Understaffing is common in starbucks because, basically, less labor = more profit for the company.

I have also seen some employees comment about how a lot of people left and a lot of new hires coming in to keep up with the turnover at their stores, so that’s a thing.

As for shortages, I’ve heard different versions of different things. The company insists that there’s just a “rise in demand” while I have heard whispers of something else going on, but nothing I’ve seen verified.

I feel like there’s something so be said about the fact that it’s really hard to train a new barista when you’re already understaffed. I work at a licensed location so it might be a bit different for us, but sometimes I feel like I would just rather run the kiosk by myself than it be me + a new hire, simply because I’d really be running the kiosk myself anyway and with how busy we’ve been there just aren’t many opportunities to devote time to training. God knows the customers aren’t patient enough to wait while I walk a new barista through how to make a drink when there’s a line.

Idk I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place these days because while my store is desperate for new hires, training them is a pain in the ass (especially the ones who aren’t even trying that hard. If there’s a line out the door I understand that you’re not ready to take orders or make drinks yet, but at least wash dishes and make backups and warm food instead of just standing there). I really wish we could magically just get new baristas that are at least partially trained

My manager is swearing up and down that no one is applying to the location. Pretty much anyone who applies is getting hired right now unless they’re truly horrible. I just recently quit because I couldn’t take how horrible my store was any longer, staffing issues aside.

I don't know if you noticed but it's really hard for anyone anywhere to get people in. Here there's Now Hiring signs literally everywhere you go. Our local Taco Bells have been shutting down the inside of the store, not because of COVID protocols (they don't care) but because they don't have the staff to keep the lobby open.

Conservatives are pointing to the enhanced unemployment benefits meaning people get paid more to stay home than come to work but I think it's deeper and more nuanced than that.

People don't want to put up with this crap anymore and they've had the time and space to realize they don't have to. A lot of people have been quitting food service after getting laid off and moving into different industries where the wages aren't so crap and people aren't screaming at you. As much, at least. Hell they put in an enhanced referral bonus and I would never ask someone to walk into this mess.

I would quit if I wasn't in school. I live in a tourist area and it has become increasingly hellish as the weeks go on. There are SO MANY people in town, lines everywhere are completely insane. Our DT has been wrapped around the building with the cafe actually open. Our ice machine broke last week and that was a real barrel of laughs combined with all the shortages and outages.

That said, places have been much more successful by actually offering a living wage to come work. There was an ice cream place in new england somewhere that was completely desperate for workers and couldn't find any at all. They increased their wages to $15/hr and surprise, they got over 1000 applications. The bux probably won't, and it still sucks shit to work for, so get used to being short staffed.

my store has 50 partners and supposedly were hiring someone every week this summer, yet there’s a cut in labor so none of us are getting the hours we need.

I've heard the shortages are due to drivers on strike. Basically they refuse to bring sandwiches from a warehouse and deliver it to Starbucks unless they're paid a higher wage. At least that's what my manager told us - and my manager is super transparent. She tells us when things happen and why they're happening.

My store just hired like 5 people lol

I don't know about purposefully not hiring.

I know my store has turned from having a staff mostly of 21+ adults to having only minors besides shifts in less than 2 years. Minors tend to work less hours, are less dependable because of responsibilities like school etc, and tend to stick around for less amounts of time. My store is suffering because of this.

Plus with recent firings, store walkouts, and a bunch of people quitting, the store is going under and is unable to train people quick enough to keep up with the availabilities.

My store doesn't even have night shifts anymore. These baristas are now without hours unless they go elsewhere.

Unpopular opinion here, some stores are understaffed but many are actually not. Its just that baristas do not have a good grasp on how many partners are needed to successfully run the floor and how many become excess at certain times of day. Sure it might get busy and backed up but having someone on for 4 hours to cover a 30 minute rush is pointless. When I became a shift I realized this as a barista I was always convinced we were understaffed. This isn’t to argue some if many stores may be, however is starbucks purposely doing it? I would disagree, in fact they have started including hiring signage in recent material provided to stores. It really comes down to the region and the management imo.