap in the face for the people who took personal risk to raise your wage.
FYI: This is a scab move. You don't go help, you come up with excuses not to help. Crossing the line is a slap in the face for the people who took personal risk to raise your wage.
[deleted] 20 points 2y ago
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jams1015 8 points 2y ago
No. The people who can't afford the time off go, and work and move at a normal, reasonable, human pace and we understand their reason for doing so, but that's it. The SM and DM can bust their ass to meet demand, eat the complaints, or shut the store and pay those who showed up for their scheduled hours and had to go home due to no fault of their own. That's the whole dang point, lol. Create chaos too great for SMs and DMs to immediately fix, to upset customers, who then pressure corporate. You swooping in to help just defeats the purpose.
[deleted] 9 points 2y ago
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tang0foxtr0t 8 points 2y ago
THIS. Im pretty sure they have to work for 6 months too before you get it? Which means by the time I'd actually get the money I will have forgotten, and won't even notice if it's in my paycheck. (I feel very similar about the training bonus. I'll get $75 in 6 months, if the barista stays on, despite the fact that already just spent a weeks worth of shifts training them? There should be training pay FOR the training shifts imo. like $2-3/hour more at least.)
On that note though, when I got hired I tried to say my friend referred me and they didn't care. My roommate and I (both partners) just referred another friend who went in to the interview, he mentioned that he was referred by us and they didn't care. He didn't end up going with the job but I've seen a pattern of stores not actually bothering to hear if someone referred you, so they don't have to give anyone a bonus. I'm not sure if there is an official way to go about it, writing it down, etc. but it's never worked out for me.
On that note though, when I got hired I tried to say my friend referred me and they didn't care. My roommate and I (both partners) just referred another friend who went in to the interview, he mentioned that he was referred by us and they didn't care. He didn't end up going with the job but I've seen a pattern of stores not actually bothering to hear if someone referred you, so they don't have to give anyone a bonus. I'm not sure if there is an official way to go about it, writing it down, etc. but it's never worked out for me.
atticpanic 3 points 2y ago
yall get $200???? my manager only gave me $50 when i referred my friend to be hired, e: and i never get my trainer bonuses either 🙃
chaxsthexries 85 points 2y ago
I just quit last week, 226xxxx bc the amount of work just keeps growing while the staff is stagnating. I was a supervisor, my baristas were so often exhausted at the end of a shift. Improper stock, rude impatient customers, and never enough people to keep up with demands. I'm not surprised, disappointed that it took so long though. Do better, no one should have to be worn to the bone to keep up with coffee, just accept you're a fast food establishment and learn to keep up with the demands
reclusivegiraffe 82 points 2y ago
i make $11/hr. partners and i joke that the panda express right next to us, with a starting rate of $14-$15, is lookin pretty sweet.
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Decent_Macaron3444 4 points 2y ago
my best friend works at panda express and im so jealous of her pay😭 i make 10.55 and she makes $13+ and has been promoted... like :|
kmoonster 40 points 2y ago
For many decades Starbucks was well known in the industry for paying above minimum, often close to a decent wage for a given area.
Eventually the pressures of growth-driven profits caught up and pay/labor started to be cannabilized in order to continue to show financial growth. This was about eight-ish years ago, give or take.
Such are the challenges of being a publicly-traded company in the present form of capitalism.
(This shit really pisses me off, do not take this as a justification to cut hours and/or pay).
Eventually the pressures of growth-driven profits caught up and pay/labor started to be cannabilized in order to continue to show financial growth. This was about eight-ish years ago, give or take.
Such are the challenges of being a publicly-traded company in the present form of capitalism.
(This shit really pisses me off, do not take this as a justification to cut hours and/or pay).
blobinsky 38 points 2y ago
It seems like lately every single store near me has had a wrapped drive thru line all hours of the day… obviously lines will be longer with lobbies being closed but even now that they’re opening up, DT is staying backed up. It’ll be interesting to see if stores ever match the foot traffic they had pre-pandemic, or if DT ever settles down. My heart goes out to everyone at a store with DT:(
theLegendairy1 16 points 2y ago
> It’ll be interesting to see if stores ever match the foot traffic they had pre-pandemic
Doubtful. Even the company suits have redefined the third place - it's no longer at Starbucks stores, third place is now wherever you go with your Starbucks-branded cup. They're also looking at walkup models (basically a corporate-owned kiosk where you pick up your order and leave) as the next evolution of DTs and MO&P. They kind of hint to it in bits and pieces in the weekly updates, but there's also a lot they don't tell baristas that I end up reading about in Business Insider and Starbucks-related financial news.
Doubtful. Even the company suits have redefined the third place - it's no longer at Starbucks stores, third place is now wherever you go with your Starbucks-branded cup. They're also looking at walkup models (basically a corporate-owned kiosk where you pick up your order and leave) as the next evolution of DTs and MO&P. They kind of hint to it in bits and pieces in the weekly updates, but there's also a lot they don't tell baristas that I end up reading about in Business Insider and Starbucks-related financial news.
BeardiesRule112 1 points 2y ago
No... the third place IS the drive thru. Tacky.
bryceofswadia 12 points 2y ago
The other day we had a wrapped line and a line in the lobby.
Alefur 4 points 2y ago
Our drivethru has always been pretty bad, it's only gotten worse, now there's hardly ever a lobby full of people unless the DT line is obscenely long, even at that point people still just seem to refuse to come inside under any circumstances, it's real strange
sheep_heavenly 23 points 2y ago
Walkouts have been happening in my city over the past month, whole floors just saying fuck it.
Hard to blame them. Wages aren't competitive, the benefits are only worth what they are to the individual. I can't leave, I need the health insurance, but I'm so proud of anyone that chooses the best for themselves.
I'm watching insanely hardworking experienced baristas get absolutely thrashed by the current labor/workload situation and I feel for them so hard. We're numbers on a sheet to upper management and it's showing so hard right now. Some stores I've borrowed at have the most experienced employee at just under a year for the entire store.
Hard to blame them. Wages aren't competitive, the benefits are only worth what they are to the individual. I can't leave, I need the health insurance, but I'm so proud of anyone that chooses the best for themselves.
I'm watching insanely hardworking experienced baristas get absolutely thrashed by the current labor/workload situation and I feel for them so hard. We're numbers on a sheet to upper management and it's showing so hard right now. Some stores I've borrowed at have the most experienced employee at just under a year for the entire store.
boxiestcrayon15 10 points 2y ago
I was 40 hour SSV and still qualified for state medicaid which had WAY better coverage than the Starbucks policy
ftwillzzz 19 points 2y ago
bunch of people at my store quit including me due to awful management.
FragrantWin9 [OP] 7 points 2y ago
That’s pretty much what was happening at the store in the post. Even before COVID and all the shortages and angry customers, nobody could last there because the manager was awful.
King_Spamula 19 points 2y ago
I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but at least my district is increasing the minimal pay rate from $9.50 to $12.60 an hour, but hours are being cut. That's enough to keep me around for the next few months, and that's what the other baristas at my store are saying. Whoever was behind the pay increase made the right move, and I hope other ASMs catch on.
sunflowercupcakee 20 points 2y ago
In my district they are raising starting wage from $11 to $12 an hour, but fuck all the tenures partners they aren’t getting shit unless they make under $12. So a four year barista is making the same as new hire. The fourteen and fifteen year partners we have are only making $1 more than new hires. Two just put in their two weeks. So basically the store will be the shifts and green beans
King_Spamula 9 points 2y ago
That's exactly what happened to my sister years ago and what I think is gonna happen to me, as a 281**** partner
FragrantWin9 [OP] 8 points 2y ago
They did this in my area a few years ago. Pay was 9.50/hr and then they did some sort of regional pay scale survey thing- and since my stores region has stores in another state with a higher minimum wage- we all got our pay bumped to 10.75. I’m Just hoping for you they don’t cut anyone’s hours enough to cut them off of insurance benefits.
King_Spamula 4 points 2y ago
Oh you know they have lol
FlippinAsian 2 points 2y ago
Full time and part time get all benefits
FragrantWin9 [OP] 3 points 2y ago
You have to work atleast 16 hours a week. It was 20 pre-COVID
JeanLucPicardsAss 3 points 2y ago
Minimum wage were I am was 13.10 recently and went up to 13.50 in May, my SSV pay increased slightly as well. I feel lucky that ours is a bit higher here, but its still barely enough to make this job worth it.
bryceofswadia 2 points 2y ago
Mine increased from $12 (state minimum wage) to $12.60 but hasn’t increased it beyond there.
fuckthisshit____ 9 points 2y ago
This makes me so happy. Corporate will only realize these problems can’t be ignored anymore when it begins to affect their bottom line.
We need sign on bonuses, limits on the number of mobile orders that can be placed at any given store, and for god sake we need longer window times and lower customer connection score standards. 35 seconds is next to impossible, especially when the expectation is to genuinely connect and make conversation with every single customer coming in.
I want each corporate employee to have to work one month in a DT store. Their standards are not even close to consistently achievable
We need sign on bonuses, limits on the number of mobile orders that can be placed at any given store, and for god sake we need longer window times and lower customer connection score standards. 35 seconds is next to impossible, especially when the expectation is to genuinely connect and make conversation with every single customer coming in.
I want each corporate employee to have to work one month in a DT store. Their standards are not even close to consistently achievable
FragrantWin9 [OP] 3 points 2y ago
They also need to simplify the menu. There’s way too much to remember as a newbie, customer support alone! It shouldn’t take months to be trained on bar. People hardly even want menu drinks anymore unless it’s a mocha cookie crumble or a caramel ribbon crunch. They just pick one and modify it into whatever they want. It’s so confusing.
fuckthisshit____ 2 points 2y ago
For sure. I also think (this will never happen though) they should quit inventing the new frappuccinos every few months bc those take up the hella time and confuse me the most. I’m pretty sure most partners aren’t even making them all correctly 🤷♀️
xEman26x 9 points 2y ago
I literally wanted to not come back from my lunch after what I experienced this morning. The fact that Starbucks has such good PR sucks because people don’t know there’s always some BS going on behind the scenes. Customers will always say we get good benefits but they don’t know we don’t even get good staffing. I wish I had the courage to leave but I need this job until I can obtain a better opportunity
LazyEggRamen 8 points 2y ago
In my state, when Starbucks did their recent raises my pay went up to 13.30
Then the minimum wage went up .85 cents
So with Starbucks previous like small “above minimum promise” I was only making like 30 cents more than before because they’d done their raises a month before minimum wage raised.
I recently left the company about two weeks ago to find a better paying job with 40 hours guaranteed and now I make $20/hr
Then the minimum wage went up .85 cents
So with Starbucks previous like small “above minimum promise” I was only making like 30 cents more than before because they’d done their raises a month before minimum wage raised.
I recently left the company about two weeks ago to find a better paying job with 40 hours guaranteed and now I make $20/hr
bryceofswadia 8 points 2y ago
According to one of my shifts, our district is having a shortage of shifts and store managers, and so we will be down to 4 shifts once one of ours leaves and we won’t be getting another one.
FragrantWin9 [OP] 6 points 2y ago
Yikes. That’s rough. Last summer my store had 11 partners including the shifts. I feel for you.
FragrantWin9 [OP] 15 points 2y ago
And that’s just another thing- the pay difference between baristas and shifts do not encourage people to become a shift. You get what, an extra 1.25? And you have to open up your availability? And you get more responsibilities? When shit hits the fan it’s on you? Not worth it.
sheep_heavenly 6 points 2y ago
>And you have to open up your availability?
That's SM dependent. I never did, I refuse.
>And you get more responsibilities? When shit hits the fan it’s on you? Not worth it.
Agreed. The only thing I like is that I can lead the floor to get out on time. Sucked when a bad shift would not set us up to get out. But that's the only thing. Pay is not a factor because it's an honest pittance for the level of stress thrown on us.
That's SM dependent. I never did, I refuse.
>And you get more responsibilities? When shit hits the fan it’s on you? Not worth it.
Agreed. The only thing I like is that I can lead the floor to get out on time. Sucked when a bad shift would not set us up to get out. But that's the only thing. Pay is not a factor because it's an honest pittance for the level of stress thrown on us.
FragrantWin9 [OP] 4 points 2y ago
I didn’t know that was SM dependent! around here they make you fully open your availability. For my store that was 530am-930pm, and you’ll probably have to close and come right back in to open twice a week. That was pretty much the main dealbreaker for me, who only had a 530-2 availability.
kqs13 2 points 2y ago
We had only 4 shifts (including me) at my store the whole 2 years I've worked at this store, and we just now got 2 more because we are so much busier then we used to be, and honestly we could have used 6 before, so probably now it will be "normal."
bryceofswadia 1 points 2y ago
Yea, four might sound like a lot but my store is in a highly populated area and we are consistently 1st or second in sales in our district.
kqs13 2 points 2y ago
Oh for sure! When we did have 4 ssv I always wished we had more! I could never get any time off cause no one could cover. We are usually second or 3rd in sales, and we are DT only and still making more then some of the DT/cafe stores in our district. Good luck, you can do it!
theLegendairy1 6 points 2y ago
Met up with a friend yesterday at a Starbucks close to both of us. I lucked out and walked in at 2:27PM, there was a sign on the door that said they will be closing at 2:30PM. I'm guessing they don't have enough people since it was just two people working and that store is always busy. We were outside by public seating and the sheer number of people who drove up, walked to the door, and left absolutely upset was kind of hilarious. A bunch of them turned to us and were like, "Why tf are they closed?!?!?! WHY" and I just shrugged and said, "Idk, I didn't ask. But they're still closed" Lol some people get upset over the silliest things.
Brucius704 5 points 2y ago
Put in my two weeks two weeks ago. Two more days to gooooo in this hell hole. I deserve so much more than Starbucks! Gonna have PTSD from working for this god awful fucking company
radpandaparty 4 points 2y ago
Honestly though. I feel like the shit we have to deal with at times isn't even worth it. McDonalds employees in some areas get paid more and they don't have to deal with 30x modifications per order or fake being friendly to customers that treat us like crap. The amount of people that talk to us like we are stupid is infuriating.
rmshilpi 3 points 2y ago
Not Starbucks (former partner, very former). But I'm seriously considering quitting my tiny gas station job and low-key hoping to trigger a walk-out, since we're so small even one full-time worker quitting is a 15-20% labor loss.
RareGull 3 points 2y ago
I can’t quit. I wouldn’t be able to afford college without their SCAP plan. But my store is losing like five people over the next couple months
Streakshooter31 3 points 2y ago
Starbucks here in my country is one of the more better-paying jobs in the field about 13usd per day. The minimum wage here is about 11usd per day.
darkwolf523 3 points 2y ago
What’s happening? What did I missed today?
sunflowercupcakee 2 points 2y ago
There is a pay raise to like 30 districts or stores. It’s a pay raise for new hires and bumping baristas up to that. So it’s nothing to excited about really
[deleted] 2 points 2y ago
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the-OG-darkshrreder 1 points 2y ago
It is a hard job. But the pay is okay and there are some nice bennifits. Lots of mesmerizing and such. But people hold your hand through it till you get the hang of it. I’m about a month in and I’ll admit I’ve cried in the bathroom a couple times and i got a second degree burn inside my elbow yesterday. So i can describe the job by saying “it’s the worst job I’ve ever had, i love it.”
IcePhoenix96 1 points 2y ago
We have three 2 year partners leaving and a ssv trying to step down. It's been a terrible year and all corporate has done is pay platitudes and give us a bonus for a month a year ago.
Kohtako95 1 points 2y ago
I quit 2 months ago from my standalone I’m a 278~, and they can barely keep a staff now since. Over 13 people have quit and that’s just ones I know, not counting staff they hired that quit in the first week.
elrobolobo 1 points 2y ago
Hell yeah
El_Trundo17 1 points 2y ago
Um where you live? I’m lookin to transfer….. LMK if they have a sign on bonus soon
SnooCookies636 -3 points 2y ago
There’s a pay raise June 28th!
MrWisdom39 4 points 2y ago
Sources?
SnooCookies636 -3 points 2y ago
Talk to your manager, our district manager came in a couple weeks ago and told us shifts/ manager. Also the CEO of Starbucks spoke out last year about raising all partners pay to $15
MrWisdom39 3 points 2y ago
We get 15.50 will it go up?
Jew_3 1 points 2y ago
Of course not.
SnooCookies636 1 points 2y ago
Damn you work in the Cali Starbucks? And I believe so, it’s supposed to be company wide raises😵💫
Flappadingo 1 points 2y ago
crook starbucks says it will be years YEARs before $15 min …do not believe that BS
SnooCookies636 1 points 2y ago
3 year plan to roll out the bump in wages? That’s not crazy for a global wide pay bump. Cali was the first state to receive the bump. That was a year and half ago, we still have a 1.5 years left to go.
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