Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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I'm crying on my lunch, legit shaking. (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by Hoax_Pudding_Cup
Picture this, you're on your lunch, eating a chicken bacon on brioche, all is well. The phone rings, DTO answers. They walk over moments later, with a muted phone. "Okay, um, this person is REAL mad. Like, swearing and stuff, a lid popped off on spilt all over them." You take a breath, grab the phone and go into the back. "Hi, this is *****, the manager, I understand your lid popped off in the car?"
C: "Yeah, and now it's all over my leg! I'm on my way to the airport for an interview!"
M: "I'm extremely sorry about that, our lids have been having some quality control issues lately--"
C: "Yeah you don't say! That girl in the window probably set it to spill all over me!"
M: "... I'm sorry? I can assure you, I have trained every barista on the floor and I'm confident none of them would ever purposefully tamper with a drink."
C: "No, she was giving me a dirty look in the window! It was probably her, she did this on purpose!"
M: "Okay, well, uh... Again I can assure you, none of my baristas would ever tamper with a beverage, but I will be sure to have a discussion with them about our standards and--"
C: *now mocking me btw* "Uh-Uh-uh!!! That girl I spoke to first was probably the one who did it!"
M: *at this point, I had no idea what to do tbh.* "I can assure you, once I'm back on the floor, I will have discussions with--"
C: "Well where are you, huh?! In the sky?!"
M: "... No, I was actually on my lunch, but customers always come first--"
So yeah this went on for about half my lunch, and at the very end, guess what? They said, "Oh yeah, this was just a prank call, guess it got carried too far."
I hate confrontation, this person swore at my baristas, and all for what? A joke? A very very poor idea of a joke.
C: "Yeah, and now it's all over my leg! I'm on my way to the airport for an interview!"
M: "I'm extremely sorry about that, our lids have been having some quality control issues lately--"
C: "Yeah you don't say! That girl in the window probably set it to spill all over me!"
M: "... I'm sorry? I can assure you, I have trained every barista on the floor and I'm confident none of them would ever purposefully tamper with a drink."
C: "No, she was giving me a dirty look in the window! It was probably her, she did this on purpose!"
M: "Okay, well, uh... Again I can assure you, none of my baristas would ever tamper with a beverage, but I will be sure to have a discussion with them about our standards and--"
C: *now mocking me btw* "Uh-Uh-uh!!! That girl I spoke to first was probably the one who did it!"
M: *at this point, I had no idea what to do tbh.* "I can assure you, once I'm back on the floor, I will have discussions with--"
C: "Well where are you, huh?! In the sky?!"
M: "... No, I was actually on my lunch, but customers always come first--"
So yeah this went on for about half my lunch, and at the very end, guess what? They said, "Oh yeah, this was just a prank call, guess it got carried too far."
I hate confrontation, this person swore at my baristas, and all for what? A joke? A very very poor idea of a joke.
monicamac52 200 points 11m ago
Lowlife customers. I’m so sorry that happened to you. :(
3aTroop 158 points 11m ago
Get the number off the caller ID, take that number and put it on Craigslist on the cars for sale page. Put a picture of a 2014 RAV4 (google images) and put a price of $2,350 or best offer, please call or text for more info.
LovePrevailsOverAll 55 points 11m ago
This is the way. Gotta teach them a lesson, all the while keeping yourself out of trouble
Thirtyandflirty078 5 points 11m ago
He was playing checkers, but you are playing chess
rszdemon 2 points 11m ago
I take photos of the caller ID for every single prank call to our store and put them on our stores unofficial Instagram page (corporate one got hacked). I’d link to it but that would be doxxing.
We had one kid (maybe 15) come in crying the morning after he prank called us because his dad followed our Instagram. He was very grounded and had to apologize.
We had one kid (maybe 15) come in crying the morning after he prank called us because his dad followed our Instagram. He was very grounded and had to apologize.
Affectionate_Fart 137 points 11m ago
Brah.
I would’ve hung up the phone.
And if they called back and asked if I hung up, I would’ve said “did it sound like this?” And proceeded to hang up again.
I would’ve hung up the phone.
And if they called back and asked if I hung up, I would’ve said “did it sound like this?” And proceeded to hang up again.
aee78 87 points 11m ago
If someone swears at me, I interrupt them with I won't be verbally abused, you will need to call corporate to have your issues resolved. Then I hang up and file in incident report.
monzoink 9 points 11m ago
This gave me a chuckle
philosopher_cat_lady 7 points 11m ago
I hung up on a customer once. She refused to come inside to get her drink. She had gone through the drive-thru and I'm assuming had offered to pull forward 'cause her drink was taking a while 'cause we didn't ask customers to pull forward. I told her we don't bring drinks outside (this was before COVID) and she said, "I don't want my drink then," and I hung up on her. It was Happy Hour and we were short-staffed and I hung up without thinking. Then she called back several times and I put the phone on the charger in the back where no one would hear it.
Necessary_Low939 4 points 11m ago
👀
_lanalana_ 98 points 11m ago
We once had a customer literally call the store to tell us they were going to wait outside to fight an employee over their cup lid popping off. Called the cops on them. They showed back up a week later and demanded we be “extra sure” the lid was on all the way and made a big display of checking the lid. Some people are straight up insane
philosopher_cat_lady 9 points 11m ago
Haven't they ever heard of not crying over spilled milk?
felizphelxx 71 points 11m ago
you do not have to stay on the phone or continue a conversation with a customer that is swearing and being disrespectful, customers need to respect the 3rd place too and you should tell them that
PaleontologistLoud37 28 points 11m ago
back when i first started in october, during a training shift we had a lady come thru drive in a porsche suv, prada handbag, black amex, the works. orders a trad misto and leaves, no issue. ten minutes later she storms back in screaming about how we must've sabotaged her drink because apparently the cup had some kind of hole and her misto ended up getting all over the seats of her car. she was convinced that someone deliberately poked a hole in the cup with a pen. she was absolutely unhinged and scared the shit out of everyone.
Sequential-River 17 points 11m ago
We have a "regular" that has their drink spilled frequently and whenever we ask if they want a remake or refund they say "No I'll tell you what I want" and proceed to give a scripted page of food, drink, and snack of what they want.
Their clothes are always dry at the window.
Their clothes are always dry at the window.
Cust_service_voice 3 points 11m ago
Your manager should be getting ahold of that. Eventually they need to be told that this is the last time, but from then on we’re only sticking to a refund or remake. Das it!
Sequential-River 1 points 11m ago
Should* is the keyword.
Plenty of stories to tell about my manager too, and I just started working here.
Plenty of stories to tell about my manager too, and I just started working here.
Poyal_Rines 15 points 11m ago
Smoke a blunt and get a vape cart.... Breaks will much more enjoyable.
Used to use the restroom and hand dryer until someone said it smells like a weed vape in there. Guess they caught me hot boxing in the restroom
Used to use the restroom and hand dryer until someone said it smells like a weed vape in there. Guess they caught me hot boxing in the restroom
ZzalFfz8cQgZoFXdqSNS 6 points 11m ago
Wait, you use the air drier to disperse the vapor too? Are you my long lost brother/sister/nonbinary sibling?
Got my medical card because of Starbucks, best thing for my moods and adhd. Never goin’ back.
Got my medical card because of Starbucks, best thing for my moods and adhd. Never goin’ back.
Poyal_Rines 4 points 11m ago
Yeah blow it into the air dryer then jt spits it back out.
I sell weed to most my coworkers.
I sell weed to most my coworkers.
sirencursedwithrage 1 points 11m ago
hi I am your coworker actually
Poyal_Rines 1 points 11m ago
Holla!
Radiant-Contact1706 2 points 11m ago
this omg after every shift
Caaboose 11 points 11m ago
Please consider hanging up on people who are this rude to you. You are not paid to take abuse and listen to crazy, you're paid to problem solve. A lot of times it's easier to go into conversations like that with a solution in mind. Once you've done the apology dance and they keep going, reiterate the solution to them. "Sorry that happened, if you'd like to come back we can replace the drink and offer you something for next time. If you'd prefer, you can call corporate and see what solutions they are willing to offer. Was there ANYTHING ELSE I CAN HELP YOU WITH?" If the answer is anything other than "Actually, yeah I need help with..." then you say "Alright, have a good day" and hang up.
Do not let people hold you hostage on the phone. Bux doesn't even record calls. You could tell a customer to suck your coffee-marinated socks and it's your word against theirs. You have the power.
Do not let people hold you hostage on the phone. Bux doesn't even record calls. You could tell a customer to suck your coffee-marinated socks and it's your word against theirs. You have the power.
vodkitten- 10 points 11m ago
It’s always a deep sigh before I take the phone because they specifically asked for the sm enraged
Flat-Whereas3075 9 points 11m ago
I wish that man a very merry “May you get what you deserve.”
Bellaboo___ 8 points 11m ago
And many continue to wonder why Starbucks partners are going on strike. Because of BS like this they have to endure for a job that doesn’t pay enough to survive.
So sorry this happened to you OP
So sorry this happened to you OP
jesthere 7 points 11m ago
I know this isn't going to happen (ex-barista here) but if your lunch is interrupted you start the timer over again so that you get your full half-hour break. Like I said, it won't happen but that's the rules.
redaman-cy 6 points 11m ago
That's just awful, I'm really sorry. What kind of prank is verbally harassing someone and making them cry??
cherryfeverdream 5 points 11m ago
I wouldn’t have even entertained it that much. The minute the customer would’ve swore the second time one of my partners caused that, I would’ve asked “what do you wish to gain from this conversation?” if they were to keep complaining, customer service, if they wanted a refund, fine, I can do that or a remake. We can’t let these customers, prank call or not, feel like they can walk circles around us and manipulate the conversation. We aren’t here to be berated by them whenever they please
NervosaNervous 5 points 11m ago
Oh hell no. I would’ve called them back and told them they were not welcome at the store anymore since their idea of a prank was to belittle and curse out people who were doing their jobs.
We had an issue with kids prank calling our store during evening rush. My SSV had had enough and threatened to call the cops if they didn’t knock it off.
We had an issue with kids prank calling our store during evening rush. My SSV had had enough and threatened to call the cops if they didn’t knock it off.
coffeebartenderr 4 points 11m ago
the lids popping off on hot drinks caused me to have a second degree burn on my arm from a tea i was carrying. Turns out its going to be leaving permanent scarring ... i think its time they do something about this issue .
ProofFeeling8600 4 points 11m ago
Customers have always been hit or miss but I live in a shore community and they've been downright garbage lately. One threw a drink back at me to remake it because her tea wasn't hot, it was "warm." No shit Sherlock, you added extra cream.
What happens when you make a hot object mix with a cold object at a higher percentage.
I love most of our regulars but the majority of college students, entitled boomers, and rich kids can slurp snot.
What happens when you make a hot object mix with a cold object at a higher percentage.
I love most of our regulars but the majority of college students, entitled boomers, and rich kids can slurp snot.
Necessary_Low939 4 points 11m ago
I would’ve just hung up the phone
Gameb0i6 3 points 11m ago
The minute a customer starts to swear at me is when I hang up the phone. Do it all the time
philosopher_cat_lady 2 points 11m ago
WHAT THE FUCK. I would have *69'ed that motherfucker and reported them to the police for harassment
no0dles130 2 points 11m ago
I’m sorry to hear you had to go thru that. You should def take extra time on your break for have to work on your break and definitely block the number since we have caller id now.
Low_Regular5160 2 points 11m ago
It's crazy that customers think that we care enough about them to do something like that. Idk about you but I would never have such strong feeling for a CUSTOMER to do anything like that. For me, as soon as a customer get out my line of sight they could live forever or die tomorrow for all I care.
Magnumxl711 1 points 11m ago
This is why I refuse to answer the phone even if I have absolutely nothing to do
agigante02 1 points 11m ago
i hate people
[deleted] 1 points 11m ago
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