I did it. I walked out during a shift.

Today was a awful horrible day. Not the worst day I have worked at Starbucks, but the final straw.

I was the closing shift supervisor tonight and I came in to a mess. This is pretty consistent for Sundays. My SM never schedules enough people on Sundays.
We did get her to turn Mobiles off, but we had lines to order in the cafe pretty consistently.
We couldn’t keep up with backups/dishes. Trash was overflowing everywhere.
Customers were mad because we are out of mocha, Caramel Brûlée, iced Sugar Cookie syrups. Oh and no straws.
Partners were having panic attacks.

One partner became so stressed they threw up (in the bathroom).
And had to go home.
I asked to close the lobby.
Because food count still needed to be done. Pastry pull needed to be done. The partner that left at 7 needed her break. The DT partner needed her meal. I would need a meal. There was cold brew that needed to be pulled at 3 just sitting there. We needed to make 4 toddies of cold brew.
Oh and ALL of the closing stuff that hadn’t even been started.

The SM said no. The DM doesn’t want the lobby closed if there are 3 partners in the floor.
But with people on their meals and me doing shift stuff there wouldn’t be. 🤦🏼‍♀️

I got written up a week and a half ago and one of the things on there was “breaking federal labor laws by keeping partners past 9pm”.
But how am I supposed to get them out on time???

Oh and there is no federal labor law that I was breaking.

Anyway the SM called the store and said “Do NOT close the lobby”.
I said “if we can’t close the lobby then you need to come close, because there is to much stuff to do. “
She said:
“We are not having this conversation over the phone. I am on my way and when I get there you will leave”
Then she hung up.

Well if she wanted me to leave, I was going to leave.
I went to the back and got my stuff.
Took my keys and set them on the counter and told the Partners that those are for SM. Then I left.

It felt so good!

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.