Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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why is CS so hard (for me) (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by OkWorldliness705
hi I’ve been a barista for about (3 months) now and I just can’t seem to get a hold of CS, like during my training they gave me a brief rundown of CS and I didn’t think about it Again. At the beginning of my Starbucks journey I was mostly put on (DT, and Bar) and I was only put on CS Maybe like once during my 3 months. But my shifts recently started noticing that I didn’t do CS and decided it would be good to start having all my shifts CS, which is really irritating for me because half of the time I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing and I ask for help but I just get told to wash more dishes or focus on making sure night prep is done but I feel like I have no clue what I’m doing. I’m making everyone fall behind and I feel horrible. I don’t want to get my shift managers in trouble because I can’t seem to keep up. I’m just asking for a bit of tips or something that can help me stop being so bad at CS. Not to mention having to help customers and stop everything I’m doing to help them at front register makes me lose track of everything I’m doing (PLS HELP:((()
piratedashel 16 points 6m ago
You can’t make backups if the dishes aren’t done (ps, the hobart IS a dishwasher. Don’t wash them twice) prioritize dishes. Lots of whips in the sink? Wash those first. Lots of pitchers? Wash those. Clean the pumps and containers so you can make those backups. Stock the fridges, lids and cups. Make sure the customer areas are clean. It’s my fave position. You’ll get used to it. It’s the position that makes the store work.
TheRockWitch 4 points 6m ago
Piggybacking to say that my biggest CS tip is to become familiar with how many back ups of things your store has. My store only have 4 Lemonade pitchers so if I see 3 in the sink I know that should be a priority.
Muted_Obligation4501 1 points 6m ago
All about managing priorities and having an order! Well put! Also my fav position
tourniquette2 12 points 6m ago
Because CS is hard! It’s one of the hardest positions in the store. You have to know every position, what it needs and how often, to help support them. You have to know your store backwards and forwards. It’s a hard position! It’s ok to struggle. Every time I assign a new partner to CS when I write the play, I always remind them that I might make demands of them, but that I always understand this role is a huge challenge and to let me know what support THEY need. A list? Got ya. A cycle task list? Absolutely. Help with timers? I got you. It’s all about getting you trained. It’s going to be tough while you learn it but one day, you’ll know it all.
Three months is a baby barista. You’re still learning. Take it easy on yourself. Make lists. Follow cycles. Ask baristas for communication. You’ll do great with time.
Three months is a baby barista. You’re still learning. Take it easy on yourself. Make lists. Follow cycles. Ask baristas for communication. You’ll do great with time.
BatWeary 3 points 6m ago
YES!!! 100% this. It also doesn’t help when you’re out on CS after peak after not having one all morning/last person left it in shambles. Everything needs done right then. Bar needs milk and ice, but they have 1/4 of SAR left and 1 whip. But all the dishes are dirty…oh, and the bathrooms need toilet paper. Yeah AND every single trash can in the store is overflowing + there’s 80,000 bags from this morning that was never run!! So a trash run ALSO needs done!!
tourniquette2 2 points 6m ago
It’s a ton of juggling. And you have to have a good understanding of the flow and speed of the store. There’s a lot to know. I genuinely think it’s harder than bar and shifts should only assign it to experienced partners. The younger you are at Starbucks, the more overwhelming it all feels. But when you’ve already done every position and have a good knowledge base, it’s a little easier. Still hard because you have to be everywhere all the time, but it gets easier that way.
BatWeary 2 points 6m ago
true! my current store was so overwhelming at first, we operate so much differently than my old one. CS was probably the thing that was hardest to adjust to
aerofart 5 points 6m ago
https://quizlet.com/471293635/starbucks-cs-cycle-flash-cards/ I found this which might be helpful. At our store, we have like 5 different diagrams that all represent CS so that role was easy for me to get into.
There may also be diagrams in the store resources. I haven’t looked but maybe.
There may also be diagrams in the store resources. I haven’t looked but maybe.
darkwolf523 1 points 6m ago
In all my life at Starbucks, I wouldn’t dare imagine it would be on quizlet
aerofart 3 points 6m ago
Lmfao you’d be surprised by how many Starbucks-related quizlets there are. One of our SSVs made physical flash cards when she was first starting out.
darkwolf523 1 points 6m ago
True
rainyxday 3 points 6m ago
What I like to do on cs is start off checking bars. First I restock all their espresso and after I restock sleeves. This gets followed by lids both hot and cold and making sure their fridges are completely restocked. This way I can make sure I have some time to focus on other things. I make sure to check on my coffees constantly to make sure they stay fresh and hot. While I look for what prep needs to be done. Depending how much of each I’ll either prioritize sweet creams and whips first or chai/mocha/white mocha. I try to take dishes to the back quite often and if I have time I wash them in that moment so I don’t end up flooded at the end
nicolelynnejones 1 points 6m ago
CS is really hard if you don’t know every position in the store in and out. You basically have to be backup for everybody and be hyper aware of everything going on at all times. I start with restocking whatever I can (asking the bar partners and reg partners if they need anything specific first) and once I feel like they’re in a good place, then I make whatever back ups I can. While you’re doing all of this remember to brew coffee as well, but that doesn’t take long. If you feel like all of your tasks are 100% it’s a good time to make sure the cafe looks pretty and the bathrooms aren’t gross. Some SM’s are really anal that you use the cycle task list in order but IMO that’s not always the most efficient.
Muted_Obligation4501 1 points 6m ago
I’m gonna be honest and it’s my opinion, customer support is the hardest task. It’s demanding because everyone relies on you for things to be stocked and running smoothly, for things to be clean, it’s about knowing how to manage your time. Personally getting to know bar as a position helped me know what things as a bar partner I need asap. The customer support cycle is a good guideline to follow but as most things Starbucks things don’t always go like planned such as that especially if the handoff was crappy. Be patient with yourself, find yourself the customer support guru in the store and ask questions. Most stores run on different times when it comes to cleaning, but stocking lids, ice, lemonade, refresher back ups and frap backups and milks and coffee and cleaning is the most important part of the role.
Muted_Obligation4501 1 points 6m ago
Unfortunately many first timers get put on it as a way for them to just do idle things and don’t get taught properly. As a trainer I ask for a full 8 hour day just to train the role alone
dfarner 1 points 6m ago
There are station cards that every store has. CS has a cycle that is done. Yes dishes and preps but also customer areas and brewing coffee every ten minutes if you still have three. Ask for that card.
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