Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Had a rough day ): (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by naiyama
Been working here a little over 3 months.
I’ve got about less than 10 times total that I’ve ever been positioned on bar. When I first started, I struggled immensely with getting drinks correct - especially on hot bar and I feel like all the shifts just unanimously agreed to never place me on bar ever again.
I feel like it’s glaringly obvious that no one trusts me on bar. Since I had barely any practice, and today one person had an emergency and went home early, they made me go solo bar and god - the shame and embarrassment I felt for being so slow and making constant mistakes. It hit peak and stickers backed up so much that they just decided to close down making frappes for the day.
Idk I just feel really bad and can’t shake off that feeling ):
I’ve got about less than 10 times total that I’ve ever been positioned on bar. When I first started, I struggled immensely with getting drinks correct - especially on hot bar and I feel like all the shifts just unanimously agreed to never place me on bar ever again.
I feel like it’s glaringly obvious that no one trusts me on bar. Since I had barely any practice, and today one person had an emergency and went home early, they made me go solo bar and god - the shame and embarrassment I felt for being so slow and making constant mistakes. It hit peak and stickers backed up so much that they just decided to close down making frappes for the day.
Idk I just feel really bad and can’t shake off that feeling ):
LatteMaster 11 points 1y ago
Ask for practice during slow times
naiyama [OP] 3 points 1y ago
The time frame that I work almost always means I get this one specific shift manager and they just don’t really like me so I feel like it’s so hard to ask for that ):
But you’re 100% right and it’s something I always have in my mind to get around asking. I feel like at this point though, I can definitely suck it up and ask when it’s not busy / not doing anything.
But you’re 100% right and it’s something I always have in my mind to get around asking. I feel like at this point though, I can definitely suck it up and ask when it’s not busy / not doing anything.
ConfusionDisastrous8 5 points 1y ago
I have been telling green beans for years this;
It takes 90 days to understand the job (it's multifaceted and so so so much information) 6 months to be "good", and a year to be confident/competent. You'll get there. Practice makes perfect!
It takes 90 days to understand the job (it's multifaceted and so so so much information) 6 months to be "good", and a year to be confident/competent. You'll get there. Practice makes perfect!
Katerade__ 2 points 1y ago
I’m a green bean?! Omfg 🙀 I love iiiiiitttt
ConfusionDisastrous8 1 points 1y ago
I call my partners my baby beans, but yes, you're a green bean!
naiyama [OP] 2 points 1y ago
I honestly like hearing you say that - it’s also pretty accurate to the timeframes that baristas I worked with told me whenever I asked them how long it took them to get used to the job. A lot of them said it took half a year before they finally felt comfortable and efficient at this.
The 90 day mark is also pretty spot on - now that I’ve reached this amount of time working here, I’m so much more used to the general daily routine and understand the overall expectations - what can be done, what needs to be done, what to look out for, etc (with the exception of drink making 😅)
Now that I’m pretty efficient and comfortable at the tasks I’m usually placed at, Im definitely a lot more confident and ready to step outside that comfort zone and ask for more practice on bar. Im such a slow learner, but I always thought I’d never get the hang of DT and now I’m plenty efficient at it. This gives me a bit of hope and excitement of wanting to see my improvement 😇
The 90 day mark is also pretty spot on - now that I’ve reached this amount of time working here, I’m so much more used to the general daily routine and understand the overall expectations - what can be done, what needs to be done, what to look out for, etc (with the exception of drink making 😅)
Now that I’m pretty efficient and comfortable at the tasks I’m usually placed at, Im definitely a lot more confident and ready to step outside that comfort zone and ask for more practice on bar. Im such a slow learner, but I always thought I’d never get the hang of DT and now I’m plenty efficient at it. This gives me a bit of hope and excitement of wanting to see my improvement 😇
ConfusionDisastrous8 1 points 1y ago
I'm almost 20 years in and will still learn new things regularly. You'll be fine! Remember, ITS JUST COFFEE. 🥰
Responsible_Snow7109 5 points 1y ago
Aw dont let that feeling stick with u. Ur feelings are valid, ur allowed to have them but do not be down on urself! U are doing awesome! I kno when they threw u on solo bar and the stickers got backed up and it probably was a really anxiety induced time, but u got thru it and thats what matters 🙂 and whether its slow or not, try letting them kno more often that i would like some bar time because when i started a little over 2 years ago, they would always put me on register because I think that's what most Starbucks stores do when they hire new people. But I would always ask to be put on bar whenever possible and it wasn't only during times where it was dead. So they started putting me on bar more often and that became my favorite position to be on and now I'm the second fastest person on bar at my store 🙂 u will for sure get there. People become more comfortable on bar anywhere between 4 to 6 months in but it all depends on how much bar time u get so definitely advocate for urself and that way they will kno u want to get better and continue trying! Those rough days can be tough on ur mind/thoughts but just kno that u keep getting thru them and thats half of it 😊
naiyama [OP] 3 points 1y ago
I appreciate this immensely you have no idea 😭
When that person left, it left 3 people on floor including the SM and it was just chaotic. I’m glad the SM made the call to stop selling fraps - I don’t know if I was the main reason for it, we were also down to one blender for some reason? and at that time and it was back to back large group orders of nothing but frappes. We literally could not do much in terms of speeding the frappes up which sucked.
I’ve gotten used to being placed on full shifts as solo DT and/or front and warming - which in a way made me become pretty fast and efficient on it compared to how slow I was a few weeks ago 😅 so those positions have been my comfy spot now and knowing that I’ll almost always be placed there every shift has reduced my anxiety since I know what to expect and I’m confident in doing it, if that makes sense.
Being put on bar so suddenly made me panic right off the bat, and since that other barista had that emergency, there was also the batch of cups they weren’t able to get around to doing.
Next time I go in and it’s not peak hours, I’m definitely going to ask if I can get more bar time! I feel like once I finally reach the point that I can confidently make almost all the drinks, I’ll start enjoying my work and not feel as useless around my coworkers 😩
When that person left, it left 3 people on floor including the SM and it was just chaotic. I’m glad the SM made the call to stop selling fraps - I don’t know if I was the main reason for it, we were also down to one blender for some reason? and at that time and it was back to back large group orders of nothing but frappes. We literally could not do much in terms of speeding the frappes up which sucked.
I’ve gotten used to being placed on full shifts as solo DT and/or front and warming - which in a way made me become pretty fast and efficient on it compared to how slow I was a few weeks ago 😅 so those positions have been my comfy spot now and knowing that I’ll almost always be placed there every shift has reduced my anxiety since I know what to expect and I’m confident in doing it, if that makes sense.
Being put on bar so suddenly made me panic right off the bat, and since that other barista had that emergency, there was also the batch of cups they weren’t able to get around to doing.
Next time I go in and it’s not peak hours, I’m definitely going to ask if I can get more bar time! I feel like once I finally reach the point that I can confidently make almost all the drinks, I’ll start enjoying my work and not feel as useless around my coworkers 😩
Responsible_Snow7109 2 points 1y ago
Aw of course! And im glad they atleast stopped making frapps so atleast that helped a little i hope! But I'm glad that you have those comfy spots that you can get placed at which make you feel comfortable. But yes you keep practicing those then you're going to become even quicker and it's going to become muscle memory. Same thing goes for making drinks. If you continue to get bar practice and continue making drinks, it'll eventually become muscle memory and you won't even have to think about the movements as you're doing it. But you don't have to be fast on bar to be useful. A lot of new people that start at Starbucks are extremely useful and helpful by doing plenty of other positions! U got this and i kno ur guna become one of the fastest people on bar at ur store 🙂 because u have gotten thru every day that u have been at work and all the situations u were placed in so i kno ur strong. I always felt down on myself when i first started. Like constantly. And then i just kept asking questions and nobody at my store was really that mean about answering any of my questions. And the mistakes that i made on register, they would just explain to me the mistake and how to fix it or a clever way of remembering to ring it up the correct way. I have a cheat chart of how many shots and syrup pumps each hot and cold drink get. Do u want me to send it to u?🙂
naiyama [OP] 2 points 1y ago
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written out shot measurements and syrup measurements for the hot drinks - but for some reason I just blank out badly when I’m working on hot bar ):
Refreshers and frappes are the only ones that i can definitely do 100% bc of how easy it all is, but idk why hot bar has to trip me up so badly 😰
Your words of reassurance and encouragement means the world to me omg. I never knew how much I needed to hear something like that until you said it 😭😭
And yes please, I’d love to see your cheat sheet!
Refreshers and frappes are the only ones that i can definitely do 100% bc of how easy it all is, but idk why hot bar has to trip me up so badly 😰
Your words of reassurance and encouragement means the world to me omg. I never knew how much I needed to hear something like that until you said it 😭😭
And yes please, I’d love to see your cheat sheet!
Responsible_Snow7109 1 points 1y ago
Aww well im glad im making someone feel more comfortable/happy 🙂 especially a fellow partner! And yes actually when i first started, cold bar was my favorite and now hot bar is my favorite lol i love both. But hot bar is definitely where i love being at. And ok im guna send u the cheat sheet in a message now
FlatAddress 2 points 1y ago
It can definitely be toxic at times. During peak customers are impatient which rubs off on most of us. But that does not excuse their treatment of you. Your feelings are valid op and I’m sorry you’ve had a rough experience. I’d suggest what everyone else is and ask to bar off peak. Good luck, stay safe, you can do this!!
broookeee_ 1 points 1y ago
Really dumb of them to think that not putting you on bar will somehow make u improve😭 Remember, it is up to you to ask for practice, but its always up to them to give it to you and make sure you’re learning properly/ have been trained properly. Noone should expect u to just magically pick everything up, you should always have the opportunity to have bar practice! So don’t feel bad! You’re new, it happens and trust that once you practice more you’ll really pick it up and feel better about yourself :))
big_boi_goose 1 points 1y ago
bro listen, I was competent on bar, but i’m ditsy. I’m aware of this. I’m an intelligent person, but i also have adhd and am just a dits. anyway, they would never let me on bar so after a year, i quit and went to a local shop. I was made a key holder and trainer within my first two weeks…i left though because they never raised my salary even though i was training people
RudeEstimate2245 1 points 1y ago
It'll get better I promise 😞 I'm sorry that was your latest bar experience though hon, it's very shitty of them to expect you to just be magically good with no practice
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