Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Drink Poachers are really starting to kill me. (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by Aurora_Boreallis
We have this regular. Let’s call her Brandy. She orders a venti quad over ice with extra caramel and extra 2% and extra whip. So she wants a latte but won’t pay for one. She’s a major see you next Tuesday and her drink is always “wrong” she mostly just likes to complain (I’ve taken her drink scooped the whip off rewhipped it and handed it to her and she’s said oh it’s perfect thanks for fixing it.)
On launch day she comes in and I’m 20 min behind on mobile we have half our staff out on covid leave and only 7 people working peak at a 10k-12k store. She tells me she’s been waiting forever for her drink and she’s a nurse she can’t be late.
I tell her I called out her drink already someone must have taken it. She starts screaming at me that why would I let someone take her drink. Miss ma’am I don’t let anyone do anything. I tell her I’m sorry I can’t control people taking the wrong drink but I’ll remake it or she can get a refund. She starts pulling out her hair screaming that if she’s late to work she will get in trouble. I repeat okay so you want me to make the drink or get you a refund. Like what are we doing 4 shots won’t take me long to make. She just keeps repeating herself that she shouldn’t have to wait for a new drink. I walk away to make it.
She demands to see my manager I’m ignoring her and just making the drink.
Well Brandy tracks down a shift and tell her what happened and the shift tells her exactly what I said. She’s still flipping out. I had her her drink and she’s swearing at us and acting majorly foolish.
Today we are backed up again about 25 minutes and she won’t hear it. She wants me to prioritize her. I remind her that I don’t know when she’s coming and when her drink was made early someone took it. She can easily just order in the drive through it’s much faster and she screams I mobile because it’s faster. I’ve lost it at this point and I say clearly it’s not so your options are to wait, get a refund and tomorrow try ordering in the drive through. I walked away and had to have someone else hand off her drink.
It’s too the point we use her name as an insult. “Don’t you dare act like a brandy” kinda deal. I just want her to stop coming to my store and find another store. Or buy a Nespresso machine.
Ugh thank you for letting me rant.
On launch day she comes in and I’m 20 min behind on mobile we have half our staff out on covid leave and only 7 people working peak at a 10k-12k store. She tells me she’s been waiting forever for her drink and she’s a nurse she can’t be late.
I tell her I called out her drink already someone must have taken it. She starts screaming at me that why would I let someone take her drink. Miss ma’am I don’t let anyone do anything. I tell her I’m sorry I can’t control people taking the wrong drink but I’ll remake it or she can get a refund. She starts pulling out her hair screaming that if she’s late to work she will get in trouble. I repeat okay so you want me to make the drink or get you a refund. Like what are we doing 4 shots won’t take me long to make. She just keeps repeating herself that she shouldn’t have to wait for a new drink. I walk away to make it.
She demands to see my manager I’m ignoring her and just making the drink.
Well Brandy tracks down a shift and tell her what happened and the shift tells her exactly what I said. She’s still flipping out. I had her her drink and she’s swearing at us and acting majorly foolish.
Today we are backed up again about 25 minutes and she won’t hear it. She wants me to prioritize her. I remind her that I don’t know when she’s coming and when her drink was made early someone took it. She can easily just order in the drive through it’s much faster and she screams I mobile because it’s faster. I’ve lost it at this point and I say clearly it’s not so your options are to wait, get a refund and tomorrow try ordering in the drive through. I walked away and had to have someone else hand off her drink.
It’s too the point we use her name as an insult. “Don’t you dare act like a brandy” kinda deal. I just want her to stop coming to my store and find another store. Or buy a Nespresso machine.
Ugh thank you for letting me rant.
eggyiglesia 36 points 1y ago
Damn that’s crazy my management kicks people out like this that’s legit abuse
Aurora_Boreallis [OP] 23 points 1y ago
My next shift I’m asking if someone will just tell her to find a new store. She’s getting too out of hand
ftsktln 14 points 1y ago
It makes me sad because I’m in nursing school and would never blame the coffee shop for me being late but damn, it’s always the nurses crying about being late to work like it’s OUR fault they didn’t leave enough time in their commute.
philosopher_cat_lady 12 points 1y ago
Yeah, she should definitely be banned.
The_Infinite_Doctor 8 points 1y ago
She is looking for an excuse to abuse people. If it was about the drink or the service she would choose a new drink or a refund. Refusing to choose and simply continuing to throw a tantrum is the same as saying "I think people behind a counter are my emotional punching bag."
Fuck that twat; you don't have to serve people who abuse you. If your SS or SM won't let you at least bounce to the back when she comes through then they are *not* doing their jobs.
Fuck that twat; you don't have to serve people who abuse you. If your SS or SM won't let you at least bounce to the back when she comes through then they are *not* doing their jobs.
dogsofwintergaming 6 points 1y ago
Also if she is mobile ordering, don't put more than the 4oz in, if she complains meet her at the register and do refund mode: even exchange. Refund the drink she ordered, ring it out correctly in the system, and charge her the difference. Then tell her exactly what she should be ordering. tell her you aren't allowed to add more milk than the standard amount.
46patisse 6 points 1y ago
Brandy is the worst!
Hoax_Pudding_Cup 3 points 1y ago
We have this lady who works at a restaurant down the street. She always come in during peak, first thing she says, "how long is the wait?" Normally she happens to come in during... inconvenient times. Roughly 10-20 people sitting/standing in lobby, waiting for either Cafe or mobile orders. She will go up and check every single drink on handoff, including just picking them up and asking, "is this mine?" No ma'am, if your name isn't Jeffrey, it's not yours. She does this with every single drink. Then, she gives us the "I'm going to be late for work!" Like I'm sorry you can't skip coffee with what obviously limited time management skills you have.
lizzie9234 3 points 1y ago
i’ve had a similar customer who would always complain about us not filling their espresso over ice with milk so it was brought up to our DM who said “think about the base of the drink, if it is considered a latte at that point then you ring them up as a latte” so now we let her know if she gets anymore milk we have to ring her up as a latte, safe to say haven’t seen her since :) so if brandy does try the drive thru method, the petty in me would ring her up for a latte and let her know she is more than welcome to try another starbucks in the area but drinks are made in the order they come in☺️
tiara1020 2 points 1y ago
As a shift I wouldn’t let that keep happening because that easily can mess up someone’s shift for the rest of the day I would of been like brandy, our store is a high volume store and we see a dozen customers and sadly each of them have to wait. The options are wait here, order in drive thru so ur not late, or if u want to keep using profanity at my baristas who are trying to help you, you WILL be banned from the store
dogsofwintergaming 2 points 1y ago
Tell everyone who has had an issue with her to do a written statement. If you can remember dates, that will be great! Talk to the SM and say that she has been verbally harassing people and you don't feel comfortable helping her. SM should be able to use the written statements to talk to DM about getting a restrictive order put on her. If they can successfully do that (it takes a lot of work) then the SSC tracks her down, calls her, and explains she is no longer allowed in your store.
Once a restrictive order is in place you are able to refuse service on sight and immediately call the police if someone comes in. We have one on a customer in my store who threw used tissues at me and tried to wipe them in my face during the height of COVID. She also threatened to punch me in the mouth then kept gesturing like she was going to. My DM made a great comment on it when they came to visit by saying "I didn't fully understand that level of entitlement until I was driving around this area (my district spans 2.5 hours so they aren't in my area often) and I saw a road with the same name as the person causing problems."
Once a restrictive order is in place you are able to refuse service on sight and immediately call the police if someone comes in. We have one on a customer in my store who threw used tissues at me and tried to wipe them in my face during the height of COVID. She also threatened to punch me in the mouth then kept gesturing like she was going to. My DM made a great comment on it when they came to visit by saying "I didn't fully understand that level of entitlement until I was driving around this area (my district spans 2.5 hours so they aren't in my area often) and I saw a road with the same name as the person causing problems."
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