Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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AITA for not helping customers who ask about food while I’m on bar? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by uncomfortableaf008
When I’m on bar and we’re packed out the ass in cafe and DT and all I know how to do at that moment is breathe and sequence drinks, I just cannot deal with the entitled custies that are too good to wait with everyone else. They’ll come up to the bar like they do with *drink in hand* and ask me where tf their food is and I just look over at the *visible* massive pile of stickers at warming station and hit ‘em with the “they’re a little backed up on warming rn it should be ready soon though” and continue what I was doing. Sometimes one of my coworkers not on bar will go check on it for them, but I say fuck ‘em even if I wasn’t on bar they’re not anymore important than everyone else waiting. What do y’all tell these people?
saltandseasmoke 49 points 11m ago
Exactly what you do especially if it's peak. I'm staying planted and they can wait lol.
uncomfortableaf008 [OP] 16 points 11m ago
exactly!! They get super offended when I don’t help them too which is pretty funny I just feel weird about it when a coworker that overheard will go help them right after which 1) encourages that behavior and 2) makes me look like an asshole -_-
Responsible_Snow7109 3 points 11m ago
Oh i sure as hell do not feel like it makes me look like an asshole when another coworker over here is it and goes to the ovens to check on the food because I'm on bar making a ton of drinks. I literally cannot leave the millions of orders that I have to deal with just to Simply go bother the Barista on ovens to ask them where this special little customer's food is lolol. They start panicking and feel like their food is forgotten about. It's not. It's just extremely busy and most of the people that do that have not been waiting that long. I'll tell them exactly what you said in your post which is me looking over to the ovens even though it's on the other side of the store and I'll just say something along the lines of how we're a little backed up and that the other Barista working on food will have it out when it's ready because other than that there's not much more I can say or even do because I'm on my station which is bar and making drinks so I can't leave just to go ask the person on bar because they're going to tell me the same thing that I told the customer
kaynist 12 points 11m ago
nah i asked my coworkers abt that recently cus this happened to me during peak. I was like ok am I just an ass, or is it super annoying when they ask you where there food is when ur making drinks? Consensus was it's annoying and also stupid, same level as when customers walk up to the bar and try to place their order with you while you're steaming milk and pulling shots, like... uh huh ok what do you want me to do abt that? i just tell them their food will be out and warming is backed up.
IzzyIllustrations 5 points 11m ago
Some lady walked over to me while I was making drinks during the morning rush alone on bar and starts telling me "I'm gonna get this water, and some chips, and a large coffee" and I just looked at her like... "okay?" And she's like "do I not order here?" "No.. you have to go to the register."
She straight up laughed and said "I COULDVE SWORN YOU CALLED MY NAME TO COME OVER HERE!"
Lady idk who tf you are or if you've ever ordered anything in your life at this point.
She straight up laughed and said "I COULDVE SWORN YOU CALLED MY NAME TO COME OVER HERE!"
Lady idk who tf you are or if you've ever ordered anything in your life at this point.
luvduvbunny 11 points 11m ago
NTA
You are on bar. You NEED to stay planted! Customers can clearly see that you are only in one station and NOT at the warming station with food
When i worked at Starbucks and customers asked me about food, i just said “I’m on bar and making drinks. I don’t know about food”. If they push for a status update, i still said “i will not leave my station”
You are on bar. You NEED to stay planted! Customers can clearly see that you are only in one station and NOT at the warming station with food
When i worked at Starbucks and customers asked me about food, i just said “I’m on bar and making drinks. I don’t know about food”. If they push for a status update, i still said “i will not leave my station”
Responsible_Snow7109 6 points 11m ago
Yepp lol i will say "oh im not sure whats going on with the food but it seems like were a little backed up so im sure the barista working on food will have it right out. I just cant leave my station right now to go see but im sure its being worked on!" Lol like the people that usually ask me about their food are the ones who are standing there at the hand off where they can see literally everything im doing.....handing out drink after drink and never once handing out food. Sometimes ill get someone who wont even ask, theyll just say it. Like ill give them their drink and they will say "i also had egg bites" or " i have a bacon gouda as well" and ill be like "okay! ☺️" and continue making drinks lmao but what i really wana say is "omg i love the egg bites! Great choice! Which flavor did u get?" 😄😄
anxiouspeony 8 points 11m ago
I always tell them they need to wait, I don’t even offer a time frame or say it will be out soon. If it isn’t out, it isn’t out. Sometimes I like to ask them when they ordered it so when they give me a single digit in response I can smile at them and pretend they’re no longer there. Starbucks customers are some of the most entitled shits that exist.
Mea-fae_Owl73 3 points 11m ago
We say all the time to our customers “The warmer will call it out when it’s ready” any time of day it is. If we see that the partner that should be taking care of it is not warming anything (not at the station or at register with a customer at non peak times) then we will check on it.
IzzyIllustrations 3 points 11m ago
Exactly the same thing. I just love that all of these people's instincts tell them to walk over to the person making DRINKS to ask about their food. Like, hello I'm 20 ft from the oven idk where tf your egg bites are.
Lazy_Presentation_80 3 points 11m ago
Absolutely not and I just look over at warming and give one of 2 responses: 1)it should be on the way pretty soon! 2) looks like they just put it in the oven but I'm not too sure....
If they push I ask my coworker and tell them to not worry too much >:))
If they push I ask my coworker and tell them to not worry too much >:))
tiredbarista0004 2 points 11m ago
I always tell them that it will be a few minutes, especially when we're slammed on a three person play. They ordered it, they can wait.
aspiringgrandpa 2 points 11m ago
nah if ur making drinks then they can wait. i don’t understand what goes through their mind when they ask one of the busiest people in the store who are VERY obviously just making drinks where their food is. WHY WOULD I KNOW, BRENDA? does this iced white mocha look like a warmed cheese danish to you?
Flat-Whereas3075 2 points 11m ago
NTA.
Your CS or Register Barista needs to be making sure that their cafe customers know that they may be called multiple times as their items become ready.
Otherwise—Starbucks supposedly knows about the problems the MOAP system is causing….
Your CS or Register Barista needs to be making sure that their cafe customers know that they may be called multiple times as their items become ready.
Otherwise—Starbucks supposedly knows about the problems the MOAP system is causing….
yungfroggie 1 points 11m ago
“your food should be coming out soon. thanks for being patient.” and then leave
PartlyCloudyKid 1 points 11m ago
NTA
I just say "so-and-so will have that out to you soon!" I'll add "we have a lot of food orders right now" if they are nice.
I just say "so-and-so will have that out to you soon!" I'll add "we have a lot of food orders right now" if they are nice.
Shoddy-Trainer-8051 1 points 11m ago
“It’ll be out right away”
“The folks at the ovens are taking care of it”
“I’m sure it’ll be up next”
And if they’re a real bitch “*insert shift leader name* THIS LADY IS MISSING HER SAUSAGE SANDWICH” and walk away. Idc. It’s not my problem. I make a statement and go back to my drinks.
“The folks at the ovens are taking care of it”
“I’m sure it’ll be up next”
And if they’re a real bitch “*insert shift leader name* THIS LADY IS MISSING HER SAUSAGE SANDWICH” and walk away. Idc. It’s not my problem. I make a statement and go back to my drinks.
Necessary_Low939 1 points 11m ago
What bothers me more is when coworkers go to the bar to hand off things (alrdy crowded) and not thinking it’s easier to just go out the the lobby to give the food to them.
darkwolf523 1 points 11m ago
NTA
you’re planted on bar. There’s nothing you can really do if you’re planted and got drinks after drinks. Customer support should be the one helping out the warming station if there’s no one waiting in line.
you’re planted on bar. There’s nothing you can really do if you’re planted and got drinks after drinks. Customer support should be the one helping out the warming station if there’s no one waiting in line.
dlcksuck 1 points 11m ago
I typically do what you do if it’s really busy. If not I try to just ask the warming partner if they still have it and are working on it, but that’s challenging too because they’re normally helping out a customer and I have to wait for a good time to interject. I wish customers would understand that when we’re on bar we have no clue what’s going on with their food.
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