Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Its busier than it was before right? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by shinymutt
I don't know how the higher ups are measuring labor but my SM and DM always make it sound like we "don't have the hours" to schedule more people. I've worked for Starbucks for 7 years and recently started closing for the first time after several years of openings. Our mornings are busy and we really struggle, we can feel the need for another barista during peak... but holy crap, the afternoons feel impossible!
Four bodies on the floor and it's like no matter how fast I move I can't keep up. Cleaning tasks are regularly missed. My shift has to close the lobby sometimes just so we can get breaks out. Then we lose the precloser and are still working an hour after the doors were locked.
I don't remember it being like this!! Its so exhausting. Our customers often wait way too long for their stuff and the amount of complaints we have to field because of that is emotionally draining. One of my partners was crying in the backroom after a frustrated customer came back with the wrong beverage.
No one should be crying about Starbucks, what about "inspiring and nurturing the human spirit"??
I would quit if I could at this point.
Four bodies on the floor and it's like no matter how fast I move I can't keep up. Cleaning tasks are regularly missed. My shift has to close the lobby sometimes just so we can get breaks out. Then we lose the precloser and are still working an hour after the doors were locked.
I don't remember it being like this!! Its so exhausting. Our customers often wait way too long for their stuff and the amount of complaints we have to field because of that is emotionally draining. One of my partners was crying in the backroom after a frustrated customer came back with the wrong beverage.
No one should be crying about Starbucks, what about "inspiring and nurturing the human spirit"??
I would quit if I could at this point.
FfierceLaw 23 points 2y ago
I’m genuinely curious because I didn’t work in the “before.” One of the recruiting partners who interviewed me said that sales were up in 2020 despite the pandemic
shinymutt [OP] 3 points 2y ago
I started in 2014 and have always worked DT/Cafe stores. When MOP was introduced in our area, it took our busy, but manageable days up to "stressful", but we still managed to leave a clean store at each transition, even if we didn't get every task done every day. I took a leave when covid started and when I came back it is like we are barely keeping our heads above water. Orders sometimes take a couple days to fully put away, because we are too busy to even spend the 20 minutes to fifo our product! It just constantly feels like we're a person or two down, yet my SM says we are "fully staffed".
SewOnAndSewForth 14 points 2y ago
Yeah, this frustrates me to no end. We are as busy, or usually busier, than before and we have the same amount of people or less on the floor now. Hours are still down than before and I know we make at minimum an extra $1k every day. I made more the few weeks we were closed in the beginning than I have since we opened back up since my hours have dropped (by about 10hrs a week since we opened back up).
heir_majesty 8 points 2y ago
It is busier. And as for leaving, I would like to encourage you to look for a job that would make you happier. Every where is in desperate need of employees. I have been working at starbucks, both licensed and company operated, for 13 years. This year I took a leap, I was fed up with how things were going at my store. I had 4 interviews and 3 job offers for M-F 9-5 jobs. I was blessed with having my last day at the bux 1 week ago. A huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I'm loving my new job so far. And having a consistent schedule has been a dream come true.
codysuxx 3 points 2y ago
Just curious, what kind of 9-5 M-F jobs have you been looking at? I’m also looking at leaving starbucks and I would love something like that but I don’t know where to start looking. I only have customer service and food experience
heir_majesty 6 points 2y ago
I got a job at an eye care center. I too only have customer service and food experience. They do on the job training. I got a job as a opthomic assistant. So in a way I still have customer service, I'm helping the patient before the optometrist or ophthalmologist sees them. I get to do the pre-work.
I was applying at jobs where my customer service might still need to be used. Like medical receptionist, appointment coordinator, optical stylists. I don't have a degree so I really only have opportunities for entry level jobs. I live in Washington so our starbucks base wage was higher. But I'm making about a dollar more an hour now. Get about 40hr a week and work M-F. So just the fact that I work 12 more hours a week is like getting a raise. And so far the patients have all been pretty pleasant. They aren't there to yell at you haha. They just need new glasses.
I was applying at jobs where my customer service might still need to be used. Like medical receptionist, appointment coordinator, optical stylists. I don't have a degree so I really only have opportunities for entry level jobs. I live in Washington so our starbucks base wage was higher. But I'm making about a dollar more an hour now. Get about 40hr a week and work M-F. So just the fact that I work 12 more hours a week is like getting a raise. And so far the patients have all been pretty pleasant. They aren't there to yell at you haha. They just need new glasses.
flannalypearce 2 points 1y ago
This gave me hope! I put my notice in in 10 days! I’m an 11 year partner and cannot stress the toll the work life balance shift the past year has taken on me. So many highlights but so much struggle in the time I spent with the company. Wish you well in your own 9-5 pursuits!!
heir_majesty 1 points 1y ago
It has been so great! I have been gone for 3 months. I get to see my husband and daughter on a normal basis. Off on weekends and holidays. My supervisor and the company as a whole is supportive if you need to call out. I hake more hourly, and make commissions. People at work ask if I miss it. And I usually tell them that I miss my some co-workers (most of who have quit also at this point) and I miss a handful of my customers, but I wouldn't go back for that. There is so much more that I love about my new job. I hope your future is bright. And that your new adventures treat you well.
shinymutt [OP] 2 points 2y ago
That's awesome, I'm glad you have some actual work life balance now. I'm in school for a career and my manager has been exceptional with my dumb schedule based around my classes. I don't think I could get that anywhere else right now.
Lebeanbarista257 8 points 2y ago
We get new people all the time but they are only scheduled for the morning. We don’t need them in the mornings we need them in the afternoons when there’s 4 only people scheduled!
shinymutt [OP] 2 points 2y ago
I think that's true for my store too. I see a lot of green beans on my opening shifts, but the closers are all at 2-3 years. They are burnt out and it really shows.
idk-what-user-2pick 7 points 2y ago
Dude, my store was low volume pre-covid and made 2500 on an average day. Now we're consistently hitting ~5500 a day. We're getting to the point where 3 people in the afternoon (cafe only) isn't manageable with all the huge (and complicated) orders we've been getting. Barring on your own feels impossible when everyone gets Tik Tok drinks.
mrsfrankenstud 5 points 2y ago
My ten year anniversary is next month and I've been listening to the labor b.s. for all the years. Shareholder profits is a major contributor to the issue.
shinymutt [OP] 3 points 2y ago
Yeah, we know "earning labor" is code for "seeing how much profit we can squeeze out of the least amount of employees."
impasse602 5 points 2y ago
I feel this. Our afternoons are hectic everybody goes to starbucks for lunch and then it doesnt really help when my store is located next to the mall but yeah i get you
Many-Medicine6836 3 points 2y ago
I worked for Starbucks before the pandemic and it was definitely a bit more low key. We were staffed more adequately in mornings AND nights. I opened mostly pre pandemic but did close once or twice a week, and nights were usually 5 people until an hour till close and then 4 to close.
During and after the pandemic? Absolute madness. We had 30 people working at our store but no one was getting scheduled, there weren't "hours to give", as my SM said. We would work happy hours with 8 people leaving at 1, and 3 people replacing them.
We would miss meals. We would be sprinting all over the floor. We begged for help but up until I had my last day Saturday, the most we got consistently was 4 people until 2-3 hours till close, and maybe, if we were lucky, a 3 man close(we have done too many 2 man).
Not to mention all of this with our store having 150%+ the sales of previous years, and the highest amount of mobile orders IN OUR STATE.
Something fishy is going on in corporate. Starbucks has really shown they don't care.
During and after the pandemic? Absolute madness. We had 30 people working at our store but no one was getting scheduled, there weren't "hours to give", as my SM said. We would work happy hours with 8 people leaving at 1, and 3 people replacing them.
We would miss meals. We would be sprinting all over the floor. We begged for help but up until I had my last day Saturday, the most we got consistently was 4 people until 2-3 hours till close, and maybe, if we were lucky, a 3 man close(we have done too many 2 man).
Not to mention all of this with our store having 150%+ the sales of previous years, and the highest amount of mobile orders IN OUR STATE.
Something fishy is going on in corporate. Starbucks has really shown they don't care.
shinymutt [OP] 3 points 2y ago
Wow, absolutely ridiculous. I really feel like my SM and DM are trying to gaslight us. I like my manager, but she has visibly been under a lot of stress, to the point that she's snapping on good, long term partners. Its eerie because she's never been the type to act like that, and she started at our store as a barista so she must know we aren't performing how we used to at lower volumes. Where do you find your sales metrics btw? I know how much my store makes a day in cash but i would love to know total sales and stuff
Is 3 person close not the standard where you are? We at least always have them scheduled, but it will be us 3 for like 4 hours with DT, cafe and MOP and our evenings have been wild. Everyone on the closing team is burnt out, worse than mornings.
Is 3 person close not the standard where you are? We at least always have them scheduled, but it will be us 3 for like 4 hours with DT, cafe and MOP and our evenings have been wild. Everyone on the closing team is burnt out, worse than mornings.
Many-Medicine6836 2 points 2y ago
These were just numbers given during shift meetings. I'm not sure where my store manager got them, but I felt betrayed to hear these numbers only for us to get shit on when we asked for help, or at the very least, more pay for the insane amount of work we are being forced to do.
It is the norm for our store. Unfortunately Doesnt work well considering the volume of our store. A store down the street that does similar numbers has 5 person closes every night. I've had partners transfer here or visit from there and are confused about the lack of pm crew.
In defense of my SM, he did say he was trying to give more coverage on nights before I left. It never happened because the DM came and fired 2 of our most senior shifts and really screwed us.
Either way- Starbucks only having 3 or 4 people to work pm when each person needs meals is not ok. I've had nights with inventory counts that force me to be off the floor for extended periods of time, plus meals for everyone on the floor. Running a DT Starbucks in an area where there is always a line wrapped around the building until 730, is asking way too much. 1 person in drive, 1 person on bar, one person secondary, cs, ps, and break coverage while the shift warms, takes fronts, helps in drive, helps with cs, does inventory count.... way too much.
It is the norm for our store. Unfortunately Doesnt work well considering the volume of our store. A store down the street that does similar numbers has 5 person closes every night. I've had partners transfer here or visit from there and are confused about the lack of pm crew.
In defense of my SM, he did say he was trying to give more coverage on nights before I left. It never happened because the DM came and fired 2 of our most senior shifts and really screwed us.
Either way- Starbucks only having 3 or 4 people to work pm when each person needs meals is not ok. I've had nights with inventory counts that force me to be off the floor for extended periods of time, plus meals for everyone on the floor. Running a DT Starbucks in an area where there is always a line wrapped around the building until 730, is asking way too much. 1 person in drive, 1 person on bar, one person secondary, cs, ps, and break coverage while the shift warms, takes fronts, helps in drive, helps with cs, does inventory count.... way too much.
juiceyluicy 2 points 2y ago
After not closing since before the pandemic and starting to kind of recently, it is wild that we are SO much busier and have the exact same hours scheduled. Afternoons are horrible. Sometimes (rarely) afternoons will feel like before the pandemic, noticeably slower than the mornings. But almost everyday it is painfully busy and there’s only 3-4 people on the floor for like the rest of the night from 2 or 3pm onward. And my store is 40-70% higher in sales than last year.
shinymutt [OP] 1 points 2y ago
I was shocked when we lost 5 people at 1 and 2 more at 2 yesterday. It was a miserable shift. I really don't understand why we don't have more people hanging on until late afternoon at least. My SSV ended up closing the cafe for a couple hours just so we had a chance to have our breaks and catch up on prep. Idk how much we would have lost from cafe orders, but it seems like it could have been avoided even with one more person between 2-6.
medusas-garden 2 points 2y ago
Pre covid we were pulling $30k-$40k weeks, now we’re doing $60k weeks. This past holiday season we were only up to about $55k. We keep getting busier and busier.
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