Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Can I please just rant+ any advice? (very long sorry) (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by vanney223
*names will be changed*
I am so angry.
My shift Jerry was like, “you need to practice bar because you get smoked.”
I’m like YO
YOU PUT ME ON BAR WITH SUZZY (a greenbean)
SHE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE ANYTHING!!
I HAVE TO REMAKE EVERYTHING SHE MAKES!!
IDK ANY SHORTCUTS BECAUSE MANDY (our manager) IS ALWAYS UP MY ASS SO I NEED TO DO IT THE "RIGHT" WAY!
I may not be the fastest I know I know,
but especially today was not my fault because Tom (another shift) told Suzzy- “go on bar so she(me) can finish her cards.”
I’m doing my cards and when I’m done I look over and Suzzy is cleaning the cold bar fridge????
I start making the drinks because I’m like ???????Why hasn’t she been making anything???
Jerry comes and looks at the sticker and is like “you’re 8mins behind.”
???????????????
THAT WAS GENUINELY NOT MY FAULT!!
Mandy said to Jerry, “why did you put her(me) on mobile handoff?”
IDK WHY EVERYONE THROWS ME AROUND EVERYWHERE!!!
AND THEN THEY’RE LIKE-
“why are u doing xyz…?”
EVERYONE TELLS ME DIFFERENT THINGS!!
And I get mad because Tom tells me to do something one way and I do it and then every other shift is like-
“what are u doing?”
I feel like I’m just average at bar- not crazy fast but not slow enough for there to be a problem.
They were like “you’re a veteran you should know how to be fast.”
My manager is always up my ass being like “You can’t use both machines.”
and talking like if I do she’s gonna write me up
I hate working with Jerry like he’s cool and funny and the next second harsh and contradictory.
I cant tell if he hates me or not.
I don’t get it I really don’t.
They tell me today, “you’re always getting smoked”
We are a high volume store in an over 50 floor building. Did you not see like 20 people walk in all at once? plus all the mobile orders?
Even people that are “fast” need help!
I’m frustrated.
It feels like everyone is just always on my ass specifically.
I really feel like Jerry is hard on me for no reason.
He gets mad at me for not doing the clean play fast enough. I have little arms and not much upper body strength. You made me move like 30 gallons of milk to clean the fridge. Of course it’s gonna take a while.
They get mad at me that I do things by the book. When Jeffery said I was slow I wanted to be like-
“how many drinks did u have to remake today?” because he takes so many short cuts that he messes up. You can hardly ever catch me remaking a drink unless I drop it. I dont try to cut corners all the time because 1. I don’t know how to
and 2. Mandy always watching me for some reason.
It’s some BS my coworkers use both bars and she doesn’t say anything to them but when I do she wants to talk to me in the back later about the protocol and routine and all that.
They got annoyed at me today because I was supposed to leave at 11:30am and Jeffery didnt notice the time and I had to clock out later (at 12pm)
I feel like that’s not my fault! I was not on my phone one time today.
"Phones arent allowed on the floor" right?
I’m mad because suddenly it’s like I won partner of the quarter and now everyone wants to be on my ass for some reason.
Every partner evaluation thingy Mandy will be praising me for "being brave enough to ask for help" but then when there’s a rush and I do ask for help, suddenly I’m slow and I need practice on bar.
I’m not gonna stand there and let the drinks pile up if I see like 20 people in the lobby .
I help EVERYONE.
Tom will go up to help me and then pulls out maybe 3 stickers and is like- “oh you’re caught up.”
Tom always puts John (fellow veteran barista) and I on bar because he said we work well together.
But then the shifts want to be in the BOH talking behind my back that I’m slow.
Jeffery will put me on bar and call me slow when everyone leaves me on bar with no ingredients.
I literally restock everything for everyone before I go on a 10, 30, or clock out.
There are drinks piling up because I go on bar and there’s no strawberry acai, no lemonade, no sweet cream, no ice, no cups, no lids, no syrup, no cold brew!!
I have to make it all!!!
I asked Tom if he could make lemonade/strawberry acai, sweet cream, and he leaves the pitchers out and doesn’t make it!
I am literally the only person out of everyone thats running around
like actually running! That’s getting bruises from bumping into things because the urgency!
I get confused because people will be just handing me drinks and milks and cups and not saying anything.
Someone tells me an order without a sticker and I’m clarifying what they said and they look at me like im dumb.
I get angry at everyone for just walking off bar because it feels like everyone just waits for me to get on bar so they don’t have to make/ get any shit.
I really do not get paid enough for this shit.
I’m on bar with the new girl, Suzzy and she doesn’t even know what line to put the cold brew at.
She made a green tea frap with THE GREEN ICED TEA AND NOT MATCHA
AND THEN ITS MY FAULT WE’RE BEHIND??THEN SHE DROPS THE FRAP AND I HAVE TO MAKE IT!!
The other day Jeffery messed up a drink and the customer throws their lid AT ME!
I
DO NOT
GET
PAID
ENOUGH
FOR THIS
OOOO
AND
AFTER, SO MANY SHIFTS
WANT COME TO ME
AND BE LIKE-
“You need to connect more”
WHEN
DO U SEE
ANYONE OTHER THAN ME
CONNECTING??
I really make the tips for this store.
Sorry this is incredibly long. If you read it all, you’re a champ. What do you think?
I am so angry.
My shift Jerry was like, “you need to practice bar because you get smoked.”
I’m like YO
YOU PUT ME ON BAR WITH SUZZY (a greenbean)
SHE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE ANYTHING!!
I HAVE TO REMAKE EVERYTHING SHE MAKES!!
IDK ANY SHORTCUTS BECAUSE MANDY (our manager) IS ALWAYS UP MY ASS SO I NEED TO DO IT THE "RIGHT" WAY!
I may not be the fastest I know I know,
but especially today was not my fault because Tom (another shift) told Suzzy- “go on bar so she(me) can finish her cards.”
I’m doing my cards and when I’m done I look over and Suzzy is cleaning the cold bar fridge????
I start making the drinks because I’m like ???????Why hasn’t she been making anything???
Jerry comes and looks at the sticker and is like “you’re 8mins behind.”
???????????????
THAT WAS GENUINELY NOT MY FAULT!!
Mandy said to Jerry, “why did you put her(me) on mobile handoff?”
IDK WHY EVERYONE THROWS ME AROUND EVERYWHERE!!!
AND THEN THEY’RE LIKE-
“why are u doing xyz…?”
EVERYONE TELLS ME DIFFERENT THINGS!!
And I get mad because Tom tells me to do something one way and I do it and then every other shift is like-
“what are u doing?”
I feel like I’m just average at bar- not crazy fast but not slow enough for there to be a problem.
They were like “you’re a veteran you should know how to be fast.”
My manager is always up my ass being like “You can’t use both machines.”
and talking like if I do she’s gonna write me up
I hate working with Jerry like he’s cool and funny and the next second harsh and contradictory.
I cant tell if he hates me or not.
I don’t get it I really don’t.
They tell me today, “you’re always getting smoked”
We are a high volume store in an over 50 floor building. Did you not see like 20 people walk in all at once? plus all the mobile orders?
Even people that are “fast” need help!
I’m frustrated.
It feels like everyone is just always on my ass specifically.
I really feel like Jerry is hard on me for no reason.
He gets mad at me for not doing the clean play fast enough. I have little arms and not much upper body strength. You made me move like 30 gallons of milk to clean the fridge. Of course it’s gonna take a while.
They get mad at me that I do things by the book. When Jeffery said I was slow I wanted to be like-
“how many drinks did u have to remake today?” because he takes so many short cuts that he messes up. You can hardly ever catch me remaking a drink unless I drop it. I dont try to cut corners all the time because 1. I don’t know how to
and 2. Mandy always watching me for some reason.
It’s some BS my coworkers use both bars and she doesn’t say anything to them but when I do she wants to talk to me in the back later about the protocol and routine and all that.
They got annoyed at me today because I was supposed to leave at 11:30am and Jeffery didnt notice the time and I had to clock out later (at 12pm)
I feel like that’s not my fault! I was not on my phone one time today.
"Phones arent allowed on the floor" right?
I’m mad because suddenly it’s like I won partner of the quarter and now everyone wants to be on my ass for some reason.
Every partner evaluation thingy Mandy will be praising me for "being brave enough to ask for help" but then when there’s a rush and I do ask for help, suddenly I’m slow and I need practice on bar.
I’m not gonna stand there and let the drinks pile up if I see like 20 people in the lobby .
I help EVERYONE.
Tom will go up to help me and then pulls out maybe 3 stickers and is like- “oh you’re caught up.”
Tom always puts John (fellow veteran barista) and I on bar because he said we work well together.
But then the shifts want to be in the BOH talking behind my back that I’m slow.
Jeffery will put me on bar and call me slow when everyone leaves me on bar with no ingredients.
I literally restock everything for everyone before I go on a 10, 30, or clock out.
There are drinks piling up because I go on bar and there’s no strawberry acai, no lemonade, no sweet cream, no ice, no cups, no lids, no syrup, no cold brew!!
I have to make it all!!!
I asked Tom if he could make lemonade/strawberry acai, sweet cream, and he leaves the pitchers out and doesn’t make it!
I am literally the only person out of everyone thats running around
like actually running! That’s getting bruises from bumping into things because the urgency!
I get confused because people will be just handing me drinks and milks and cups and not saying anything.
Someone tells me an order without a sticker and I’m clarifying what they said and they look at me like im dumb.
I get angry at everyone for just walking off bar because it feels like everyone just waits for me to get on bar so they don’t have to make/ get any shit.
I really do not get paid enough for this shit.
I’m on bar with the new girl, Suzzy and she doesn’t even know what line to put the cold brew at.
She made a green tea frap with THE GREEN ICED TEA AND NOT MATCHA
AND THEN ITS MY FAULT WE’RE BEHIND??THEN SHE DROPS THE FRAP AND I HAVE TO MAKE IT!!
The other day Jeffery messed up a drink and the customer throws their lid AT ME!
I
DO NOT
GET
PAID
ENOUGH
FOR THIS
OOOO
AND
AFTER, SO MANY SHIFTS
WANT COME TO ME
AND BE LIKE-
“You need to connect more”
WHEN
DO U SEE
ANYONE OTHER THAN ME
CONNECTING??
I really make the tips for this store.
Sorry this is incredibly long. If you read it all, you’re a champ. What do you think?
Random-Brunette 9 points 1y ago
Breathe. It's only coffee. When you feel yourself running, force yourself to walk. At the start of your shifts, make the shift lead assign your spot, find out what the others are meant to do, and only do your spot. They've learned you'll pick up their slack and they need to be untrained. Sounds like Mandy is your boss and at least somewhat supportive? Ask for a sit down with her and tell her you're near burn out and need to talk. Practice how to say what you wrote here in such a way that sounds professional so she can't accuse you of exaggerating or complaining just to complain. Specific examples and witnesses will help your cause. If the green bean is taking some abuse too, maybe they'll want in on the talk? Good luck, I know confrontation is the hardest part.
And shake off the "connect more" crap. It's the lazy "critique" thrown around by shifts that need to sound in charge but don't know what else to say. Not everyone is receptive to connection, and only you know the vibe you get from them at the window. I've had outright hostile reactions to my forced connect attempts, then others are happy to talk about nothing.
And shake off the "connect more" crap. It's the lazy "critique" thrown around by shifts that need to sound in charge but don't know what else to say. Not everyone is receptive to connection, and only you know the vibe you get from them at the window. I've had outright hostile reactions to my forced connect attempts, then others are happy to talk about nothing.
vanney223 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
It’s crazy how my manager seems like the most supportive one in this rant but she is the worst one. She makes it out to be like I’m not a great barista but when I had put in a transfer request and the store manager of the store I wanted to go to was almost begging for me, she denied it stating that they “needed” me. Talking to her about issues will make her gaslight me and in turn make it as if I’m the problem. It seems to be she thinks I’m a joke. I’ve noticed that she has this strategy of essentially verbally beating us into submission. I really don’t know what to do. Whenever the DM comes in I want to talk to him so bad because he LOVES me but I know it could be a problem if I go over my manager to her boss.
Random-Brunette 2 points 1y ago
Check back in with the store you want to transfer to. You're in a hostile work environment and need support. Hostile environment typically is used for sexual harassment and discrimination issues, but generalized mistreatment is covered by that too. The other manager should be able to help you talk to the DM. You're not going over Mandy's head for no good reason, it's because she's part of the problem.
howdudo 5 points 1y ago
I thought you worked with me until I saw the 50 floor part.
People saying 'its only coffee' are being dismissive. I know exactly what you mean. My shifts will be total assholes and I just take it. Then when I literally just match their tone back at them they are like 'woah woah woah where is all this attitude coming from? Hey everyone, check out howdudo, they are so mad at me. what a crazy person.' and Im just like 'oh my bad please just continue bullying me, I love to be treated like a piece of shit for things outside of my control :) :) :)'
People saying 'its only coffee' are being dismissive. I know exactly what you mean. My shifts will be total assholes and I just take it. Then when I literally just match their tone back at them they are like 'woah woah woah where is all this attitude coming from? Hey everyone, check out howdudo, they are so mad at me. what a crazy person.' and Im just like 'oh my bad please just continue bullying me, I love to be treated like a piece of shit for things outside of my control :) :) :)'
vanney223 [OP] 1 points 1y ago
I keep telling myself it’s just coffee but like why does it feel like my character is being questioned?¿? Why am I getting the short end of the stick?
Random-Brunette 2 points 1y ago
My "it's just coffee" comment is in regards to your running around trying to do it all. It was in no way meant to diminish your feelings. Customers will wait or go somewhere else, do not carry the store on your shoulders, you're not compensated to do so. You're dealing with enough bullshit from coworkers, don't make it your mission to make all the coffee too.
Frosty-Shelter7372 2 points 1y ago
It’s not just coffee. When your managers belittle you or make you feel insecure on the floor, it ruins your shift. Which ruins your day, which ruins your desire to come back tomorrow.
I have a similar situation with one of my shifts being extremely harsh and blunt one min and then being cool the next. It sucks and I feel for you. The only thing I can suggest is either transferring or submit honest af pulse survey’s. I worked at a store from Nov-March and quit bc my coworkers weren’t friendly. I’m at a new store where my SM is so so so great and understanding, it’s changed everything. Sure, I have one bad apple but it’s ok.
I hope things go better for you!! Don’t quit bc 2+ year veterans will be getting another raise soon. At least that’s what a shift told me this morning.
I have a similar situation with one of my shifts being extremely harsh and blunt one min and then being cool the next. It sucks and I feel for you. The only thing I can suggest is either transferring or submit honest af pulse survey’s. I worked at a store from Nov-March and quit bc my coworkers weren’t friendly. I’m at a new store where my SM is so so so great and understanding, it’s changed everything. Sure, I have one bad apple but it’s ok.
I hope things go better for you!! Don’t quit bc 2+ year veterans will be getting another raise soon. At least that’s what a shift told me this morning.
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