Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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when will we start doing condiment bars again? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by Starryislandgirl
It's honestly so frustrating not having a condiment bar set up. I don't mind when I'm working front adding the creams and sugars but when you're on bar and you have to grab sugars, cream, stir sticks, and straws for every customer it slows down drive times and is just a hassle. I understand they're promoting it as pushing customer connections but I don't feel like it'll be a good customer connection if I'm irritated by being interrupted every few mins for something that doesn't seem necessary if we just had condiment bars set up. Maybe it also helps keep costs low because people can't grab whatever
they want but it gets frustrating after a while. If I'm making customer connections I want to be kind and genuine and have time to make conversation not frustrated and short tempered when my work flow gets interrupted.
they want but it gets frustrating after a while. If I'm making customer connections I want to be kind and genuine and have time to make conversation not frustrated and short tempered when my work flow gets interrupted.
ephmeral_view 93 points 1y ago
The condiment bars are never coming back according to one of the weekly updates we got a couple months ago :((
Random-Brunette 49 points 1y ago
It's my understanding that, in the US amyway, they're gone forever. It's about the money saved and letting a skeleton crew have one less thing to upkeep. I haven't heard the connections angle, that sounds like something the person who unironically says "teamwork makes the dream work" came up with.
But my store does have straws and stir sticks within customer reach. Maybe your store could do that?
But my store does have straws and stir sticks within customer reach. Maybe your store could do that?
Starryislandgirl [OP] 11 points 1y ago
Us shifts and baristas keep trying to move our straws to the pick up counter but whenever our ASM comes in he immediately moves them back claiming it's because of the environment =/ I'm very pro environment and I bring my own reusable cup and water bottle everywhere I go but at work it's such a pain to stop every few minutes to grab someone a straw who has a strawless lid
Random-Brunette 15 points 1y ago
When the Bux stops shipping 1 5-pound bag of decaf espresso in a heavy duty cardboard box, etc etc, I'll let them worry about tiny wooden stir sticks and compostable straws. How much cardboard to we waste? I'm not so naïve to believe the cardboard dumpster out back actually recycles.
Mea-fae_Owl73 9 points 1y ago
My DM is huge on making sure the customer HAS to ask for a straw. It ensures we connect with them. Our customers hate it.
canidieyet_ 6 points 1y ago
same here. customers yell at us over having straws out of reach and i just tell them we get in trouble with the DM if we have them out and that they’re more than welcome to call her and complain about it. clearly they aren’t mad enough about it bc we still can’t have em out
FfierceLaw 2 points 1y ago
Your DM’s business card should be in your cafe, show it to the customers who want to get their own straws
Have_Donut 7 points 1y ago
Same. We also have straws, stir sticks, stoppers, and drink carriers in customer reach.
BookDragon1996 16 points 1y ago
US confirmed never coming back but I just want sugars to go on condiment bar milk I’m cool with us keeping behind the bar
canidieyet_ 6 points 1y ago
same! keep the cream behind the counter but all i want is to have straws, sugars and napkins out. it’s literally every single customer that asks and then i have to walk away from the bar.
Responsible_Snow7109 3 points 1y ago
Same! We have straws and napkins on the condiment bar and then at the hand off area next to all the mobile order drinks, we have drink carriers set out too. I totally agree with being cool about not keeping the milks out on the condiment bar and keeping them behind the counter. I'm all for that one. But I do feel like we should put the sugars back out on the condiment bar as well. We keep our stir sticks and our splash guards/stoppers behind the counter as well. I just want the sugars to go out more than anything cuz there will be regulars that order at the register all the time and then I won't know until I hand them their drink because I don't memorize every person's drink or name. But I'll notice them when I hand it off to them when I'm done making it and then they will always ask me for sugar packets. So if they know that the sugar packets are kept behind the counter, then I don't understand why they don't just ask for it at the register. Its free
BookDragon1996 6 points 1y ago
Yeah I just flat out told a customer that condiment bars are gone and they’re like why and I said like most companies they used Covid as a reason to get rid of something they’ve been wanting to do for a while
Responsible_Snow7109 5 points 1y ago
true, true. We hardly get people asking that at my store anymore lol just once in a blue moon. I wish we could atleast have sugars out tho
BookDragon1996 3 points 1y ago
It only happened the once partially because I brought it up but yeah v annoying
audiob1ood 13 points 1y ago
They're not coming back, because not having them supposedly "reduces barista movement".
To be honest, I'm glad we don't keep the milk carafes out anymore, because checking the temps and keeping them stocked was a PITA, but I really wish they'd let us put sleeves, stoppers, straws, and sugars out there. ESPECIALLY sleeves.
To be honest, I'm glad we don't keep the milk carafes out anymore, because checking the temps and keeping them stocked was a PITA, but I really wish they'd let us put sleeves, stoppers, straws, and sugars out there. ESPECIALLY sleeves.
canidieyet_ 7 points 1y ago
i feel like it increases barista movement??? like surely having the CS person check the cb every so often is much less movement than me walking away from cafe bar for 10 raw sugar packets every other customer
audiob1ood 3 points 1y ago
Oh I agree. But that's the justification they gave.
laura4584 3 points 1y ago
The main reason I'm glad we don't keep milk out is so people don't make their ghetto iced lattes, and we don't have kids ask for water, dump it in the trash, then fill the cup with half and half and chocolate powder.
nicolelynnejones 13 points 1y ago
never. and customers are livid about it
violaaesthetic 12 points 1y ago
Tbh fuck having to keep a condiment bar stocked that’s way far from your back line and instantly gets decimated by people pouring 25 raw sugars and your whole cinnamon shaker into a water cup don’t even get me started good riddance fuck them. If you warn people when they order it’s not too hard to add sugars
Edited: typo and toned down if you can believe it
Edited: typo and toned down if you can believe it
Starryislandgirl [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Lmao I understand where you're coming from
sheep_heavenly 9 points 1y ago
Honestly thank fuck we aren't. It's one less mess to take care of on an understaffed floor.
Starryislandgirl [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Good point!
Comatose_Insomniac 4 points 1y ago
That's the neat part- we won't.
Starryislandgirl [OP] 2 points 1y ago
Lmao
Tabbystripes102 2 points 1y ago
My store has been asking if they want any sweeteners or milks at the POS since we got rid of it and it's cut down on asking at the handoff.
ellieshaww 2 points 1y ago
luckily here in the UK we have managed to bring our condiment bars neeaarly back. we’re still not allowed to put the milk thermos things back out but have gradually been able to put back the sugars, then stirrers and then a few weeks ago we were able to put the shakers back! i hated putting customers sugar in for them 😭 we used to have those lil retro sugar dispensers and i will never forget the day someone ordered a venti white mocha and asked me to pour sugar in it for 10 seconds 😭😭
BugTussle1 1 points 11m ago
Loved this brand for decades. I won't be buying at corporate stores. Too much hassle, miscommunication. Bad experience on this just today. Done.
FfierceLaw 1 points 1y ago
At front POS no customer gets away from me without getting asked if they want sugar/milk/cream in their drip coffee, Americano, Iced coffee. I get amounts/number of sugar packs and input that on the POS. I hope that helps. If we find out what they want and give it to them before handoff fewer will be coming back to ask for things. I also gesture to what used to be the condiment bar to remind them that we supply it from behind the counter. They usually tell me the type and number of packs
cpv_91 1 points 1y ago
We've 'trained' our customers that we have the condiments and we set up their coffees. It was a pain at first but 2+ years of no condiment bar to maintain and honestly, we're OK with it. Yeah, occasionally we have to hand out a last minute sugar but our cafe is small and we have them available by the register and both hand-off planes. Getting the straws/stirrers out for them to grab themselves was the game changer. That shit got old fast during peak, especially on mobile hand-off. We're a high volume mobile store and having to turn around every few seconds for another straw was going to break this camel's back.
newday2001 1 points 1y ago
we're talking to our dm about getting a straw dispenser ... fingers crossed
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