Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Trenta rant with extra spice (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by SpAcEcAt_94
So I'm a 301... for the past month I have worked about 25-30 hours a week (so about 100-120 hours per month)... I can count the number of hours I have barred on one hand over the past month (and it's been like this for literally like 4 or 5 months now ever since apparently someone decided that I'm slow on bar - my usual DTO partner/person feels the same way and thinks we're being targeted to be pushed out).
I'm almost always on DTO/DTR (depending on where the fellow partner on DTO/DTR is - sometimes we switch throughout the day in order to break it up for ourselves when we're dragging) and I am so tired. I'm sometimes an opener and sometimes do mid-shift. I have mentioned to multiple shifts - "hey I never bar, can I bar?"
I cover a bar person's break or lunch and then I'm immediately sent on my own break. Once I get back? Back to drive thru. Then everyone complains how slow I am on bar. EXCUSE ME?! That's because I LITERALLY only have a few hours on bar per month.
And yet another 320 takes 4 MINUTES to make a caramel frappuccino and she's allowed to bar almost everyday she's working... and she literally has one speed and that is sloth. And then while I'm waiting for her to (slowly) put whip on a frappuccino I have other people yelling at me to pull people forward even tho we don't have the next person's frappuccino done either.
And it's not just her. It's also the fact that I have people who consider themselves experienced baristas (working about a year) trying to boss me around... constantly. Like today I was (miraculously) not on DTR... instead I was Front/CS so I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. But that was after I begged my shift to let me off of DTR and he let me (finally) switch with the girl on front/cs.
So now I'm looking for another job and have already possibly have found one - a 24 hr donut and coffee shop (locally owned, no drive thru) is hiring. They pay significantly less than Starbucks (they pay $9 but my Starbucks is at $12) but the emotional atmosphere is way better than Starbucks. They're also further. I'm torn cuz money (I do have a bf who brings home his own paycheck so we wouldn't be horribly struggling) but also emotional state is struggling at Starbucks.
I'm almost always on DTO/DTR (depending on where the fellow partner on DTO/DTR is - sometimes we switch throughout the day in order to break it up for ourselves when we're dragging) and I am so tired. I'm sometimes an opener and sometimes do mid-shift. I have mentioned to multiple shifts - "hey I never bar, can I bar?"
I cover a bar person's break or lunch and then I'm immediately sent on my own break. Once I get back? Back to drive thru. Then everyone complains how slow I am on bar. EXCUSE ME?! That's because I LITERALLY only have a few hours on bar per month.
And yet another 320 takes 4 MINUTES to make a caramel frappuccino and she's allowed to bar almost everyday she's working... and she literally has one speed and that is sloth. And then while I'm waiting for her to (slowly) put whip on a frappuccino I have other people yelling at me to pull people forward even tho we don't have the next person's frappuccino done either.
And it's not just her. It's also the fact that I have people who consider themselves experienced baristas (working about a year) trying to boss me around... constantly. Like today I was (miraculously) not on DTR... instead I was Front/CS so I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. But that was after I begged my shift to let me off of DTR and he let me (finally) switch with the girl on front/cs.
So now I'm looking for another job and have already possibly have found one - a 24 hr donut and coffee shop (locally owned, no drive thru) is hiring. They pay significantly less than Starbucks (they pay $9 but my Starbucks is at $12) but the emotional atmosphere is way better than Starbucks. They're also further. I'm torn cuz money (I do have a bf who brings home his own paycheck so we wouldn't be horribly struggling) but also emotional state is struggling at Starbucks.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 4 points 1y ago
I'm just to the point where I'm so over it. I'm over the glorified over-priced sugar water that they call coffee. I'm tired of standing in drive thru watching others bar and realizing that I'm never going to be able to get good enough to bar because I was never given the opportunity. I'm tired of asking "would you like a straw?" to adults who should be able to mostly use the stupid sippy lid (I know some have swallowing disorders, etc which is fine and I encourage those to use a straw but the majority of people do not have those disorders). I'm tired of watching baristas put stoppers in a drink for the purely aesthetic value of the drink only to watch the customer receive the drink and immediately pull out the stopper to throw it away (so wasteful). I'm tired of seeing the stupid FLIES in the display case cuz Starbucks likes to use actual food instead of plastic displays (do better Starbucks). I'm tired of being yelled at for window times being over 40 seconds or having passive aggressive shifts mutter about my capabilities in the background where they think I'm out of earshot of them but I can hear them perfectly.
yboold 2 points 1y ago
I think for your mental health and sanity taking the 24h donut coffee shop would be better for you! The pay may be less and all but you'll feel much happier I think. I know that Starbucks likes to put newbies on DTR a lot, or CS.. I was placed on CS multiple times for the entirety of my shift and I couldn't stand it. Or the entirety of it was on DTR.. Starbucks is a mess honestly
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Yeah Starbucks is 100% a mess.
The other girl that they bar all day who takes 4 minutes to make a frappuccino? She was hired 1 week prior to me. And the girl who is normally with me as my DTO - she's been with Starbucks for over 2 years. So it's not newbies with my store cuz my DTO can bar like me, but unfortunately she's not allowed to regularly bar... again like me.
It's just all around unfortunate cuz I really enjoy making drinks. That's why I'm considering also becoming a bartender. Just nervous about the laws and being responsible for a crowd of not completely sober people.
The other girl that they bar all day who takes 4 minutes to make a frappuccino? She was hired 1 week prior to me. And the girl who is normally with me as my DTO - she's been with Starbucks for over 2 years. So it's not newbies with my store cuz my DTO can bar like me, but unfortunately she's not allowed to regularly bar... again like me.
It's just all around unfortunate cuz I really enjoy making drinks. That's why I'm considering also becoming a bartender. Just nervous about the laws and being responsible for a crowd of not completely sober people.
kaylaaudrey 3 points 1y ago
Tell your sm that you're planning to quit because you don't get bar time. A lot of stores are desperate for baristas, so they'll probably talk to the shifts and tell them to give you bar time.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
That's the problem. My SM knows I don't really ever bar. She still lets everyone else bar instead of me... including 4 minute frappuccino barista... who was permitted to front bar today even tho I have been asking for weeks to have some good bar time. Every time I get on bar I get immediately thrown off cuz "I'm slow" and I'm holding up the line of drinks while other baristas are grabbing my drink stickers "to help".
amalia13lightning 3 points 1y ago
Because they think you won't stand up for yourself and leave. Make it clear you aren't willing to stay in this environment, and mean it. If things don't change, leave.
SSDGM-cool-cat 1 points 1y ago
OMG, this was exactly my experience. I am a 320 as well. They literally just started putting me on bar more at the end of this month but I started at the end of July. I was a teacher so I freaking love DTO/window (and can stay enthusiastic and pleasant even when I’m dying inside) but my bar confidence was ground level for so long. At our store, it felt like we were so constantly slammed that putting me on bar would slow things down and people complained and we could not afford to do that. Sigh. Heaaaavy sigh. I am just now starting to learn how to do CS properly.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I was a teaching assistant for college (so I'd teach lab sections of a college class and would grade) so I'm able to fake it when I need to... even though I definitely am deadpan as soon as I get off of work. I go from 😃 to 😐.
My bar confidence is like... minimal. I know how to do the drinks, but sequencing is my issue. I was never able to bar when we got more busy (newer store so it took a bit for customers to realize that we were open) and so, while I know how to make drinks, I never got the ability to sequence down. And it doesn't help when I'm bar I usually have to deal with a "more experienced" barista (he's 17 and has been with Starbucks for a year and is trying to be buddy-buddy with the managers for a shift position) trying to "help"... basically he will literally move things off of my bar and will take stickers to make drinks to "speed us up".
My bar confidence is like... minimal. I know how to do the drinks, but sequencing is my issue. I was never able to bar when we got more busy (newer store so it took a bit for customers to realize that we were open) and so, while I know how to make drinks, I never got the ability to sequence down. And it doesn't help when I'm bar I usually have to deal with a "more experienced" barista (he's 17 and has been with Starbucks for a year and is trying to be buddy-buddy with the managers for a shift position) trying to "help"... basically he will literally move things off of my bar and will take stickers to make drinks to "speed us up".
SSDGM-cool-cat 1 points 1y ago
Achhh yeah that’s tough :( I also usually do it one drink at a time, although I’m getting better at sequencing. BUTTTTT it’s so much “easier” when someone is on cold bar and you don’t have to abandon your bar drinks to go make a stupid complicated slushee lol.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
Right?! I like to call the frappuccinos a "snowcone pretending to be a milkshake"... mostly ice with some milk and flavoring!
SSDGM-cool-cat 1 points 1y ago
Legit my coworkers were like “How are you so positive all the time??” and I was like NAHH I’m v depressed inside.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Right?!
Although when I work opening shift (usually like 4:30a-1p for me), I start dragging around 11am and that's when my voice goes from "good morning, welcome to Starbucks, what can we make for you today?!" to "what can we get you?". You'd think they'd take me off of DTO/DTR at that point (if I'm solo by then. Sometimes if I'm just DTO then they'll have the DTR switch me) cuz I do NOT sound happy.
I'm also depressed but Starbucks doesn't care about us. It's a glorified fast food chain regardless of what they say it is.
Although when I work opening shift (usually like 4:30a-1p for me), I start dragging around 11am and that's when my voice goes from "good morning, welcome to Starbucks, what can we make for you today?!" to "what can we get you?". You'd think they'd take me off of DTO/DTR at that point (if I'm solo by then. Sometimes if I'm just DTO then they'll have the DTR switch me) cuz I do NOT sound happy.
I'm also depressed but Starbucks doesn't care about us. It's a glorified fast food chain regardless of what they say it is.
BREAKDOWN-MAMI 1 points 1y ago
This has been happening to me since I was put out on my own.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Same. At first it was great, I was allowed to bar and then after a few months it was like a weird switch was flipped and I was suddenly never assigned to bar... instead it was always DTR/DTO.
I'm so burnt out on that position that it isn't even funny. You'd think they'd figure that out by the tone of my voice or by the fact that I constantly ask to bar... but apparently not.
Reason why I'm looking into other options. 🤞 if I find something then I'm quitting so fast.
I'm so burnt out on that position that it isn't even funny. You'd think they'd figure that out by the tone of my voice or by the fact that I constantly ask to bar... but apparently not.
Reason why I'm looking into other options. 🤞 if I find something then I'm quitting so fast.
BREAKDOWN-MAMI 2 points 1y ago
i don’t blame you to be honest, i had to have a breakdown in order to be heard and given training shifts.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 2 points 1y ago
They just hired 6-7 new baristas and I'm over here like 😃 "great. More people to choose to bar over me" 😃.
So I've basically decided I'm gonna quit. I can't take it anymore. I'm also trying to get another barista to come in and cover 1.5 hours before his own shift for me and he won't even respond to my messages or texts. So no one gives a shit about me or the stuff that I need to do. My bf's car broke down (parts on backorder) and his kid's birthday is that day for that shift - I have to drive him. Issue is she lives 3 states away... so it'll be an all day deal and my manager said if I could get someone to cover peak for me then I could go without any consequences.
So I'm currently drafting my "goodbye to hell" letter cuz I'm furious and tired.
So I've basically decided I'm gonna quit. I can't take it anymore. I'm also trying to get another barista to come in and cover 1.5 hours before his own shift for me and he won't even respond to my messages or texts. So no one gives a shit about me or the stuff that I need to do. My bf's car broke down (parts on backorder) and his kid's birthday is that day for that shift - I have to drive him. Issue is she lives 3 states away... so it'll be an all day deal and my manager said if I could get someone to cover peak for me then I could go without any consequences.
So I'm currently drafting my "goodbye to hell" letter cuz I'm furious and tired.
BREAKDOWN-MAMI 1 points 1y ago
i don’t blame you and i truly wish you the best i’m so sorry!
persona-2 1 points 1y ago
I have an SM who thinks that the play is 100% the SSVs job no matter what. Who cares if you talked o the SM about needing practice or burning out or wanting to move up - 100% ssv job. It’s so weird. Like the SSVs are nice, but I thought it was the manager who was in charge of making these things happen.
If that’s your store too maybe ask whatever shift you work with most often outside of peak for a chance on support bar? Talk about excited, learning, moving up, passion, etc. If the right person goes to bat for you the it all seems to work.
If that’s your store too maybe ask whatever shift you work with most often outside of peak for a chance on support bar? Talk about excited, learning, moving up, passion, etc. If the right person goes to bat for you the it all seems to work.
SpAcEcAt_94 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
So I have talked to a few shifts (minus the passive aggressive one) about barring. They always are like "yeah we can do that for you" and then we get a rush and they're like "sorryyyyy" as they gesture towards drive since apparently I'm the only one able to solo drive during busy periods -_-
Which is why I'm considering moving to either a donut shop or a local bartending job. I have the drink experience to do the bartending (minus the actual certification plus I'm 27 so I'm legally allowed to handle and serve alcohol) but the donut shop would be a place where I could do homework, etc when there's no customers and I have other tasks done.
Which is why I'm considering moving to either a donut shop or a local bartending job. I have the drink experience to do the bartending (minus the actual certification plus I'm 27 so I'm legally allowed to handle and serve alcohol) but the donut shop would be a place where I could do homework, etc when there's no customers and I have other tasks done.
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