Oof. Alright let me take that point by point.
It’s hard to say because I’ve been here for two (I think) of Howard’s times as ceo.

It’s worth it. Our benefits were 20 hours a week before it was cool. I was paying $25 a paycheck for health insurance. Nuts. They don’t have e to do this (except for that they have to do it now because it’s their trademark)
It’s more greedy now. Look at stock buybacks in the last few years. That’s why Schultz is back, it looks like. Any time I have worked under Howard, it’s been a time where we were surprised with new benefits. I’d love to have a convo with him, but I’m a lowly shift.

I remember that after I first started we had the policy of “just say yes.” Omg that was so harmful and all partners hated it. It’s gotten better since then, but we are still dealing with the fallout.

Toffee almond bar. I will say that every time. That, or the mini apple pies.

I only drink coffee with soy milk. (Omg, I did start drinking the kiwi with lemonade every once in a while and everyone at work treats me like a leper for it 😂😂)

Dumbest drink… that’s a tough one. Sometimes I need someone to remind me of a drink we had way back when before I can remember it. Honestly, though, the cloud machiattos were just a giant eye roll. Any of the Frappuccinos that require multiple steps to build. Serious strawberry, unicorn. NO. I TAKE IT BACK. The unicorn Frappuccino was the worst, but only because of the rollout. We didn’t know, and we couldn’t schedule for it. I ended up with 2 part coverage and a line out the door. That drink wasn’t even that good and it was a pain to make. It didn’t help that the morale was real low at the time.

Edited to add: when I was pregnant I would drink the orange refresher with no water everyday and get heartburn. Mad heartburn. NO REGRETS.

Thanks for taking the time to ask!

Eh. You learn to take things in stride or you don’t last. Just recognize what your role/responsibilities are and don’t take any of it home with you.

I really fluctuate between favorites. If it’s during peak and I’m not the shift, ovens. That’s my favorite. I’m very good on bar, so that’s where I put myself if we need someone strong there.

Outside of peak-support. Gimme those dishes. I like to be the one in the background making the world go round.

Lol, before I was with Starbucks my longest held job was 9 months. I DEFINITELY did not intend to stay this long. I’m a product of the 2008 recession and the hiring freeze that followed. No one could get a job and you dare not leave the one you have. I’m just lucky it was Starbucks.

Omg I forgot about the Whoopie pies 🤣🤣🤣 I do remember all of it. We kept the energy packets in a drawer next to the bar! Gross.

Was it the vanilla latte with energy? Was that the drink? Or am I thinking protein

Alright, so that’s a store/needs based thing. I wasn’t on bar for the first 9months I was a barista. It was super intimidating. One of the first times I was on bar I had a customer say “can you have someone who knows what they’re doing make drinks?! I am going to be late for my train!”
Man, I cried. It was really demoralizing and people can be so mean. Luckily, my shift said “you’re doing fine. Keep going.”

And I did. And I’m here today! There’s no right answer to your question. I try to switch roles up if we are slow to let baristas have time to practice and I can help them when needed. Don’t blame your shift, they are doing what they think is right, I assume. That’s the other thing. Always assume good intentions. They probably think you’re most comfortable where they put you and why change that up? I’ll tell you why. It’s important to have all baristas know all positions, and that makes the shifts job easier in the long run. If your shift WONT put you on bar to give you time to practice, I would talk to the manager. You can’t get better if you don’t practice and the manager won’t know unless you say something. I like everyone to be on bar before 2.5 months because sequencing is important and bar training is easier if you just continue to give people practice. It’s easier to coach a brand new partner on bar than it is to coach a barista that’s been there a while.

Caramel Maserati

Have a positive attitude. That’s literally it.

Omg Mallorca bread! I forgot about that. It’s not something we sold in our area, but we got sent it a couple times. No idea what chanticos are, they never accidentally sent us those 😂

I very much enjoy feeling like I have a second family. People care so genuinely when you get to know them. I know that I do. The store I worked at when I was pregnant, the ladies threw me a baby shower. My manager scheduled the women off the whole day, all the boys worked, and the guys actually all pooled their money together to get me a $300 target gift card for diapers. That store was my favorite, and even though it was years ago I am friends with most of them to this day. The sense of community was just amazing.

Aside from that, I was diagnosed with a chronic debilitating illness some time ago and Starbucks has been great about helping me navigate my new limitations.

I do love working for Starbucks. They’ve been great to me over the years.

Too long ago.

No. Lol. I still have the tshirt from the launch! I did like the chocolate banana, but it would require more fridge space, counter space, etc, and we don’t have the room for it like we used to.

We have plants for that

It’s really hard to say. So much depends on the personality of the person you are coaching. Some people are easier than others. Sometimes Starbucks dinosaurs are so set in their ways.
I LIKE to do things correctly. I want someone to tell me if I’m doing something not to standard.
Sometimes I say something along the lines of “I think the recipe is this, but I’ve been wrong before. Let’s look it up”
No joke, I made the brown sugar shaken espresso without cinnamon for MONTHS and nobody said a word to me about it. I use this as an example when I coach people. Like, “hey, I just noticed that you made this drink wrong, I made the brown sugar shaken espresso wrong for 6 months and I was so mad nobody said anything to me! Let me look up that recipe card so we can see how we are supposed to do it for sure.”

I have had people straight up tell me they were not going to change the way they did something, but that doesn’t happen often.

I don’t like the “I’ve been here forever so I’m always right” attitude. It doesn’t allow any room change and we just have to constantly adapt.

Depends on the area, but I’m making about $12 an hour more than when I started!

When I first started, we had to pay for our own Carmel apple spices 😭 they were my favorite. No partner bevs on those because Starbucks had treetop apple juice bottles 🤷🏻‍♀️
Favorite drink to make, that makes me dance? Iced chai. “Yeaaaah ladddddy. Easiest drink ever.”

2007

Shift. I’ve been up and down between barista and shift over the years. No, I do not wish I had gone higher. I don’t want my own store. In fact, I’m going to school next fall because I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up 🙌🏻 never did that include manager.

Ah, come right out and ask, eh? Haha. I don’t have a lot of feelings. I’m a student of history and the Chicago haymarket riots. I support unions and workers rights. I’m not sure that Starbucks is the right company to go after to unionize. I’ve always felt that they were pretty good and ahead of their time as far as pay and benefits. I understand the need for unions, I’m not sure I support Starbucks unionizing. If I had to vote today I would vote no.

You’re not a partner, are ya? 😂