Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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how long should pastry case/stocking take? also, tips for being faster at it? (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by devotionofsuspectx
it takes me about 15 minutes to fill the pastry case and 20 minutes to stock the pastry cart and fridges. my shift keeps telling me i need to do it faster but i've tried and haven't seen much success. how long does it take you guys? also, tips for being faster at it? TIA
cats_with_tentacles 18 points 8m ago
Takes me about 20 minutes to get the case done and the pastry cart restocked, on a good day. By good day, I mean the closers actually cleaned the case and put the tags back in the right place lol
I start with the food that has to be heated. So it can cool before I close them in the case. Then I grab one of each thing and just arrange them nicely. Honestly, the ticket is to just work quickly. Early in the morning when you've hardly been awake, it can be hard to do that. Drink a glass of ice water before you clock in to help wake you up, do a couple stretches to get your body ready to move.
I start with the food that has to be heated. So it can cool before I close them in the case. Then I grab one of each thing and just arrange them nicely. Honestly, the ticket is to just work quickly. Early in the morning when you've hardly been awake, it can be hard to do that. Drink a glass of ice water before you clock in to help wake you up, do a couple stretches to get your body ready to move.
devotionofsuspectx [OP] 7 points 8m ago
the water seems like a smart idea, thanks!
extrashotextrahot 8 points 8m ago
It takes me about that long. Wiping out the case, rotating pastries, stocking the fridge and checking the rtd&e etc. Changing the plastic bins the cakepops go in, stocking. Heating the food.
gabby24681 6 points 8m ago
Depends on how much stocking I have to do. If the night people have already moved over the fridge stuff it takes me like ten minutes.
My steps are:
Turn on ovens
Put in cold pastries in the case
Warm up the sandwiches and egg bites (make sure you’re using display buttons, not normal buttons)
Put in the hot stuff in the display
Stock what I can and if I don’t have time the food person can stock the rest just let them know what you didn’t get to and tell your shift to explain or get off your ass
My steps are:
Turn on ovens
Put in cold pastries in the case
Warm up the sandwiches and egg bites (make sure you’re using display buttons, not normal buttons)
Put in the hot stuff in the display
Stock what I can and if I don’t have time the food person can stock the rest just let them know what you didn’t get to and tell your shift to explain or get off your ass
CompassesByNorthWest 3 points 8m ago
I feel like I have food open down to a science. I usually am done with stocking pastries and displaying them by the time my ovens are heated up and ready to warm the hot items for the case. Heating the food usually takes like 2 mins max if you batch them, and then RTD&E can be done super quick, especially if your store is busy and the front display is pretty much empty after the day lmao.
I know some people do pastry case last, and it’s usually not done by the time the store opens, but I prioritize it first.
To answer your last question, something I do is while im restocking the pastry cart from the BOh cart, im setting aside one of each item. That way when im done restocking i just have to go through and take them out of the wrappers and don’t have to go back and fine each one. Im sure most people do that but if you aren’t it will save a lot of time.
I know some people do pastry case last, and it’s usually not done by the time the store opens, but I prioritize it first.
To answer your last question, something I do is while im restocking the pastry cart from the BOh cart, im setting aside one of each item. That way when im done restocking i just have to go through and take them out of the wrappers and don’t have to go back and fine each one. Im sure most people do that but if you aren’t it will save a lot of time.
WorthProper3289 2 points 8m ago
I always open and have faced this issue myself and with my baristas. At the end of the day it should take you 20-30min to do pastry case, bk sandwiches into fridge, and setting up pastry trays. My #1 reccomendation is grab all the pastries for the case before you try and restock them. That way they’re separate and you don’t waste time seeing if you have enough. Additionally, show up 5min early so when it hits the start of your shift you’re already on the floor ready to begin. Those 5 mins it takes to clock in, put on your apron, etc. Really do make a difference. Additionally, when it comes to the hot stuff for display stick it all in one oven together. It works just the same as if you did two at a time. You’re not selling it so it doesn’t need to be perfect. I like to tear apart the warming papers to make this easier
badatlife15 2 points 8m ago
Wait are you saying all of those tasks (pastry case, bk sandwiches into fridge, and restocking pastry trays) should take 20-30 mins??? How? When I open food side I usually start with putting the RTD& E stuff out, that typically takes me 15-20 mins, then I do the fridges because I can do the pastry case easiest when the store opens. I’m usually done with all of that by about an hour after we get there depending on how many customers ask for food right when we open. It also depends how much food is left from the night before and having to date all the new sandwiches that we get in the night before. We only have 30 mins to prep before opening officially. I also don’t know how an opener is supposed to get there 5 mins early, my shifts are always there right at the last minute and don’t open the doors until we are technically supposed to be there, sometimes a minute or two earlier. I’m always in early when I come in after the store is open so that I’m on the floor at my assigned time, but for open that never happens and definitely does make a difference I just have no control over when keyholder gets there.
WorthProper3289 2 points 8m ago
It totally depends on the size of your store, amount of food to restock, and size of pastry case. We only get 30min to open as well. I am able to do it that quickly because I’ve opened for two years straight so practice really does make perfect. But major things that speed up the process is ensuring your closers have thrown away the expired food and that they have setup pastry case for you. If they haven’t then you have the right to give them a reminder. As an opener you can set them up for great success, as long as you have the time to do those tasks for them. It’s not rude to kindly remind them it isn’t your responsibility. Additionally, it’s not rude to speak with your ssv and say “hey I know you usually get here right at 5am but do you think you could come for 4:55? Just so I am not clocking in late every shift, it’s not a way I want to represent myself. I’m an ssv and so often we forget that these things matter so little reminders from our baristas actually do help. Most of the time they’ll show up at 4:58 but it’s something. Also, my store started having closers daydot the evening food pull if it was slow. Totally saves time! Oh also, don’t waste ur time dating the bk sand right away. I almost always do it when I leave my shift. We sell like 75% of our sandwiches by the time I leave so it’s a waste to date them and wastes our price tag stickers.
badatlife15 1 points 8m ago
Thanks, yeah I’ve been working at Starbucks for about 2.5 years, but not as a consistent opener, i was more when I first started, then it was a little bit later, now I typically open one or two days a week, so there’s definitely something to that. When I had been opening more consistently I found ways to get things done, especially since I would often open drive side. I think part of what takes me longer is I make sure to do a very thorough job, in theory I know the closers should have thrown away outdated food, but I don’t think I’d ever feel right not looking. I also take the time to try and organize the sandwiches after putting them in the FOH fridge so that they are stacked on top of each other in the order we’re most likely to need them, to make it easier on whoever is on food later. For the most part, as much as it takes me a long time to set up that side, I’ve never been given any feedback that I should be getting it done faster, I think that’s partly because my shifts know I’m not sitting around doing nothing, I work hard, so if it takes me a little longer, but it’s done well they aren’t complaining. I also seem to notice for the most part when I come in later or I open the drive side, it usually takes other baristas at my store about the same amount of time. We’re very near a hospital so we do tend to get a decent amount of customers right off the bat. I don’t know that it would make a difference if I asked my shifts to get there earlier, because the other opening baristas are very rarely there any earlier either, but I will keep it in mind, especially if I get to a point where I’m working more opening shifts. Thanks for the tips!
Affectionate_Fart 2 points 8m ago
Why are you stocking fridges? That should be a closing task. Unless you’re talking about prep for like whips and sweet cream.
devotionofsuspectx [OP] 9 points 8m ago
I guess at my store it's normal to do it at opening? It's never stocked in the morning
Affectionate_Fart 11 points 8m ago
Every store I’ve worked at: before you leave you ensure you have fridges stocked, enough prep for the am early customers, lids, cups, and beans stocked.
honsooI 4 points 8m ago
at my store, we get our order after close meaning they quite literally have no sandwiches to restock usually
Affectionate_Fart 2 points 8m ago
Warming is done by opening barista. But restocking the milks should be at night.
honsooI 2 points 8m ago
i assumed they meant food fridge, because they’re specifically asking about food opening tasks that’s all.
aee78 1 points 8m ago
If they're talking about the RTD case and breakfast sandwiches, delivery may not have taken place until after the closers left or they just didn't get to it. Our closers will put up RTD, but they don't date and put away the breakfast sandwiches.
aee78 1 points 8m ago
I can usually get the pastry cart stocked, case set up, impulse items stocked, and all the sandwiches dated and put up in \~20 minutes, 30 if the closers didn't get rid of expired product.
I will say we sell a lot of food so usually at least 50% of is just pulling an empty try out and placing the full one in. Some days I can switch everything out in like 5 minutes.
I switch out the trays first, pulling one of every item and tossing it on top of the case. Then I get gloves, and put everything in the case. Then I stock up impulse. Take the cart to the back. Pull the sandwiches out of the fridge and bring them and the date gun to the front. Date a rack, put item in the front fridge, date next rack, stock. Condense the racks as I stock. Take back stock, to the back and put it in the fridge. I can usually then move on to getting the cold brew into the fridges and cleaning them.
We also save the sandwiches for 2 days and put them in the fridge over night so they don't need to be made every morning.
I will say we sell a lot of food so usually at least 50% of is just pulling an empty try out and placing the full one in. Some days I can switch everything out in like 5 minutes.
I switch out the trays first, pulling one of every item and tossing it on top of the case. Then I get gloves, and put everything in the case. Then I stock up impulse. Take the cart to the back. Pull the sandwiches out of the fridge and bring them and the date gun to the front. Date a rack, put item in the front fridge, date next rack, stock. Condense the racks as I stock. Take back stock, to the back and put it in the fridge. I can usually then move on to getting the cold brew into the fridges and cleaning them.
We also save the sandwiches for 2 days and put them in the fridge over night so they don't need to be made every morning.
badatlife15 1 points 8m ago
I feel like it takes me forever, I start by stocking RTD& E since that feels like the hardest do to if I don’t finish all tasks by the time we open (we have 30 minutes). Our shifts have us write down how many of each thing we got to verify our orders so i think that adds a little time & it depends on how much is still left from the day before that needs to be fifo’d. Once I finish this I work on counting and dating the new sandwiches we got in the night before and then restock the food fridge. Typically at some point while doing the fridge we are opening so the rest of the tasks depend on how busy we are. If I have to keep stopping to put food in it takes much longer, but doing the pastry case is easiest for me to do in between other tasks and I feel it’s important to know that our food fridge is stocked so we accurately know what product we do have. It sounds like opening is slightly different for each of us, so I might ask the shift if they have any suggestions for what they do to make it go faster, not in a rude way, but from my way of doing things, it sounds like you’re doing pretty good.
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