I just start chatting with them. If they want to talk, then our CC score goes up. If they don't, then my incessant conversation makes them walk away until their drink is done

“Please don’t tap on the glass… it scares the baristas.”

Lol i hate it too. And then i always get people saying "is that my (whatever drink they got)..." Like if u wana modify ur drink, say it at the register. Dont come over to the handoff area by hot bar and glare at me and ask me to do specific things to ur drink. And we have our syrups on risers in between our two espresso machines and people waiting for their drinks (usually only people who order cafe) will wait right there behind the syrups so they can stare at me. Then wen i go to pump syrups, theres syrup splashback that goes up into the air and i imagine it gets on them sometimes. One time i was pumping syrups and somebody was directly waiting behind the syrups and staring at me without any blinking lol and the splashback of syrups when i pumped it went into the air and they were staring at me all annoyed. Well thats not the place to stand and wait directly against the back of the espresso machines so...not my problem lol.

I usually come at them with the “Hey guys were trying to keep the hand off area clear so it’s easier for people to grab their drinks and so mobile orders can grab there’s as well. If you’d like to sit down and wait there’s a bunch of chairs in the lobby.”

I start calling mobiles out so they move, especially if we are backed up. That usually makes them realize that they’re definitely in the way and that we are actually way more busy than we seem.

Our CB rinsing sink is also right where people stare at us so I’m also not afraid to tell people it’s a splash zone. If you get water on you, it’s not because I’m being rude, but because you’re standing too close to my rinsing sink and I am busy 🙃

When I was a barista I used to say “hey what’s your name? What’s your drink? Oh okay! Sorry I’m just working on some other drinks ahead of yours do you mind just waiting away from the hand off area so they can grab their drinks”

When I was in a rush and frustrated I would just say “hey can you please stand back a little?” But I understand why you wouldn’t want to do that 😂 but tbh Starbucks shouldn’t get mad at baristas asking for space to do their jobs properly

Unfortunately not much, if you're able to try to drum up some small chat, if anything just ask them their name and say something like coming right up or something. It's been real rough with the masks because it amplifies the eyes lol but yeah, try not to let it bother you would be my final advice? It sucks, but it comes with the territory of doing a customer facing job.

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