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Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind

Full History - 2022 - 09 - 03 - ID#x5aaae
85
got my first Karen today 😭 (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by cnguyen695
I was doing dto and this lady came up and order her drink and a cheese danish. So I put their order in and they said they wanted to place a second order. So I sent the 1st order through, and started the second one; but I could barley hear her sister so I asked them to speak up louder multiple times but she said she’ll order at the window. So when they got to the window she started say I didn’t know to do my job and that I was acting clueless. Then I gave her her drink that was just made and she said she wanted a remake, so I got the dtb barista to remake it. Then she wanted to add the egg protein box so I went and grabbed it for her and added it to her order. Then she was like why don’t you know the menu when you work here. So I apologized and started on the second order for her sister. I looked away for two seconds so I can put it in the system so the people on oven can heat it up for them. Then she started threatening me saying that I shouldn’t try her sister and threatened to fight me. The whole time she was saying that she was recording and was gonna send it to corporate. LOL like I asked you to speak up multiple times at the window and she kept the same tone of voice😭. Like what does she want from me 😭 then my ssv took over and I started to have a mental breakdown
Blocked_ID 57 points 10m ago
She threatened to fight you? Oh hell no I would just close the window she ain’t getting her food.
cnguyen695 [OP] 17 points 10m ago
YES I couldn’t believe it either 😭. Even though I asked her to repeat the order multiple times she still kept the same Tone of voice but then had the nerve to yell at me at the window😭
darkwolf523 2 points 10m ago
Same
Right-Individual-134 24 points 10m ago
I'm sorry you had to go through that. Idk if many partners know this but you as a BARISTA are allowed to refuse service to anyone. If you don't like the way a customer is speaking to you, a simple "I understand your frustration but if you continue to speak to me in that manner I will refuse service" and that's just being generous. Cussing is an automatic service refusal.
alynel1105 6 points 10m ago
I’ve been told by one of my SSVs that we cannot refuse service to anyone. I’ve been rage yelled at, cursed out and have had things shoved/pushed at me aggressively by customers. At what point can we refuse service?! :(
Right-Individual-134 3 points 10m ago
I'm sorry but I've told all my baristas that if they ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable engaging in a conversation with a customer that they are allowed to refuse service. I was told by one of my old managers that at the time as a barista I was allowed to do this bcuz they're disrupting the 3rd place environment. I haven't had my first Karen as a SSV but I CANT WAIT til the day comes
breaabrown 2 points 10m ago
There should be a posted list of rules for your "third place" in your lobby, pretty sure it's Starbucks policy to be able to refuse service to customers who violate the third place rules 👀 unless I'm mistaken, but that's how my SM put it
Tdawwg78 24 points 10m ago
That’s not even a Karen that’s a couple of monsters.. I hope you filed an incident report. Yikes .
GrayCera12 14 points 10m ago
I’m sorry you had to go through that. 😢😢 I hope your days get better. You’re just doing you’re job and these people are stupid.
cnguyen695 [OP] 4 points 10m ago
Thanks! I hope so too 😭
peepeepoopaccount 8 points 10m ago
BTW if a customer threatens you or someone else you can refuse service. It violates the third place. I hope you report her bc that’s so awful :(
heyitsmaria24 8 points 10m ago
Threatening your safety is a huge red no. You’re allowed to refuse service to them. Someone else can do it for you. File an incident report just in case. I remember some lady started yelling because she didn’t get light ice. I looked at her with a dead stare and turned away. Told everyone I wasn’t going to deal with that. Someone else do it.
cnguyen695 [OP] 2 points 10m ago
Yeah an incident report was filed by my ssv.
No_Indication_5205 6 points 10m ago
In a situation like this you close the window immediately and grab your supervisor and let them know a customer is threatening you.
ThugLimo85 6 points 10m ago
Would have told her ignorant ass to keep driving or Ima call the cops
iSpeakMeme 5 points 10m ago
We get these kind of people from time to time and they always suck. Occasionally you'll get people that cause a scene specifically to get something for free or a recovery card, and a lot of times it works just because the partner is doing everything they can to just get the customer to leave. Especially in dto, people don't realize or care that it's REALLY hard to hear when you order from the passenger or back seats while we have a whole sbux going behind us. All I can really say is, do what you need to do to get that frustration out and try to look past it. It's really easy to focus on all the crappy interactions and look over the really good ones. Sometimes there isn't anything else we can do to make someone happy and they're just gonna be in a bad mood. Try not to take it personally, you seemed like you handled it the best you could have in that situation. If you ever need advice or to just talk or to vent feel free to shoot me a message.
cnguyen695 [OP] 2 points 10m ago
Thanks! Your message means a lot! I’ll def send a message if I ever need advice! :)
kennsnaps 4 points 10m ago
I'm sorry you had to deal with those awful people. The second they start spouting threats it's a closed window and no more service 😉
vanilllacakez 4 points 10m ago
You need to learn how to stick up for yourself against customers like this. It’s possible to be professional and not be floor for customers to walk over too.
cnguyen695 [OP] 5 points 10m ago
Yeah. I recently started a few months ago, so this is the first time this happened to me at dto. Thanks for the advice.
jellysurprise 3 points 10m ago
i hope the shift on duty refunded them and sent them on their way, there is absolutely no reason to help a customer who is treating you like that )-:
h2otower 3 points 10m ago
So sorry you had to deal with these difficult, unhappy bullies. I am also sorry your shift on duty or even another barista did not have your back..

I hope if this happens again the shift on duty will have a headset on so when they hear those violent and unacceptable comments they will automatically come over and deal with these ridiculous customers for you. We had a shifty who would immediately step over and stand next to the barista getting hassled and say, "now what's the question here?" I found I could back away and they would deal with them. (It's their job)
cnguyen695 [OP] 3 points 10m ago
I just wanted to clarify that my shift did take over! Since it was at the window the ssv couldn’t hear what was going on alongside with the other baristas. They consoled me afterwards in the back! I’m doing alright now!
darkwolf523 2 points 10m ago
Welp time to pull your phone and record them as you’re staying calm in the situation. All jokes aside, that’s an incident report that needs to be filed
cnguyen695 [OP] 2 points 10m ago
Yeah LOL pull an uno reverse on them! Yeah don’t worry an incident report was filed right after!
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