remembering how many pumps/shots go in a grande size for that specific drink is the most helpful method i used to memorize! using your grande cup as like a home base if that makes sense!

also, i had a little sticky note that i would bring with me to work that i wouldn’t necessarily rely on. i would memorize as best i could before work, and then keep it in my pocket in case i get completely stumped while on the floor. this is basically active recall and it’s one of the best ways to remember anything!!

keep a separate note with special things that are harder to remember. here’s the stuff i wrote for myself because i struggled to remember these:

- flat whites get an extra shot AND are pulled as ristretto shots. also made with whole milk.

- shots for all americanos are 1/2/3/4!

- venti ICED espresso drinks get 3 shots, venti HOT drinks get 2 (with the exception of americanos).

- all macchiatos get one less pump of vanilla than it’s size would normally get!

- the matcha frappuccinos and strawberry frappuccinos get full pumps of classic. (2/3/4 for matcha, 1/2/2 for strawberry). this is one that a lot of tenured baristas actually still don’t really practice even though it’s in the recipe cards!

- vanilla sweet cream cold brews get 1/2/3 pumps of vanilla.

- cold brews get ice, nitros dont.

- vsc cold brews get vanilla syrup AND vanilla sweet cream. vsc nitro cold brews only get sweet cream.

- the iced shaken espresso uses half pumps of classic. the iced brown sugar shaken espresso uses half pumps of brown sugar syrup as well.

i may come back to add to this list!! there’s so many confusing things but with repetition i promise it’ll become muscle memory!

also, during your breaks or after your shifts, go to the store resources app on the ipads and look up any recipe card of the drinks you’re not sure about or struggling to remember! it’s great to ask questions but i’m gonna be honest with you, not everyone always has the same answer. the updated recipe cards are set in stone. sometimes recipes change too so it’s good to refresh with the cards every now and then and to pay attention to weekly updates!

sorry i know that was a lot but this is all stuff i wish i knew when i started!! i hope this helps

oh for me, i was hired on the spot. the manager gave me a week after getting the job and my first day so i took the week and honestly for 4 days i cleaned. but for the other 3 days, i sat down and wrote out the entire menu of recipes. i opened up my phone and wrote out for example

latte: steamed 2% milk + foamed

S: 1 shot

T: 1 shot

G: 2 shot

V: 2 shots

or for example..

Mocha: steamed 2% milk + foamed + whip

S: 1 shot + 2 pumps Mocha Sauce (Flavour)

T: 1 shot + 3 pumps Mocha Sauce (Flavour)

G: 2 shots + 4 pumps Mocha Sauce (Flavour)

V: 2 shots + 5 pumps Mocha Sauce (Flavour)

etc.

The. Entire. Menu. (it’s 31 pages btw)

and i always wrote flavour to differentiate between flavours and sweeteners bc sweeteners (for the most part) get one less pump. some exceptions apply on both sides.

after the 3rd page, you start to notice a pattern and by the 5th page, you’re starting to get it memorised. so that’s how i did it.

BUT! i did have an ssv tell me the way she memorised it was by memorising only the grande size and then figuring out her way from there. So if it’s a venti, it’s gonna receive one more pump (or 2 if it’s iced) and one less if it’s a tall. which, honestly is a lot more of a smarter idea.

hope this helps and good luck! barring is super fun!! :)

I got this from someone in this subreddit, you're welcome <3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xacgnfHUrS78pDzHskxNiQxMb1aPtDdp/view?usp=drivesdk

I first learned the recipes for shots/syrups for lattes/cappuccinos/ mochas, and after establish that base line knowledge, I compared other drinks to these. For example, the Americanos have one shot more than the lattes, the caramel macchiato uses one pump less syrup.

I just wrote it down in a notebook! I did a couple little charts for #of shots/syrup pumps for drinks (hot and cold), and then I wrote down any recipes that varied from the norm (or at least the ones I didn't feel confident about). Copying it down a couple of times in order to make it look nice really just solidified it in my brain, personally.

That being said don't feel obligated to do that outside of work like I did! It will come with time either way, that's just what helped me :)