we're technically supposed to make, taste, and describe 1 or 2 before launch, but if you have allergies or dietary restrictions you should be able to either modify it if possible or if not, i assume you would make it but then read the recipe card for the taste description. either way, remember corporate policy states that you do not have to do anything that you feel is unsafe, so like other users said, definitely report your SSV

WHAT. THE. FUCK. If anyone told me to put taste testing/work before my health, I'll fight them on site. Jk. Maybe not. But I will definitely be having a word or three with my manager.

I can't have caffeine due to my meds and I'm lactose so nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.

this is illegal lmao

No. Report this to your SM.

Look, it’s against my religion to drink coffee or tea, and I’m almost at my one year mark, and I’ve never had any of our product. The most I do is have a cream frap with the syrup just so I know what it tastes like.

Go up the chain. If your SM isn’t listening, go to ethics or go to district. It is illegal to force someone to have the product, and extremely unethical and dangerous to force it. That SSV should be fired, or extremely reprimanded at the least.

No, and especially not if it'll harm you.

I encourage baristas that can't to at least give it a sniff, if safe OFC. Otherwise I describe it to them and tell them to either give the canned corporate flavor description or say "nah, can't/don't have, but my coworker says it's ___"


If your SM isn't helpful, call ethics and compliance.

in my experience we only have to try one of the different varieties of the new drinks. pick one out of the 3 for the apple crisp. my lead never makes us try all 3.

update: she had to be hospitalized and our SM is ignoring her texts about the situation

No, but we have to be able to describe them. That’s why they give us the description on the recipe cards (you can also find the recipe cards on the iPads).

Well you’re supposed to eventually have all of them but that’s not normally super enforced if at all. If you can describe them you’re fine and they provide you with descriptions and you can always just ask another barista who had it how’d they’d describe it. It’s definitely not enforced if you have dietary restrictions.

Really the goal is for you to be able to sell it and make it. As a trainer I focused on those things, and trained on how to describe and sell an item, then make it on bar.

I had partners get creative saying things like “oh, it’s just like X,” or “we’ll, if you like A/B/C I think you should try it.”

Real talk: I drank and preferred black coffee. Frappuccinos are an affront and an insult to my palate. I judge and mock caramel macchiato drinkers, still, after 2 decades off the job. None of that mattered because I can sell the shit out of the menu, and that’s what matters.

When a shift makes a claim that seems sus just tell them to show you the policy. It’s their burden of proof to find it and if they can’t, don’t do it.

Yeah you don't need a reason to choose not to. It doesn't matter why you're not, that's your choice!

I'm no longer a partner, but back when I was we were allowed to skip trying drinks/breakfast foods if it was something we had an allergy/dietary restriction on. If someone has a dairy/gluten allergy and isn't allowed to modify the drink but is being forced to drink it that sounds like a call to HR might be needed.

Uh no. You don't have to try anything.

If you know you’re allergic to an ingredient, it’s up to you to advocate for yourself at that point.

at my bux we would pick a couple that we Wanted to try. and share what we thought of the new drinks so that we could tell customers that way. Trying Everything? Now that’s just gross lol.

no, absurd

Nooo! When I went in for my coffee tasting they had a partner go over it with me. The SM is allergic to almost everything and can’t drink coffee. They reasonably accommodated her.

Also today I asked a barista what the sweet cream nitro is like and she honestly told me she didn’t know because she doesn’t drink dairy. Fair enough.

Everyone at my store has food allergies. Our boss just let us modify the drinks or skip them all together. I do have an amazing boss though. Sorry you have a dick as a boss.

second update: she got written up for calling out after she was hospitalized

What the fuck??? If she has a allergy, she definitely shouldn’t….wtf is wrong with that ssv.

As someone with allergies I will try what I can, but often heavily modified and usually not everything that comes out. You're expected to try it to have an idea, but you can't be forced to.

I don’t do what I don’t want to.

Bullshit, I still have yet to try any of the drinks because ironically I’m not into coffee like that.

Why didn't she just say no? Lol... Especially if she has an intolerance or allergy? That's just poor decision making 😭you can't get fired for not drinking something you don't like come on

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You do have to, but there should be mods always for any dietary restrictions...that just makes sense so that when customers with restrictions come in a batista knows the taste