Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
↑
327
↓
Do you ever just realize something? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by dexterwolf1
All these customers that come through, even the worst of the worst, they are actual people. People who go home and live their life after throwing a tantrum to a underpaid worker who didn’t add enough caramel drizzle, or not enough whatever.
Think about it. We live with these people.
Think about it. We live with these people.
jdsalingersdog 148 points 1y ago
Yerp. But they have to go home being *them* and we get to be us!
MonstrousGiggling 84 points 1y ago
One thing I think Sbux did do correct was awhile ago on one of the trainings they state, when a customer be ackin' a foo', it says more about them than it does about you.
We can't control how these people behave and honestly we need to try our best not to let it get under your skin. Literally laugh it off, these people are grown babies.
We can't control how these people behave and honestly we need to try our best not to let it get under your skin. Literally laugh it off, these people are grown babies.
jdsalingersdog 39 points 1y ago
“When a customer be ackin’ a foo…” was that Dr. Seuss? Maya Angelou? Well-said!
ontether 9 points 1y ago
I agree. Nothing to do with you, everything to do with that person. (This is what I mean by my comment below that has upset so many)
kIose 71 points 1y ago
A lot of terrible customers are terrible people as well. It's a good psychology experiment, if that's how they treat the person who makes their drink for them, they're definitely acting that way elsewhere in their lives as well.
To me it shows a lack of emotional control, emotional intelligence, self awareness and lack of insight.
To me it shows a lack of emotional control, emotional intelligence, self awareness and lack of insight.
Koalastars009 29 points 1y ago
This is true! At my old job this woman use to yell at us about super burning hot fries. She always wanted them right out of the oil. A couple of years later I go to pick up my prescription at Walgreens and who do I see? It was the same woman yelling at the pharmacist through their drive thru. I pointed out “hey I know that crazy person!”
TechnicalCap6619 43 points 1y ago
These people vote..
FfierceLaw 24 points 1y ago
If we could get a video of them and leak it, I wonder how their employer/family/friends would react? Like the Karens calling the police on innocent people?
dexterwolf1 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
or them throwing drinks and causing disruptions… i’m sure their employer wouldn’t like that.
philosopher_cat_lady 8 points 1y ago
Yesterday I was on drive and I heard the ding and a man in the distance say, "Man, what the fuck is wrong with you?! You gon' KILL somebody drivin' like that!" A man had parked in the parking lot next to our store and started walking toward the car at the speakerbox. I didn't answer the call and complained to my coworkers that this was stupid and people are not supposed to yell at people at Starbucks and walk in the drive-thru lane. The car drove up to my window and I got annoyed. A ding happened at the speakerbox and I told my coworkers I had to handle this situation. The man at the window asked me, "Are y'all open?" I said, "Yes, we're open, I just didn't speak to you at the speakerbox because I heard what was going on."
maemac 3 points 1y ago
I think about it all the time and then I just think about how many other mundane and minor inconveniences completely throw them off track, every single day. Because I promise it’s not just the barista ~messing up their order that’s making them so miserable.
MrsClaireUnderwood 3 points 1y ago
Look at how they react to masks and vaccines.
Lilium816 2 points 1y ago
They also drive cars and vote ☺
LegendOfJakelope 1 points 1y ago
I think this feeling is called "sonder." :D
[deleted] 1 points 1y ago
They’re just mad because their husband is leaving them for a nineteen year old secretary.
46patisse 1 points 1y ago
Deep
ontether -34 points 1y ago
It’s unconsciousness in action. They are you at your worst times.
Candid_Accident_ 32 points 1y ago
I’ve been through some shit. Never once at my worst times did I think yelling at someone over caramel or foam would help. Sure, it does happen occasionally when someone has an off day and has a temper that they wouldn’t normally have. However, the majority of these customers are entitled and demanding, and I bet it permeates every avenue of their lives.
ontether -14 points 1y ago
Maybe it manifests differently for you. Maybe instead of being unkind to others you were unkind to yourself. I think the point of my (downvoted) comment is that we are all connected. And when someone acts like this, it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with their circumstances, just having empathy for that as it is part of the human condition that connects us all can be helpful. If you’re mad or upset about it, that’s okay too, you can’t judge your feelings that occur. But to dwell on it is suffering in and of itself (and also a way of being unkind to oneself).
If this is a helpful way of thinking to someone then cool, if not that’s okay too.
If this is a helpful way of thinking to someone then cool, if not that’s okay too.
mothsoft 14 points 1y ago
many of us don’t have an infinite supply of empathy to dispense out for abusive customers. furthermore, being empathetic and internalizing go hand in hand. having sympathy for someone who is screaming at you and excusing this behavior sounds like being unkind to yourself
it customers can’t act right, they can stay home
it customers can’t act right, they can stay home
ontether 5 points 1y ago
It’s a mindfulness practice because yes, it is very difficult. In a way these difficult situations and people are great teachers. If you are internalizing, then you are not letting it go. That is not what is contemplated by my comment.
That said, if I managed this store, I would call the law and have this person trespassed from the store. It isn’t okay.
That said, if I managed this store, I would call the law and have this person trespassed from the store. It isn’t okay.
[deleted] 6 points 1y ago
[deleted]
ontether 2 points 1y ago
Im a Buddhist, those are my beliefs. Strange when empathy for others is considered going “too far.”
blue-haired-barista 16 points 1y ago
Newsflash: You being upset is not a valid reason to throw a temper tantrum at a Starbucks barista who's just doing their best !!! :)))
ontether 4 points 1y ago
I agree. My comment is not in defense of that action. Just a way to think about it that could be helpful to those on the receiving end. It helps me personally.
dexterwolf1 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I’m sorry but I have never ever yelled at or complained about something the way I’ve been treated while at starbucks. Even when someone gets my food wrong and adds something I literally can’t eat, I will still not complain. I could never even imagine yelling at a worker of any type. The worst I do is get upset at home about someone forgetting an expensive item I purchased and them forgetting to bag it. Never to them.
ontether 1 points 1y ago
I think folks are missing the point that we all have the potential to go there. That getting angry back means they’ve drawn you into their level of unconsciousness. I understand my comment has upset everyone bc they feel attacked by the suggestion that they could be similar to the customer/“enemy.” But focusing on the “other-ness” of a difficult person is not helpful either, ime. To be clear, I don’t think it is okay to act as many customers act. Ultimately each person has to cope with difficult people and situations in the way that best helps them.
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.