Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Advice for a new hire learning to close (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by kaiserthewiser
I'm not sure if this is the allowed on this sub, but as the title says I recently completed my training at Starbucks and will be working nights. I just closed for the second time with my trainer and did not do well at all, I don't see how I can possibly close on my own tomorrow night. I'm working the register and there is a very long list of tasks to complete before closing. I'm still learning where things are and what things are called. I can tell my trainer was beginning to get frustrated with me and that's been stressing me out immensely. She wrote out for me an easier to understand list of closing tasks, but I'm still so slow to do things and ask a crap ton of questions to her and the other baristas. Do you guys have any advice to help me get better at closing? Am I just not cut out for this job?
ZenPrince 2 points 2y ago
Its important not to beat yourself up, my first close it took me close to 3 and a half hours to do breakdown alone, its a huge learning curve coming fresh off training. You just have to take it one task at a time and one close at a time and youll slowly start to learn what goes where, what order tasks typically get done and what you can do to give your morning people an advantage. Just take it as slow as you need to in order to learn. (coming from someone that now does 8 hour closes every day/week, you got this)
wtchtrsh 2 points 2y ago
I am a shift supervisor, when I close with someone brand new, I know they are still learning and make it my responsibility to make sure they feel set up and successful. Even if that means doing some of the work for them and the next day trade off tasks they didn’t learn before so eventually they know how to do all of it. Doing what you can as early as possible will help. A few hours before close, start your tasks and keep everything clean stocked. Your shift supervisor should be telling you when to start your tasks and guiding you, if they are not doing this, they are not doing their job and you should seek support from your SM.
kaiserthewiser [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thank you for the advice. I'll try to start doing closing tasks as soon as I go in so I don't have to rush to do them all at the end of the night like last night.
LockAzzy 2 points 2y ago
It takes time to get used to it. Follow the list and if she treats you poorly remind her that you're new. We used to have to start tasks early when I worked there, and that helped. Having half of the supplies already done well in advanced and using a few designated "dirty" items. Do not stress yourself out over this job. They underpay and overwork. If you had enough people for a proper close it wouldn't be so much of a struggle. I never did see that in my five years with the company.
kaiserthewiser [OP] 2 points 2y ago
I appreciate the input. I'm going to start my tasks as early as I can today and see if that helps. This job is definitely far more work than I expected and I'm just trying to stay positive.
LockAzzy 2 points 2y ago
Trust me, it's not you. It's understaffing and under paying. You sound like you're on track. I wouldn't expect someone to be good at a close without a list and a lot of direction for the first week or two.
kaiserthewiser [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Last night went MUCH better! Basically spent every moment of down time I had working on the list and I ended up having a good amount of time leftover by the end of the night. Feeling a lot better about myself today haha
LockAzzy 1 points 1y ago
Oh fantastic!
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