This is the way.

lmaooooo this has me cracking up

Definitely have done that before

I always worry that they know the person behind them and will know I'm lying if I do this (plus mobile orders have been turned off at my store for a long time now), so I just say "your order has already been taken care of, so you're all set!" and it works just as well.

This is my go to. "Your breakfast was on me today!" Because fuck'em that's why.

Same here. People are saying the issues with it are for confusion and speed, but I don’t find that it takes much of my brain power to keep up with clearing the screen and remembering who has paid. As far as speed, there’s still going to be another transaction eventually, it’s just getting it done in one car space. Most pay it forward people use the app or their card anyway, which is typically around a 10 second process.

The only potential problem I would have with pay it forward is that the people are doing it performatively and/or without financial regard for us baristas. But at the end of the day that’s their choice and it doesn’t really affect how I do my job.

Nobody is getting blessed if you’re still paying for the next persons coffee anyway.

I don't hate it personally, but I think it irks a lot of people because it messes up the drink order, or makes customers feel obligated to cover an order that may be more expensive than what they got. Also a lot of people find it to be more of a performative gesture when everyone at Starbucks is already there because they can afford it, but will pay it forward instead of tipping.

Usually at least one of these reasons:
- Harder for newer partners to keep track; gives them more stress and makes it more likely they’ll hand out the wrong item by mistake
- We’re under a lot of pressure to keep the line moving as fast as possible and a pay-it-forward chain slows the line significantly
- Customers feel a social pressure to pay for the car behind them, which is awkward if the car behind them has a more expensive order
- People who pay it forward tend not to tip

Personally if someone asks me to pay for the car behind them, I’ll do it. Then those two people’s days will get a little better. I just don’t want to keep a chain going because it slows everything down and that’s a big no-no

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