Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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What should I do if I have a customer that only attacks me - potentially racially motivated (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by Mountain-Style-3236
I have a customer that comes into my store and orders a “Grande latte with one shot” but we have to punch it in for her as steamed milk with a shot because she gets mad if the price is more than $4.05 CAD.
I used to make her drink every morning and I know it well but she never paid attention to who was making it. One day, after two months of me making it she stopped me and said “are you new here? I don’t want someone new making my drink.” And I responded no im not. Ive been making it for two months everyday but weekends.
Last week, as there were 3 partners on the floor, I was putting away the order. I put some boxes on the counter, and one of the partners was calling her name but she wasn’t responding so I looked at her and was about to say “my partner is calling you” but she yelled and said “you’re nasty you’re staring too much. Disgusting” and I was in so much shock that I just ignored it and moved on.
Today she comes in and only two of us are on the floor. I’m on bar, and she asks “isn’t there anyone else working?” And me, knowing my shift was on break in the back, said “no. He’s on break and I can’t get him sorry.” And so she ordered her drink and I was in the middle of making it, which is when my shift walked back onto the floor. And she made him stand there and watch me make the drink and he kept saying “She’s making it perfectly.” And she kept saying “Are you sure? Can you redo it?” And he was trying to be nice and just said “just try this one. It looks just fine.” As he hands it to her, she says “I just don’t want HER making my drink or touching my orders anymore.” And pointed at me and he just said “okay.”
She comes in every morning and honestly i used to try to be really nice to her even though shes rude but now i can’t. Is there anything i can do to report her? I feel like she may be racist because im brown and most other people here are white. But not sure. Could just be an angry lady for no reason. But she makes me feel like shit and i tear up every time she says something about or to me.
What can I do?
I used to make her drink every morning and I know it well but she never paid attention to who was making it. One day, after two months of me making it she stopped me and said “are you new here? I don’t want someone new making my drink.” And I responded no im not. Ive been making it for two months everyday but weekends.
Last week, as there were 3 partners on the floor, I was putting away the order. I put some boxes on the counter, and one of the partners was calling her name but she wasn’t responding so I looked at her and was about to say “my partner is calling you” but she yelled and said “you’re nasty you’re staring too much. Disgusting” and I was in so much shock that I just ignored it and moved on.
Today she comes in and only two of us are on the floor. I’m on bar, and she asks “isn’t there anyone else working?” And me, knowing my shift was on break in the back, said “no. He’s on break and I can’t get him sorry.” And so she ordered her drink and I was in the middle of making it, which is when my shift walked back onto the floor. And she made him stand there and watch me make the drink and he kept saying “She’s making it perfectly.” And she kept saying “Are you sure? Can you redo it?” And he was trying to be nice and just said “just try this one. It looks just fine.” As he hands it to her, she says “I just don’t want HER making my drink or touching my orders anymore.” And pointed at me and he just said “okay.”
She comes in every morning and honestly i used to try to be really nice to her even though shes rude but now i can’t. Is there anything i can do to report her? I feel like she may be racist because im brown and most other people here are white. But not sure. Could just be an angry lady for no reason. But she makes me feel like shit and i tear up every time she says something about or to me.
What can I do?
voxinx 52 points 1y ago
honestly just tell ur ssv and sm that a customer is targeting u, and if she wants her drink made by someone else she can go to another store. what a bitch. if a customer is disrespectful, they aren’t welcome in my store. the third place is for partners too, you really should tell ur sm that this customer is breaking the third place for you and making it hard for u to make customer connections etc. if ur sm doesn’t do anything, go to dm and so forth. good luck. sorry this woman is a massive c word.
Mountain-Style-3236 [OP] 12 points 1y ago
Thanks, that helps! Everyone in the store hates her but they feel obligated to be nice so no one stands up to her but I will tell my sm! Thanks so much
converselvr 6 points 1y ago
Ultra super mega deluxe c word.
sheep_heavenly 11 points 1y ago
Your SSV isn't protecting you like they should. The only appropriate response to someone demanding someone else make their drink, assuming the person making the drink isn't like taste testing every cup, is "We're all fully trained and capable, I trust (barista) to make it. If you're unhappy you can get refunded, but (barista) will be making your order today."
She yelled and called you nasty? Would've booted her ass out, no drink.
Your SM needs to know and your SSVs need to be backing you up firmly. I've had to deal with my fair share of baristas being racially targeted and it's not fun for anyone, but especially for the one being targeted. That customer feels empowered to be racist because your coworkers aren't explicitly against her actions, which reads to the customer as supporting their behavior.
She yelled and called you nasty? Would've booted her ass out, no drink.
Your SM needs to know and your SSVs need to be backing you up firmly. I've had to deal with my fair share of baristas being racially targeted and it's not fun for anyone, but especially for the one being targeted. That customer feels empowered to be racist because your coworkers aren't explicitly against her actions, which reads to the customer as supporting their behavior.
cassie4673 4 points 1y ago
Talk to your svv and sm. Every single person at Starbucks in trained in every position to be stationed where they are needed. If you are on bar, you are on bar. Your ssv should have responded “Starbucks partners are trained to a very specific standard and so are all of the drinks. No barista will make a drink different than anyone else at any store.” Customers can not request a different barista. It’s your job.
CrossroadsWoman 1 points 1y ago
Do you have an older POC mentor that you can talk to about this? This person making comments about the food being disgusting after you, a POC, touches it does sound racially motivated (and I’m speaking as a white person - it’s that obvious to me). Your shift may be a cowardly white person afraid to acknowledge racism when they see it. That’s no excuse and definitely doesn’t mean this shit isn’t damaging and isn’t a form of illegal harassment and discrimination, which *can* be in the form of a customer’s behavior when not promptly mitigated by management.
You need to tell your manager (fuck the supervisor) what’s been going on and let them know that based on past experience and the way the comments are directed etc that you feel these comments are racially motivated and you are no longer comfortable serving this person. This is where I really think having a POC mentor who has been through this situation and can give advice could help you. Because it is possible the manager could do nothing too.
That said, if they do nothing after you tell them, as I said that is illegal racial discrimination which as I mentioned can take the form of customer conduct when not nipped in the bud by management. So you should then contact the EEOC and report them if this happens. https://www.eeoc.gov
Good luck and I am so sorry this is happening. Customer abuse is awful. I’ve been through it, obviously not racial abuse but other kinds and it’s extremely hard and leaves a mark. Do not give them the option of doing nothing because it’s not an option for them under the circumstances.
You need to tell your manager (fuck the supervisor) what’s been going on and let them know that based on past experience and the way the comments are directed etc that you feel these comments are racially motivated and you are no longer comfortable serving this person. This is where I really think having a POC mentor who has been through this situation and can give advice could help you. Because it is possible the manager could do nothing too.
That said, if they do nothing after you tell them, as I said that is illegal racial discrimination which as I mentioned can take the form of customer conduct when not nipped in the bud by management. So you should then contact the EEOC and report them if this happens. https://www.eeoc.gov
Good luck and I am so sorry this is happening. Customer abuse is awful. I’ve been through it, obviously not racial abuse but other kinds and it’s extremely hard and leaves a mark. Do not give them the option of doing nothing because it’s not an option for them under the circumstances.
Gonna_Run_Amuck 1 points 1y ago
Just start charging her the full price, tell her Corporate is cracking down on not charging full price and you wont lose your job over it.
Gonna_Run_Amuck 1 points 1y ago
Quit waiting on her, not just you but every employee. Wait on everyone else, even the ones who just walked in behind her. If she says anything tell her she is rude and you are refusing her business.
777BABYDOLL777 1 points 1y ago
You’re ssv should should be sticking up for you
victorious_gem 1 points 1y ago
what a bitch, I'm so sorry that's happening to you. I would tell me smz because that behavior is unacceptable && she needs to be banned
[deleted] 0 points 1y ago
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