Solo drive later in the day is completely normal

Calling it a warmer was lowkey cute green bean behavior

Getting your own food yeah that's a bit much

Yes, at least for my store it is. After peak, especially mid-day, it's very common to do all drive (aka DTO, DTR, and warming). Typically we don't have to get any of the drinks, though. It would basically just be those three positions.

Having done solo drive for peak (DTO/DTR), it all comes down to sequencing.

Greeting the customer at the box, taking payment, recording the order at the box while communicating with the customer at the window/baristas in the store is just really complicated sequencing at the end of the day. It comes with practice and the ability to multitask.

here’s how i usually do it!!

take the order— start getting food or pastries lined up as soon as they mention any food item they want.

as soon as i finish taking the order i charge the window, ask if they need anything, yada yada. if another person rolls up while you’re charging just let the person at the speaker know you’ll be right with them!

then usually i’ll get all the drinks lined up while i’m taking the next order, and the cycle repeats. i do this so much that i can multitask starting to take an order while i charge and just put the whole thing in after, or taking an order while handing out drinks. once you get into the groove of it it gets a lot easier, but it takes time and practice!

Add in making the drinks too lol

Completely normal at my store ;-;

Its normal later in the day when there arent as many people scheduled. My store usually has someone solo barring (drive,mobile, and deliveries) and the window will handle their own warming. Sometimes its slow and easy and sometimes you are (mentally and physically) running 100 miles a minute. It’ll come to you with time and you’ll find your flow.

We have to solo drive every night at my store because we are usually staffed just enough to close. (Usually one person all bar, one person breakdown/front, and one person solo drive, then obvi our shift who does all those responsibilities)

I think it’s pretty common! At that point I would just recommend going at a slower pace at first bc you’ll eventually speed up! (It’s not the end of the world if a customer has to wait a little)

During peak (7-9am) at our store those are all individual positions, but by 10am that is pretty normal.

Just remember - you don't have your "muscle memory" yet. Once you get muscle memory on all the tasks it becomes much easier. My "pro tip" for register is this: Read all the buttons like a book **left to right** not like a spreadsheet *top to down*. The buttons are all laid out left to right not top to bottom.

To reinforce building muscle memory try the $1 and $1 method. You don't need to exaggerate the movements like in hear or yell - just say what your doing as you are doing it quietly. "(*point at cash drawer*) 5 dollars change"; "(*point at fridge*) One double-smoked for the oven"; "(*point at cold bar*) Up next the caramel frapp".

The other technique to building muscle memory is to always remember that:

$1

Slowing down **now** will help build your muscle memory faster. Pay full attention to your one task and just stick to sequencing everything taking turns at each position as you circle around the area.

Turn the whole **routine** into a little dance and have fun with it!

Don't stress out about the *next* task - just do your best with the *current* task and the next task will work out just fine!

PS: if you can maybe ask to work during peak time when they are planted positions. Ask to work the same position several days in a row so that you gain muscle memory. Straight up tell the supervisor "Hey - I could use some more practice on warming so I get that job right". They will usually do their best to accommodate your request. After 5-10 days in the same position it gets **much** easier.

Starbucks is definitely a job where you are kept pretty busy. Some people like the rush - I do - and I absolutely love the feeling of working through a big rush and that sigh of relief afterwards knowing that you and your team did their best for the rush and got through it together!

I have my baristas on solo drive thru all the time except peak. Myself, warming, and the drive thru bar partner usually have headsets on to jump in if needed. You just have to balance taking orders and helping cars at the window. Eventually you’ll learn to do both at the same time! Not sure why they’d have you do warming too though, I usually have DTO do that

Unfortunately later in the day, soloing bar, ovens, and drive can be a very normal thing. 😬

Personally at my current store solo drive never includes warming. If theres no dedicated warming it is done by front or customer support. But at my old store this was absolutely the case. It really depends on your stores volume especially later in the day, id say best possible thing is focus on one task at a time until you are comfortable taking orders while doing food, then once u run the food cash out the person at the window and return to warming if needed or take the next order wherever youre at. If bar isnt overwhelmed have them dto! I used to dto at solo bar all the time on more chill evenings! Good luck 💜

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Honestly I’ve never worked a store until now where “solo” was a thing. It’s impossible to meet expectations for both DT times and customer experience. Not to mention partner experience. I’m a closer and if it’s only 3 of us we always support each other then do side tasks.

no you should have partners assigned to do those things. that actually sounds insane unless its like past 9pm

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