Report: Starbucks surprises employees with a $250 bonus

A STARBUCKS GOSSIP reader reports: "Starbucks just came out today with a one-time bonus of 250 bucks for non-manager retail employees who have been with the company of the last fiscal year. Since they made about 17 trillion dollars last year they decided to spread the wealth which I found thoughtful (especially since I qualify for the bonus). Hey, they could have just kept the profits and made themselves look better on paper for the stockholders, right?" Can other Starbucks employees confirm this?
> Starbucks can afford the bonuses as same-store sales rise 13% in November

Comments

[Allie]

I heard (i work at starbucks)that you only get the bonus if you have worked atleast 500 hours in that fiscal year.

[Rofo]

That's not bad still, that works out to less then 10 hours a week. I'm not sure what average baristas work, but it would seem it would cover alot of people! Good for the old *$'s ... now I won't have to tip because they got their bonus (just kidding!!!)

My last bonus I had to work 1875 hours to be eligible for

[Jazer]

My last job I had to work 2000 hours to get a bonus. We also had to meet our goals, turn a profit, have less than 2% waste in production, and increase our sales by 10%.

Then I only got $150.00 after taxes.

JAZER

[Melly]

In Canada you don't need the 500 hours, just the sweet, sweet pre-september 29th hire date and a decent score on your review.

[me]

Yes its all true.
i cant get it because i missed the hire date by 5 days so if any partners want to share let me know

[Hey Wait!]

That bonus should go to reducing prices back to their old level!!

I hate it when companies do this kind of crap!

[Ray]

Shut the f**k up Hey Wait! I am so sick of people like you. Welcome to America. Personaly, that $250 is going to help me out at Christmas for my family and I'm thinking you can aford that extra 10 cents for your latte. If you can't, I'm sure the AM/PM down the street can help you out.

[corianderstem]

I'm thrilled to be getting the bonus, and am pleased that they're thanking the employees for making it such a great year in the Land of the Coffee Giant.

And Hey Wait? You're right. How DARE they do something nice for their employees? And at the holiday season, too! Those bastards!

Sheesh. Insert giant eye-roll here.

[soldado23]

they ought to increase the benefits and start allowing more employees work more than 19.95 hours per week.

[c]

>Shut the f**k up Hey Wait! I am so sick of people like you. Welcome to America.

funny to welcome someone to america and trample all over the first amendment in the same line.

[mick]

hah! so that's what two partners at my store were gossiping about and refused to share with me?

[Customer is Right]

Ray, even though 'Hey Wait' is an a$$ he still has a point. Customers of starbucks aren't blind, they read in newspapers, watch on TV and read on websites like this that starbucks is a rapidly growing, rich, healthy company. It's only fair that THEY be rewarded for making starbucks a success. Hell, Krispy Kreme gives me free donuts everytime I go there. But the only thanks I get at starbucks is a price increase.

Peace.b

[Jazer]

Well, Starbucks is a corporate entity. They sell their coffee at what the market can bear. This means that since everyone is still buying their products, they are selling coffee at the right price. What does it matter if they are making more money from it? That is business in America. They pay their employees what the market can bear, which is also profitable for them since people are still willing to work for them. We can't expect a corporation to just give up profits, that would be communism. Now as for the bonus, the company probably was starting to feel like employees might want to leave. Therefore, they are giving a bonus to bring morale back to where Starbucks wants it. This helps keep the employee wages where the market can bear.

It's all a balance.

Jazer

[this space for rent]

> But the only thanks I get at starbucks is a price increase.

Heh. Now even customers want tips.

[mgr]

I can't believe how ungrateful some people are. This is the kind of company that wants too GIVE,simply give money too there partners for doing a great job. How can people argue with the fact that this money is a gift. As far as the price increase...MOVE ON ALREADY, it's only a dime!!

[i want my dimebag]

Hey CustIsRight, Starbucks ain't losing money and having shady accounting practices like Krispy Kreme either. Krispy Kreme stands alone here.

Wages are up, inflation is up, and people complain about a dime. Let's see... 2% inflation * $4 a cup of coffee, that is almost the whole dime there. Plus suppliers probably increased cost, etc. On a similar note, yeah, gas is expensive too, but it's been pricefixed, and nowhere near where it should be with increasing profits/inflation since the 70s. Imagine how much more you'd complain about gas prices if it was around $3/gallon. You're the same people who leave only a 15% tip for a good job, and no tip for something that wouldn't even be the waiter's fault. If coffee is too expensive, that dime worth too much to you, go to wawa or 7-11 and save $3! It's amazing how we expect to make more money, and our companies to make more profits, but don't expect the price of anything we want to buy to increase, and are in fact outraged by it. Hypocrisy at its finest.

I'll be over by the Verissimo, laughing up my sleeve as you contribute to next year's bonus while bitching about this year's bonus.

And, let's face it, those whining about it in this space are probably letting your bruised ego do the typing. It's outraged because the "lowly barista" got a bonus this year and your superior employer's idea of a bonus was... a Starbucks Card with your name scrawled on the card carrier.

You may commence your "nuh-uh!" post at the BEEP!

[Quad Grande]

If you stick around a Starbucks long enough, or frequent it regularly you are bound to be offered a sample of a pastry and/or coffee beverage. Do you really go to Krispy Kreme for a free donut?
A lot of effort goes into providing some of the best service available at Starbucks, we get comments on it at my store all the time. That's what keeps people coming back.

[greg]

This is directed at "Solado23" Starbucks is a great company to work for. If you don't get enough hours it's probably because your manager has people that work harder than you, or are just better performers than you. Take a look at the schedule in your store....look at the people who get 32 hrs a week or better....it's those people that have more open availablity, don't call out, do a great job and make people feel better about coming to starbucks....on both sides of the counter. The people who get schedules less are harder to schedule b/c of availability and performance. Bottom line....change starts with the man in the mirror Jacko! If you wnat more hours open up your availability and work harder....if you can't, quit and get a different job and stop complaining!

[CoffeeBoy]

I have never worked for a company in the food or service industry that gave all the lowest level employees a bonus of this much money.
Realize this bonus is NOT for the Store Managers and above, but the baristas and Shift supervisors. These are the folks who work their butts off everyday making lattes for people. The folks who listen (and take) un-caffinated bitchy customers at 7am. They deserve this money.

Having to work to work 9.6 hours per week and be employed for a full year isn't a bad deal if you ask me!

As far the price increase concerns.. please bitch at the following people as well: The gas stations, grocery stores, cable company, car dealers, (i could go on). I don't know about you, but I pay more for milk and don't get free shit at Safeway.

I DID however get $5 FREE loaded onto my Starbucks card!
So screw you.

[Greg]

Oh Word Coffee Boy!!!
I think the $250 is for ALL partners who didn't contribute to a stock plan though....just keeping your facts straight.

[john]

I have been waiting for three months for a warranty replacement for our digital italia. Customer service keeps on telling me nothing useful. Is everyone's italia machines in failure mode and they have to replace them all? Would love a hard date out of Starbucks when the replacements will be in.

[CoffeeBoy]

NO -Greg -it's for employees who were not part of any other incentive plan. Assit Store Managers and above are all part of a bonus plan, thus do not get the $250.

[CoffeeBoy]

My Italia works great. I know they are made in Italy, still no excise. How long have you had it? Do you have a receipt? I would return it, if its more than 90 days since your purchase it may be more difficult, still I would strong arm customer service and insist on a replacement.

[baristaj]

$250...extra drinking money? Starbucks has been a hobby for the past 1.5 years. For once it has paid off...mind you tips are still good and my store has an ice rink attached so we have a Starbucks Zamboni...totally rocks. This is cool becase it is a great thank you to all the "grunts" in the war on non-caffienation. Baristas and shifts...happy holidays. And no more eggnog splatter on the face.

Every company has price increase!!! starbucks hasn't has one until now in 4 YEARS!! DO you know that starbucks is the biggest supporter of literacy in the WORLD! Starbucks is also a financial supporter of CARE international aid agency.THEy also open schools,help with clean drinking water in coffe growing countries ( Ethiopia/Africa, Central America, and Indonesia) and encourage shade grown coffe so that the rainforest is NOT cut down. On the local level they do toy drives, book drives, donate food everyday to the food banks, and volunteer at things like the Aids walk, cancer run and other fundraisers.Most paper products are also made of recyled paper and the stores themselves recyle plastic, paper and take bottles for refund.Starbucks also uses local supplies as much as possible. Giving even more jobs to the community! They also have some of the best, happiest employess. What companyee can consistenly have employee that embrace it's values? YOU all love starbucks because of consistency and great service. Yes there are bad storeis out there also. But that's life. So if they give 250$ to employee. GREAT!!! You don't realize that all the money doens't just go in the pocket of howard schultz. Now suppport a place that is trying.

[part time barister]

In Australia we got the bonus too if you were hired before 29 sept 2003. I got it so i'm happy but we have many people that missed out that work their butts off at work. Starbucks doesnt practice what they preach. All this shit about respect and dignity. We had one of the partners from management come in and he didnt even smile and ask how we were. Starbucks may come across as caring etc, but they don't deserve the whole positive image they protray. It isnt the truth.

Oh, boo hoo. If they didn't get something this year they'll get it the next year. If the worst things you have to bitch about in a service-level job is that your friends didn't qualify for a bonus and someone in management ignored you, I think you're in dire need of having your perspectives widened.

[corianderstem]

Yep, I agree. You have to wait a year to be eligible for the 401(k) savings plan (unless you're over 30 upon your hire date), and you have to get paid for a certain amount of hours before you're initially eligible for benefits. You don't get everything right off the bat. It's called incentive to stick around.

[Eva]

I got in an accident and haven't been working for months (although Starbucks is paying me short-term disability), and I still got a bonus surprise in the mail. I've been at Starbucks for four years, and I still (now more than ever) firmly believe that it is a company with a heart. And I'm usually decently cynical, but I have seen nothing but proof that sometimes individuals suck but as a whole Starbucks really cares about its employees. :)

[Rubbersoul]

If a person is fired from Starbucks for stealing...is there any chance that they could be rehired by the company in another state? or even that same state in a different district? Does anyone know the policy on this? The person paid their restitution the day that they were terminated and didn't deny the stealing or that they were selling their stolen wares on eBay like about 30 other sellers.

[Jame]

Is it going to happen this year? Wonder if we will see a Christmas bonus again. I called the Partner Contact Center and they have become silent on the issue, stating it was a one time deal because the company made so much money last year. They stated that the decision to give a bonus would come from the Board of Directors. What were the requirements to get a bonus last year? Was the April 1st hire date true or was it just an hours thing?

[aki]

Hey every one...... I’m doing some research for a human resource essay!! Can anyone tell me why starbucks is so great to work for if at all? i.e. employee benefits, career development....