Starbucks barista: We're not your friends (but your tips are appreciated)

The Starbucks barista who wrote this screed apparently thinks he/she is telling patrons something new here; sorry, but as an observant longtime customer, I hardly find this breaking news: "In most cases, we absolutely loathe you, but we are outwardly friendly - because we are paid to do so. ... We ask how you’re doing because it's a way of making conversation, and we are pressured to make conversation in this line of work." From the customer's side of the counter, I'll say this: It shows...believe me, it shows. [NOTE: IT APPEARS CRAIGSLIST HAS REMOVED THE RANT; I'VE POSTED IT BELOW.] (Chicago Craigslist)

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From Your Starbucks Barista
Reply to: pers-296401321@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-03-18, 11:08PM CDT

To all of you silly, sad caffeine addicts who line up like lemmings for your overpriced lattes every morning: there are some things you should know.

1. We are not your friends. We are usually not your neighbors. In most cases, we absolutely loathe you, but we are outwardly friendly -- because we are paid to do so. You are not getting special treatment, and we really don’t give a shit about your last vacation or your new baby or your real estate problems. We ask how you’re doing because it’s a way of making conversation, and we are pressured to make conversation in this line of work. Now, there are some customers who are genuinely liked, but they’re few and far between. If you have to think about it, you’re probably not one of them.

2. Oh, you work from home? We are not your water-cooler break. We may be the only humans you have interacted with for days, but do not expect us to be interested in your stupid home business or your racist, sexist, totally unfunny commentary. Get your drink and get out.

3. Enough with repeating the George Carlin Starbucks order joke! It was funny the first time we heard it. Maybe. You are probably the four hundredth person to say it to me, expecting me to laugh, and I guarantee that you’re going to be disappointed.

4. Tipping is greatly appreciated. While Starbucks does provide great insurance and other benefits for its employees, and sometimes even a decent hourly wage, baristas are not guaranteed a certain amount of hours per week and NEVER get full-time hours. So: we have great health coverage but can barely buy groceries. Our tips help augment our meager paychecks. If you don’t want to tip, don’t - but quit bitching about it. I’ve noticed that the complexity of your drink order is quite often inversely proportionate to the size of your tip. The rudest and most difficult customers NEVER tip - usually the stay-at-home-moms wearing fifty grand worth of diamonds, yammering into their trendy pink KRAZRs and paying absolutely no attention to their horrible offspring (who are wreaking havoc in every way possible.) Bitches.

5. SKIM MILK is the same as NONFAT MILK. Do not order a “skim nonfat latte” – it’s redundant. Similarly, don’t say that you want a “grande skim latte” and then correct me when I call out “grande nonfat latte.” You bitch. Which brings me to:

6. We are trained to call out drink orders in a particular way. This helps to ensure that we get all of your stupid, nitpicky details correct. DO NOT
• Correct me (see above)
• Tell me as snottily as possible that you “don’t speak Starbucks.” That is quite possibly one of the dumbest statements I’ve ever heard.
• Keep asking me, “Is it decaf? Did you get that? I ordered decaf. Are you sure it’s decaf?” F+CK YOU. Yes, I got it.
• Tell me how to make a drink. I know what goes into a mocha. You probably couldn’t make one if someone had a gun to your head.

I may as well continue! DON’T:
• Lean on the hand-off counter, effectively blocking any of the people who ordered BEFORE you from getting their coffee.
• Take your drink, rip the top off, gulp down one-third to one-half of it, and then ask me to “top it off.”
• Snatch the first drink to come up, because of course it's yours! You’re the only f+cking customer in the place! You ordered a grande latte and this is a Frappuccino, what does it matter! You got there first!
• Scream at me because you don't want whipped cream, when you never specified that.
• Get all pissy when I ask if you want whipped cream on a nonfat mocha. Because some people do, the drink usually comes with it, and we are here to serve your demanding ass.
• Come in wearing a floor-length fur coat and, when asked if you need a bag for your purchase, say no because you want to “save some trees.” Please save me the forehead bruise.
• Hold your two-year-old up to the pastry case and ask him to choose something. Grown men (well, stupid grown men) are struck dumb by the variety at times; no toddler will be able to work out what he wants in under three days. Select something for him and move on.

7. If you are yapping away on your cell phone when you get up to the counter, TELL THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END TO HOLD ON. Do not try to communicate what you want by hand gestures. Do not stare at me blankly – YOU approached ME. Especially, do not roll your eyes at me and heave a sigh before bitchily telling me what you want while still babbling into the phone.

8. If we’re out of the sippy-cup lids and have to give you a regular old flat lid with a tear tab (this occasionally happens) – do not freak out and scream at the manager that it will spill and ruin your “very expensive car.” Buddy, I’ve seen that car (you double-park it outside the front door almost every f+cking day) and it’s not all that, so get off your f+cking high horse. And if you have enough money for that pricey auto, either buy a decent travel mug with a locking lid, or get the f+cking car detailed if something spills. And maybe lay off the caffeine. Asshole.

9. If you order a Frappuccino, I will hate you even more.

10. Quit bitching about the names of everything. Yes, there is a “tall" size. No, it’s not the smallest size – that would be the “short.” Somewhere along the line, it got dropped from the menu, but can still be ordered. It doesn’t make much sense to me either, but I didn’t come up with the nomenclature for this shit. Order by the names on the menu, because I’ve had people ask for a "medium coffee" and get inexplicably pissed off when I give them a grande. Which is a medium coffee. If you eat at McDonald’s, you put a “Mc” in front of just about everything – get the f+ck over yourself and get used to it.

11. Keep your f+cking $1200, four-foot-wide Bugaboo stroller out. Of. The. Store.

12. If you are one of the seriously annoying, mind-bogglingly stupid Change People, it's very likely that I'm restraining the urge to beat you senseless. Especially if you say something like, "I have twenty-four cents, if it helps…" – you are not helping anyone. F+ck you and your exact change. Don’t giggle and tell me how heavy it's making your bag and that you need to get rid of it. How about this: remove your spare change from your bag or pockets daily. Throw it in a change jar. When the jar fills up, cash it in. So simple, anyone can do it!

13. When you order "three shots of espresso, over ice, in a venti cup, extra ice" – WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING. You’re stealing, because you pay a lot less for that than you would for a latte, and then you fill it to the brim with milk from the condiment bar pitchers. You probably eat at buffets all the time and surreptitiously stuff your shoulder bag full of food, too. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but you really should learn it: if you can’t afford something, don’t f+cking buy it. Asshole.

14. Just because I work at Starbucks doesn’t mean I’m stupid. If I had a penny for everyone who treated me like a complete idiot because I work in the service industry, I’d be a retired billionaire by now. I probably scored higher than you did on standardized tests, am better-read, better-educated, a better writer, more articulate, more interesting, more observant, and better-traveled. However, because I am an artist (as are many of my co-workers) I don’t make the kind of money that the lawyers, doctors, and CEOs of the world do; this does not, however, make me a second-class citizen. So stop f+cking treating me (and everyone else who works at Starbucks) like one.

15. Have a nice f+cking day, you bastards!

Comments

[DubT]

It's sad that some partners are too visibly transparent and fake at work. What happend to being genuine? But then again from our perspective it all depends on the extent the customer insists on talking to the barista while other customers are in line. If you demand my attention, you'll see my unfriendly "fake" side wanting to get rid of you. If you don't insist that I spend more time paying attention to you rather than making drinks, then yes, I will like to talk to you when I can and enjoy conversing with you. Some peolpe are too needy and unrealistic in their expectations of sbux.

[seattlesuburb]

I would say some of that is true, but most is really just someone who doesnt like their job VENTING. Maybe starbucks is not a job for them. Some parts were funny tho.

[baristacee]

That is a very very angry barista. :(

I try really, really hard to like my job and to do it well--but yeah, I have thought every last thing on this list at some point in my time with the Bux. Most of them, more than once. But anger leads to the Dark Side!

[pnwgal]

Wow...quite an angry barista, but I laughed my ass off anyway when I read it.

Take it from this customer-I don't expect you to be my best friend, my confidante, or my shrink. And I won't ever give you any indication that I want these services from you. What I will do is be pleasant and friendly, and say "please" and "thank you", like my mother taught me. I will also always tip you, because I think y'all work hard and get treated like crap from both customers and Corporate. And...if I'm feeling brave and sufficiently caffinated, I will call out the asshole in front of me who is committing any or all of the sins listed in that post.

[Jenn]

I only worked for Starbucks for 3 months, but I worked for one of its competitors for over 3 years and I can say that those quotes don't apply across the board. I'm a genuinely happy/outgoing individual and loved forming connections and bonds with most of the customers who frequented my store. I found that when I took the time to connect with a customer that the relationship did become more of a friendship and both parties thoroughly enjoyed the dialy exchange of repartee. Of course, there are those customers that cross the line and make inappropriate statements that verge on creepy. I would fake nice with these individuals because it was my job...but I also recognized that they wanted attention and as I long as I could direct the conversation in a position direction there were very little issues.

[Dave]

I am longtime starbucks employee and I love my job.. As a manager who worked up from barista i wonder.. do you all really feel like that about your jobs? I am genuine with all people...for the most part anyways... if you're friendly to me than I am also..the difference at starbucks is that we strive to initiate that connection..but if the customer does not want that than we deliver fast and courteous service. Over the years i have gained many connections and forged lasting relationships.I hope others have as valuable an experience as mine.

[Organic Dopio]

just this morning i gave a "welcoming" green apron award to a partner, from one barista to another, for being "legendary" to our customers. he always makes me desire to be an all around better barista. his attitude makes me happy to work and create a third place at *$. way too many partners are burnt and bitter and its difficult for me "to provide an uplifting experience that enriches other peoples daily lives."

i am trying to believe:
1.the core purpose
2.six guiding principles
3.mission statement
4.star skills
5.and the green apron book.

if partners (yes I mean baristas, management, and corporate) don't want to follow these guidelines then they may want to find another job and realize that starbucks just might not be right for them.

i know its a tough and sometimes a humbling position. i also identify with some of the rantings, but complaining about customers only mirror the poor decisions some of our customers make. make a decision to be above all of that and be LEGENDARY! i like to subscribe to the notion that helping our community starts with us and the example we present.

[Barista Boy]

Unfortunately, that is true. Some partners are incredibly fake, and it really does show.

I worked at Starbucks for a few months in Manhattan in 2006-2007. The customers were generally moving at a Manhattan pace, though we had several extra-rude ones daily. That said, I still tried as hard as I could to be genuinely friendly. And it was rarely forced. Most of my co-workers were apathetic in their attempts to be friendly, and some were downright rude on a consistent basis. This is wrong, and I was always ashamed to work with them. The customers deserve for us partners to be genuine, kind, and helpful.

[Ol' 55]

Putting up with a person who is this negative just makes a bad day worse. Yeah, I laughed at some of the points--they're too true--but an attitude like that is poison, and no matter how hard you try, once you develop it it won't be limited to customers. You'll find yourself taking it home with you. I don't really go in for all of the Starbucks happy-happy joy-joy talk, but anybody who lets a job get to them this much needs to go find something else to do.

[James the Barista]

Wow...It goes to show you just because you work in a Starbucks Corporate Store doesn't really mean your a partner. If you hate your job, do two thing...look for things to change it or quit. What a concept, You are killing the rest of us with your stupid comments. I almost feel bad for that sad soul.

[20secondshotguy]

Ol'55 is right. When you're that negative, it's time to go. No one has to work at Starbucks. We're not the only game in town.

Organic Doppio - Say it!

Barista Boy - Sounds like you were the good hire in that store. Come back, we need more people like you.

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, I got more advice from the Mom's at my store than anywhere else. They'd check with me, "so what did you say yesterday that you shouldn't have? Did you fix it?" They kept me honest and on the straight and narrow. Genuine folks who we cared about and who cared about us.
Yeah, I had a customer throw a cup of coffee at me. Several have gone off on me in a full cafe. I had a homeless man chase me down the street outside my store too. But those incidents are outweighed by experiences like being invited to the funeral of a regular customer because his family knew how much he liked everyone in the store. Or stories about customers coming back to my store to tell me about an old store partner they ran into in another store or who was working in a different business. Then there are the many stories of partners who leave and come back to visit the rest of the team. Because they miss them and they miss the store. Or the stories of customers returning from vacation with gifts for the partners, like they would family and friends.
Those are the experiences many of us have. They come from our desire to uplift folks and because our lives have been enriched as well.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

I think the question on why people are altruistic is a very important one. For example, are we seeking for a way to gain some tips from somebody else. I am genuinely nice to some customers who I think are great people. While to other customers I show them the standard courtsey but nothing more. I will say hi, no smile and I will make sure I perform the job functions as stimulated in the job descriptions. However, with customers that I acutally do like, I will be legendary with them. Simple as that.

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
PRIMUS INTER PARES
STARBUCKS REBEL ALLIANCE
AIM SN: BOSTONSTARREBEL

[Bostonbarista]

Being genuine is linked to authenticity. It can be difficult to be authentic to every moment, but those moments that you can be, are truly rewarding. We all get tired, cranky, and have our bad days- baristas and customers alike. Even though it can sometimes feel demeaning to be behind the counter, it helps me to push aside all assumed roles and realize that in actuality, there is not that much that sets me and my customers apart. Not only realizing this, but feeling this, makes me feel more content with myself and creates a desire to engage with others. If the customer doesn't engage, then oh well, maybe they're having a bad day- but doesn't it say something about you if you are caring toward a customer who is grouchy? If you're happy with yourself in the moment, the grouchiness won't rub off on you.

[BNBARISTA]

One customer brought my store a box of chocolates for the holidays. He's an older man, probably 70 or so, and it pretty much made my week.

My old manager used to buy us chocolate covered espresso beans from a local candy shop any time she went someplace.

I've gone away for school, come back to work and had customers actually remember my major and ask how my courses are.

It's really too bad when people let the bad overpower the good.

[ny grump]

I suspect this person his similar issues with all people. Maybe he's just too sensitive and empathic to work with the public, people are. Maybe he's just taken too much caffeine.

I will never order in fake Italian. we speak English in the USA. Not corporo-newspeak. I don't eat at McDonalds, so I don't mcanything. Coffee is small medium and large. And I don't know how many times I politely request for a black coffee, repeat it and then say NO ROOM and still get a coffee 3/4 full. For $2 I want a full cup!

I'm always amazed at how pleasant the servers are in Manhattan.

And then there was the server who handed me a black coffee that was 2/3rd full with milk. What message was that about? The guy is dead now anyway so I don't hold a grudge.

[BNBARISTA]

Oh, and as far as number 12 goes on that list, I for one (and I'm sure I'm not alone) truly DO appreciate exact change; it does help; and a lot of the time it keeps me from running out of pennies. And I can definitely relate to the whole change-in-purse thing. This person really needs to take a breather. If you don't like complicated drink orders, go work at dunkin' donuts.

[portland jay]

this was depressing to read. maybe im just lucky that my store is 99% people who really enjoy their job and (usually) dont have to force positive interactions with our customers. if someone hates their job that much, the blame is on them for not finding new employment. they arent doing themselves, their partners, the company, or the customers any service by staying someplace they are unhappy and/or unfit to work.

just my thoughts

-jay from portland

[Random]

A good friend used to work at a Starbucks. They used to call out "Pronto" on the end of orders for people that were jerks. It just meant to put caffeinated in a decaf, or regular milk in a nonfat. You've been warned!

[Tall Drip]

I always thought that the change was not such a cardinal sin. That's how people used to pay for their daily cup of coffee. Go up, plunk down some quarters, get coffee, leave. Frankly, if I don't have any change or small bills and am forced to break a twenty on that $1.66 tall drip, I kinda feel bad for making them give me a handful of singles, fives and coinage. Would you all prefer it that way? I certainly don't want to be a pain-in-the-ass customer.

Plus, doesn't exact change help your lines move faster, as long as I'm not standing there counting out a bunch of nickels and dimes?

[Justin]

When I was being interviewed after applying at Starbucks, I told the ASM that my best skill is being genuinely kind, even to rude customers- for the simple fact that YOU DON'T KNOW THIS PERSON [the customer]. Maybe that person is in a bad mood because they had some kind of accident, or got fired from their job, or slipped and twisted their ankle- you have no clue. There's no excuse for habitual customers to come in and be rude every day, but if someone comes in and is not in the best of moods, the least I can do is smile, and help them get a drink, and more often than not, i can MAKE someone smile; maybe they'll have a better day after having me be their barista. You never know, but smiles are contagious!

And I heard a shift say last night that you should make grumpy regulars your "project," and i agree! An example of that is a customer who comes in and orders a grande, 1pump vanilla,nonfat caramel macchiatto with 2" of whole milk, with caramel on top. When I was training, this woman and her drink scared me to pieces, and always came through the drive-thru. She actually came into the store, and I know her name and her drink now- perhaps next time I'll get a smile and hello. ;] we'll see.

[Sbuxnewbie]

I'm sorry, but whoever wrote that diatribe doesn't speak for me.

I was a customer long before I became a partner. The partners at the Starbucks I patronized always made me feel like family. Now, I am part of that family.

Sure, there are a few crotchety customers, but we can still make a connection with them, most days. Some people are in a rush, and we can't help it, but it isn't the customer's fault when the ALS only schedules 2 people for a drive-through store... or schedules 3, but one can't be bothered to show up.

I've worked in the "Real World". I have great memories, but no real friends since I left that job. Here, at Sbux, former partners come by just to say hi, give us hugs, talk about life in genereal... Many of the customers will do the same. We have conversations at both the counters and the DT, and - other than occasionally questioning the sanity of someone who orders a Frappuccino blended whatever when it is -3 Fahrenheit - get along fine with our customers.

Even that guy who hits on all of the female baristas at 7 AM.

And, for the record, I have no problem making Frappuccins for any customer, as long as they understand that sometimes (like when they are the fifth order in a row, and no one else is available to make any of the drinks) it will take a couple of minutes to get to it.

[Arizona barista]

That's just sad, really. I don't hate my customers. Sure, I get annoyed with some of them and like anyone else I hate being treated rudely, but for the most part I really do like them. I love my regulars and I chat with them because I enjoy it, not because I want tips.

And when people are rude, I've found that the best way to treat them is with obnoxious cheerfulness. It either makes them realize what a jerk they are or suddenly they start being nice right back. It's not that hard, and it's a nice defense mechanism that keeps me from strangling the few truly awful people who come in, like the douche up there bitching about baristas asking if he wants room. It's rote, we ask everyone, take a deep breath and let it go. You might want to switch to decaf.

Also? I like exact change. Does that make me weird?

[GEM]

WOW!! TOTALLY HILARIOUS AND THE DAMN TRUTH.. I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Store Manager]

I just hope that all customers who read this don't think all baristas think that way. I certainly don't. That jaded, sad, bitter employee doesn't speak for me or my partners.

The only kernal of truth in that insane diatribe was the change part. It really does annoy me when women purse-dive for exact change, only because it holds up the line. I'm certainly not going to roll my eyes or hit you in the face though.

[Susan D]

I've worked for Starbucks for more than a year now, and I'm friendly with everyone out of genuine friendliness. If someone's a jerk- and many are jerks- I don't let it eat me up inside. I just shrug and move on. Maybe it's because I have more things to worry about in my life than Starbucks' customers. This girl is a sad case.

[Barista Bess]

Good Grief! Just a little bit angry there. Rude & stupid customers drive me nuts, but in general I really like my customers.

Most of my customers are nice people. I like to hear what my customers are doing, where they've been lately, funny things their kids have done. We talk music, arts, politics, local events, and of yes... coffee! They help me stay connected to the world. Of COURSE there are a few that are cranky or just plain irritating. Sometimes I'm pretty cranky myself.

Yes, being on your cell phone is rude to both your barista and the person that you're talking to. Yes, please make your modifiers at the cashier. Yes, I like to think I know how to do my job without customer supervision And yes, please tip.

But really now, if you don't like being with the public, why would you even apply for a job with a company where connecting with people is so important? A smile and a good morning can go a long way you know.

[BaristaGirl]

For me, if I get kindness and respect from a customer - they get genuine kindness and respect back. Regulars who consistently show this and welcome it get bumped up to true friendly conversations above the small talk.

If you're just there to get coffee and not rude, I won't feel either way about you. You'll get service with a smile, and if you initiate a conversation, I'll return it. Just like how if you pass a stranger on the street and they say hello, you say it back. It's just respectful.

If you're a rude a$$, I'll smile, be nice, and make your drink just fine. But I will also inwardly hate you and may make a comment about you to a fellow partner. When you leave, I'll be glad.

That said, I've done CS for over 8 years in three companies (mostly at the same time).. and SBUX has the best ratio of customers by far. It may pay less, but I'd much rather deal with the public here.

As for change.. it doesn't matter to me one way or the other. It takes about as long time-wise for me to break down your $20, as it does for you to take out the right amount. You can pay all in change (at least with me) since it's usually under $5, but please avoid the pennies. And do not try to use a $50 or $100 bill here unless your order ready is that large. We don't keep our $20's and usually don't have that many $1's.

And PNWGAL - you rock!

[Chris]

THe world is full of jerks, and you're probably not going to change them - all you can do is not let them change YOU

[CARAMELTUNNEL]

Ok, I admit it, im a fake at times, but here is why:

1. The situation where there is that awkward silence b/t you and the customer, so you have to think of things to say to break the awkwardness/silence.

ex:
B: How are you doing?
C: Fine. You?
B: Good
C: (Silent)
B: So, uhm ya see that game last night?
C: No
B: (Ok)Nice weather we are having.
C: Yeah it is nice
B: They say its supposed to rain later.
C: Oh yeah I did hear that, gotta remember my umbrella then
B: Yep cant forget that.

and then they get their drink and they are on their merry way.

2. The situation where someone is trying to recruit you for a job or sell you something you don't need or want. We have people all the time trying to sell or recruit us for Mary Kay, people trying to sell use coupon books, people trying to get us to join their church and so on. You cant help it. Sometimes you really dont want to talk to them.

3. The situation where you are trying to go to the bathroom/take lunch/take a 10/or go home. All of a sudden people want to get talkative with you. Any other time I would love to chat, but at those moments, no.

I'll talk to you all day if ya want. It just that in any of these situations ( and a few others), im more than likely to fake it to hurry it up. Sorry thats just how it is. Everyone has done it, talk to someone you really didn't want to talk to, fake your interest in the conversation to hurry it up. So before you get mad, think: Have you really been interested in every single conversation you have had with another person?

[SAF]

Stuff like that just makes me that much more scared that I am angering the barista's at my local starbucks by ordering a grande CDL, mocha, or an americano. I guess they are probably spitting in it, or messing it up to see if I get angry, which I wouldn't. Sometimes I try to joke with them, I once said to the barista "May I please have a white chocolate pepppermint mocha?" and the person said "Of course" and I said "Not like you could really say "No, you may not, you must have a gingerbread latte."" the barista laughed, that must have seriously pissed them off as I really was the only person in line at that time.

I don't make special requests, I try to leave a tip all the time (sometimes I leave more than other times, it depends on how much cash I have on hand) I guess I am just a bad customer because I am not as great as the all mighty barista behind the counter.

[Bariesta]

Here's a idea maybe it would be easier to be nice geniune if the customers were as well, of course i'm not talking about all of them just in general. I always loved the tag line from Clerks: "Just because we serve you doesn't mean we like you". To say there's something wrong with the person who wrote the topic of discussion has something wrong with them is kinda pre judgement don't you think? You don't know where he works or the customers or employees he has to deal with. Just because you have good customers and staff doesn't mean everyone does. It happens and Starbucks is no exception to that.
As for the customers, maybe they could learn something from reading this: we're humans and we deserve to be treated as so. I don't care if you want to talk or not all i ask is you give me your attention, know what you want, say please and thank you and move on. When that happens i'll return the courtsey.

[Barista Bess]

LoL SAF..... Wouldn't have pissed me off!
I would have laughed smiled and made you your peppermint white mocha, thanked you and insisted you have a great day. If I was really "on" that day, I probably would have said "Gingerbread Latte" when I handed you your drink.

We love people like you at my store, come on over any time. :D

If you're a customer and you're wondering if you "piss off the baristas," just the simple fact that you wonder means that you probably don't. The customers who baristas vent about on this forum, plain and simply put, DON'T CARE if they are assholes to ANYONE, especially the people who serve them their coffee. I promise you, SAF, Tall Drip, any of the other bewildered customers on this forum after reading that rant, you are most likely in the 99% of nice customers who frequent Starbucks.

[Kat]

"I just hope that all customers who read this don't think all baristas think that way. I certainly don't"

As a customer, I certainly don't. I found some aspects of the piece amusing, because I remember having days like that when I worked retail. Sometimes after a bad day or week a person just needs to flat out vent and get it out of their system.

As long as a simple venting was going on, that's fine. We all have bad days. But if someone is feeling like that on a daily basis, then it's time to find another job. Not everyone is cut out for this kind of job, and there is nothing wrong with admitting it. Dealing with the public can be stressful. How well you personally handle that kind of stress makes or breaks a job for you, and it bleeds over into your outside life.

Personally, as long as the folks at Starbucks are courteous and get my order right, I'm happy. They don't have to engage me in conversation or particularly care about me personally, just be polite, and I in turn am the same. Depending on how busy the store is and the 'feel' of the employee I might chat a bit, I leave it pretty much in their hands if they wish to. Those employees that seem frazzled or having a bad day, I make an extra effort to be nice to them because sometimes all it takes is one nice person to change your day around. Customer or employee, that person on the other side of the counter does have feelings (even if sometimes they may seem like they don't).

[Amy the Barista]

Uhh...why is someone like this working in the service industry anyway? Starbucks supposedly has the best customer service; sounds like whoever hired this person needs some training on judgement of character. I did laugh out loud, however...I love love love my job as a barista, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. I suppose it takes a special person to serve others. (Is that surprising?)

[coffeeguy]

um am I the only one who loves to see my customers?

I've had a lot of fun great talks with some of the professors and students that frequent my store. :)

[11864BaristaSS]

I love my job and I do actually quite like my customers! This is either fake, or a barista that needs a new job...I desk job or something without people.

[416shift]

today I went to visit my old store, left a month ago to go to a new opening store by my house. I saw one of the regulars there and she told me that she called my old DM to request that he transfer me back to my old store because she said that she missed me after seeing me almost daily for 2 years.

How can you not love that?? The partner who wrote that doesn't represent the majority of us partners who enjoy our job and the people.

[Tim]

Everything but 1, 2 and 15 made me laugh. Too bad this makes us *all* look like a bunch of uncaring espresso-wankers. =(

[Tim]

And on further reflection, 8 and 14 are also rather embarrassing.

[atownsbuxrules]

Man, whoever wrote this sucks.
Yeah, stuff happens. Just today an irate customer having a bad day threw a piece of reduced-fat blueberry coffee cake at my pregnant belly through the drive-through window (because it didn't have powdered sugar and cookie crumbles!) and demanded a REFUND! NOW!!!
I could have, in theory, removed my apron and lunged headfirst into her car, fists flying, for touching my unborn child. But, instead, realized that she wasn't worth the effort and instead focused on the next several customers who were incovenienced by her temper tantrum.
In doing so, I made sympathy tips, cheered myself up, and got in a few laughs with my regulars about some of their customer peers.

You gotta learn to shrug it off.

I love my regulars, man. I love new customers too, and they quickly become regulars when they get to know us. Yeah, get off your cell phones and stop trying to swindle us, but otherwise, we appreciate your business. That barista needs to find a new job, and doesn't speak for all of us. :P

[njbaristachick]

Three words...

Foamy. The. Squirrel.

I don't like the use of "we". I for one, love my job, and even the customers. Sure, we get some unpleasant ones from time to time, but hey, gives us something to laugh about.

I'd have to say that I do agree to some things listed up there, but not to such exagerration. Anyone that completely agrees with what's written up there needs to find themselves a new job.

Many people will probably disagree with me, but I don't really feel that we need to receive tips. It's only hard to do your job when you don't actually enjoy it. I mean, we all know how ridiculously expensive everything is, I don't feel customers need to be tipping on top of that. Tips shouldn't be something that's expected. It's the ones that shouldn't even be here that just take this added bonus for granted.

I think this is another negative aspect of Starbucks' rapid growth and expansion. The quality of the selection of Baristas drops simply because there's so many stores and not enough legendary people to work those jobs.

[NOLA-rista]

Wow. I'm glad I don't know who this is. I'd feel compelled to smack them or something becasue even on my worst days I feel nothing like that. And if I did I would 1) not let you (or anyone else) know that. 2) turn in my apron after the shift.

Quote:
Keep asking me, “Is it decaf? Did you get that? I ordered decaf. Are you sure it’s decaf?”...

Maybe someone should switch to decaf him/her self before the stress causes ones heart to literally explode ;-)
Yes, that requisite 15 times to confirm that the drink is decaf can be a trial, but in general, the customer feels it necessary to ask that many times for a reason. Maybe it's because the idiot earlier in the comments who "warned" folks that they would get caffinated if they irked them has done this to those folks before. Maybe those folks really, really, really don't like it (or would die) if they got a shot of regular espresso.

Of course, I never suggest to anyone who might have such an adverse reaction to any food product let anyone but themselves prepare it, but then, it's their wellbeing, not mine. So if they want to get a decaf latte from me and will only be a satisfied customer if they verify the decaf twelve times, then so be it.

That ranter, and yes, the rest of you who agree with the rant, need to give some serious consideration to what you want to do tomorrow. Sorry, but that's the way I see it.

[Sheik]

The brutal honesty of whoever wrote that is VERY refreshing. I am so sick of coming on here and reading, "Why don't you just quit your job, blah blah blah." The truth is that EVERYONE bitches about their jobs! The things this person wrote were clearly vulgar as hell but very TRUTHFUL and honest about the way *some* customers act. Especially about the cell phone and exact change issues.

And furthermore, the post was rather funny!

[ethicalBob]

This is amusing and pathetic all at the same time - I loved #14;

(in whining voice): "I'm smarter than you, I'm an artist, I'm so misunderstood! - And because I can't make a living as a professional artist (but not because I have no talent), I choose to work at a coffeehouse because that's a cool environment for a starving artist to work in - and it would be really cool to work here with all the other starving artists, if it just weren't for the damn customers!"

[jack haas]

No true artist would work at Starbucks. But in defense of the diatribist, sounds like s/he works at an awful, awful store. There are some unfortunate stores out there that are just vortexes for assholes -- on both sides of the counter.

[JasonWabbit]

When it comes to being fake to customers, and hating a majority of them, that statement does not hold true to me. But unfortunately, I agree with a majority of the points made in the rant. Even though she is totally bashing customers like crazy, these really are things that bug us. Try not to do them....it just makes our job a lot less stressful.

I serve decaf to rude customers all the time! I've been a barista for 2.5 years now.

[Kristin]

I gotta say, more often than not I'm the one trying to get through the transaction without a barista gabbing at me. I feel uncomfortable when they ask me where I'm going after this, or how I like the weather lately, or whether the thing I'm holding is a phone or an iPod -- I'm just trying to buy some coffee, okay? And now that I know (if I'm to believe the diatribist about speaking for all the "partners") it's all fake and they really don't want to know the answers (NOT YOUR WATER COOLER OKAY) I know why I'm so uncomfortable. Because I already know they don't really want to hear it.

[barista solidarity in chicago]

i freaking love whoever wrote this! if you're a dude, will you marry me? or maybe that's not allowed, since i swear you work at the same store i do. fellow art student here too, and the only reason i keep this job is because i'm broker than hell (college ain't cheap man, and $8.50 an hour is no living wage) and it fits in my crazy schedule.
once we ran out of regualr espresso beans, so i just filled a hopper with decaf and nobody was the wiser. maybe that'll chill thsoe snarky yuppy customers out?

[Dustin]

People really don't care. They just want their drink and you to know how to get every single detail down.
- Most of the regulars at my store cut corners pricewise by asking for a tall coffee in a venti cup or ordering a "doppio expresso with steamed non fat, extra foamy". When you tell them the total for a double short latte they are shocked and ask another barista for help.
- I actually like making Frappacinos because I don't have to steam milk or pull shots. It's an assembly line all the way.
- I guess there are certain things that customers do that annoy me but all I can do is suggest they do it another way and see if it pays off. If people could stop coming to our store and order a drink, come back hours later, and complain about the quality of our espresso beans when everyone else has been satisfied; than I suppose I could be just a little bit more barista.
- What is a real job? I am an artist and this is a part time job in the real world. I guess you could tell my manager she doesn't have a real job. lol

[Christine]

In general I try not to make small talk with the barista because there is always a line of "in a rush" customers behind me. However, life is too short to be as miserable as this person. What is the crime in making small talk? Sometimes if I am having a bad day a little small talk takes the pressure out of life. I did laugh through the entire rant - I think anyone who has worked in any service industry can relate. But one thing I would like to say to this person - I am so glad that you think you are smarter than the customers. When I walk into Starbucks or any more upscale than McD's establishment I expect to encounter educated and intelligent staff. Most of the baristas I encounter are in college. So flaunt your intelligence - I am sure that is part of the Starbucks strategy in hiring due to the cost of its product and customer base.

[GtownBarista]

I am a big proponent of treating people how you want to be treated. You get back what you give out- that goes for baristas and customers. Customers shouldn't be shocked that baristas are surly if the customer is rude and vice versa. I have been a partner for 2.5 years in a busy store in downtown DC and have pretty much seen it all from rude customers, to homeless guys assaulting me, to skeezy guys asking what time I get off work- and yet I am still happy to see regulars come in, I enjoy chatting with them (when I have the time), and I don't mind making the occasional frappucino. Get over yourself, man. Its just coffee.

[Bladerunner]

Sometimes serving decafe makes you feel better. Sometimes we need decafe. Being in the service industry can be humbling and a journey into ones own ego and stumblings. But sometimes serving a decaf does feel real good.

[coffeeguy]

please stop serving decaf. It's a stupid petty thing to do.

And please while your at it stop complaining to the good customers about the change thing. Truth be told if people never gave us change I would never have change for the people who give me a 20 or 10 dollar bill.

I appreciate it when you give me 8 quarters to pay for your 2 dollar coffee. It means I'm less likely to run out of quarters later.

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

sometimes i think caffeine is more psychological than physical. i think it's often a placebo effect and it doesn't matter whether it's decaf or not if it tastes like "coffee." the only thing that matters is we usually don't bother to time the decaf shots as well or as often, so they'll be worse because they're badly pulled, not becuase they're decaf. people seem to believe what you tell them. like once, we ran out of whole milk (huge unexpected crowd) and had to temporarily substitute non-fat for everything, but nobody said anything about it being different tasting. i think things are what you expect them to be more often than they are what they actually are. but that's just my opinion.

[CuteBarista!]

Jack Haas:

no "true artist" would work at starbucks? okay, genius, care to define what you believe a "true artist" to be?

the fact is, and this is fact that not many people know, is that it takes years and years of hard work, talent and luck to even start making money off your work. and COURAGE. this is thing...i am a smart person. i don't feel the need to rattle off my SAT scores, list of AP courses i took and my college GPA, cause you're not worth my time. I'm smart and driven enough that i could be doing anything right now, but i chose to be an artist, because i knew i couldn't be happy doing anything else.

simple. as. that.

i'm sick of people not respecting my decisions, and chalking it up to laziness or lack of talent. i've worked too hard to be dismissed like that.

so shut the eff up.

[Zepling]

I'm sure this barista doesn't hate everything about her job or every customer he/she has. He/she is just venting.

Most baristas will never be promoted to anything higher than what they are so to many, this is just a job, not a career. You don't have to love your job. But it is unfortunate if you do hate it. But many people do hate their jobs. It's just a fact of life that some people will not be so readily able to leave a job that they hate just because they hate it. They have to already have another position locked in before they can leave and well, sometimes, depending on the market...that isn't so easy. So to say "if you hate working for Starbucks so much, you should just leave," is a simple solution that doesn't adequately address an all too complex problem.

I've been trying to leave Barnes & Noble for two months now. No luck whatsoever. Now I'm venting.

[Sean]

Hey this this baristas is right. I love my job I have been there for seven years. That not question. People who come in to order need to respect us more. Not all of them are like that but some are. I thought I was the only one who had days like this.

[SBUXinPARADiSE]

hrm angry...

[old school barista]

Holy crap! After 7 years I've dealt with each of these things more than once. Being behind the counter at sbux is like having human society with all its strengths and weaknesses magnified.you can't take it personally! Talk sh@t in the back room have a good laugh and know karma is a powerful force. I like to think of how much snot goes into that rude persons food when they treat a waiter that way. It makes me smile and want to ask what their dinner plans are.

WOW!! TOTALLY HILARIOUS AND THE DAMN TRUTH.. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Go figure GEM likes this letter, did you write it? This sounds like the bitter bean you are.

[ExBarista]

I laughed my fool head off about this.
After putting my 8 yrs in at an sbux, a job that I adored, I realized that more and more I felt like this guy and less and less like all the shiney happy baristas that are calling him sad and pathetic. I do not believe for a second that all of you have never felt this bitter or hateful towards the self-absorbed spoiled wretches that you see on a daily basis (you know who they are). Of course the difference between me and this guy is that I knew when ALL of the customers made me feel like this, it was time to go...that and watching my beloved coffee house job turn into any other fast food position after 8 years.

[Dave]

What an ass. The world isn't perfect, and sure there are a few customers a day like this. But what an ass.

[Charles]

As a long-time Starbucks customer, I found this rant funny. I have worked in the service industry and I remember it is as an often hard and thankless job. Many people are indeed rude flaming a-holes. If customers would treat those behind the counter the same way that they expected to be treated we'd all be much happier. Standing in line I am often amazed at how rude/brain dead/pushy/cheap some customers are. And these people's ugly behavior is not just making whoever is serving them miserable, but the rest of us who have to witness/listen to it. If Starbucks Barista’s rant makes just one person behave better, then I say well done.

[Darleen]

I am surprised how many partners are saying they do not agree with this letter. Some of the posts prior to this were actually making me think I was in a minority because I like my job. I'm glad to see that partners still care about the company they work for. Since we spend so many hours of our day at our job it's important to like what you do, or you are miserable. I opt to be happy, I have too many other stresses outside of work to let work stress me too. Happy coffee trails....

[Lisa]

I think the barista who pieced this together obviously needs to re-evaluate his or her employment situation. But I will say that I laughed out loud at #6. I hate, hate, hate when people ask me if it's decaf. My chipper response, through clenched teeth, is always, "We make the drink the way you order it, ma'am." Seriously.

[BaristaSince04]

It happens...just move on. Will the fact that she wanted xwc on her "frap" matter to either of you in ten years? No.
(But pleeeeeeeze do not call them fraps!!!)

The only really "bad" experience I had was when a lady went crazy and threatened to call the Cancer Society to boycott Starbucks because I had humiliated her by asking her to pay for her drink. She was so off the wall, I had customers asking me for days if I was okay and did I have to put up with that often?

[D]

Chi-town's angriest/best barista:

People DO notice. They might not notice on the first sip, or even the whole way through the drink - however, some people have issues with certain ingredients.

I personally can't taste the difference between whole milk and skim milk, nor can I taste the difference in caffeine/decaf - but later on, my body will react differently.

Thus, when you blatantly switch someone's order - on purpose - you could be affecting their health. And, in today's litigation-centric society, I could see someone coming back to you for doing it.

[BNBARISTA]

I completely understand the people who freak out over decaf v. regular--if you had heart condition, you'd care, too.

I did once have a woman scream at me because i put whip on her chai creme frappuccino...not because she didn't like whipped cream, but because she was ALLERGIC to it. What I (still) don't understand is how she could be drinking a venti dairy drink when she's allergic to whipped cream, which is just dairy and sugar shaken up.

[atownsbuxrules]

"Most of the regulars at my store cut corners pricewise by asking for a tall coffee in a venti cup or ordering a "doppio expresso with steamed non fat, extra foamy". When you tell them the total for a double short latte they are shocked and ask another barista for help."

Color me crazy, but sounds like the tall in a venti cup just likes a lot of cream and doesn't want it steamed like a latte. What's the big deal?
Iced americano, no water with a shot of syrup, that I can understand, those customers suck. But tall in a venti, so what. A latte is probably too hot if they're in a rush. Consider their circumstances and just let it go, 32 cents isn't the end of the world. Not like we don't dump the coffee out hourly and give everyone unlimited free partner beverages while on the clock...

And it sounds like the other guy wanted a doppio macchiato and didn't know the name, to me. You could have taken the time to explain it to him, instead of smugly ringing him up for a double short latte.

Idunno. Give folks some credit, Dustin, they're just not as uber-intelligent as you are. Their tiny minds can't possibly wrap their minds around this coffee stuff. They might actually have more important stuff to worry about... like going to work at their jobs, where they likely make more than any of us in a green apron do.

You chose retail, man, stick it out or get a better job.

SKIM MILK is the same as NONFAT MILK.
The end result is the same but the process is different, it is also a regional dialect thing.

[MILWAUKEE STARBUCKS REBEL]

y'all need to consider the source. it's a craiglist rant board.. this seems timid to me.

[a customer]

As a customer, I'm not shocked by this screed. Customer service is dead. Most people in the service industry act this way and if they pretend to be happy, I just ignore it since I knew they wouldn't care if I died in the store as long as they didn't have to stay past the end of their shift because of it.

[NewShift]

Thank you, stuck-up anonymous and long-winded complaint-spewing barista, for giving the rest of us a reputation to live down. Seems to me that he/she needs to work on communication and angst issues. And again, a small sampling from an otherwise largely happy population.

Cheers!

[espressoterraca]

Starbucks instructs us to greet customers with respect - shown by being polite, warm, hospitable and generous. I am glad for this and if customers want to be rude, the heck with them. Courtesy is the way to go, folks.
I feel people out for receptivity before I engage in conversation, however, because I feel it is *disrespectful*, irritating, and intrusive to inquire into someone who wishes to keep to themselves.

[Veedz]

Like it or not, this IS funny and we've ALL been there.

My word of advice to everyone, there is absolutely nothing more fun than cutting someone to the core in the politest way possible. "Well, sir, I'm sorry that we can't meet your needs today. If you're suggesting that you'll take your business elsewhere, maybe that's what's best for everyone. Have a lovely evening." THAT's how to deal with it, and then it doesn't matter anymore. We've had change thrown in our faces, we've had coffee cakes stomped into the floor, we've dealt with our fair share of assholes. But they're assholes, so why worry about them? Appreciate those you like, and ignore those you don't.

It's a bit hypocritical to call someone out for saying what we've all thought at some point or another. Better to take it for what it's worth and learn from it.

[hibiscusroto]

Funny, interesting-at-times rant, but perhaps a therapist's office is a better venue for this sort of thing.

I happen to agree with 95% of everything mentioned lol.

[John M.]

If this barista was such a bright, observant fellow, than maybe he should have bought more Starbuck's stock a few years ago. Having a net worth might have cured the bitterness. (Was he joking when he still expected tips?)

As a long time Starbucks customer, I have never felt this disrespectful attitude amongst a single Starbuck's employee.

One of the reasons I enjoy going to Starbucks is the quality and curtousy of the staff. Compared with other coffee houses, Starbucks feels like it belongs in a university setting, staffed with a select group of educated employees.

As a Canadian from Vancouver, competitors like Tim Hortons will never win over my loyalty and part of the reason for this is the inferior customer experience, proliferated by their counter personnel.

Don't worry about the rantings of one burnt-out barista. Starbucks leads the way with the courtesy and quality of their employees.

Keep up the good work.

[SoCAL STARBUCKS REBEL]

This Barista has some issues. I am saddened that someone can give that much control to other people.

this barista is giving a few customers the power to control his/her(this Baristas) attitude

i for one am not going to give
ANYONE that much power over me

I CANT CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE, JUST MY REACTION TO THEM

and his/her reaction a to take the precious time out of their day to type a 15 point tirade about "how I hate my customers", then they just need to find a new job. maybe he/she could clean other peoples S#it for a living then he/she wouldn't have to deal with it.

btw let them dig for change the aren't holding up the line at all... the shift lead who isn't opening the SECOND register is holding up the line, (surprise!!! we do have at least two registers in every store)_

I'm just really happy that there weren't a string of comments supporting this barista. I like my job. I like my customers. I try to be genuine.

Seriously, thank you for not supporting this. I was fearful when I saw 89 comments that half of them would be in support of this.
Just goes to show you most people aren't as bad/crazy as you'd think.

[Carrie]

As a customer frustrated by my fellow customers, I laughed my butt off, this is hysterical! The writer hit every one of my pet peeves and only left off this one: The customer who loudly complains about waiting "forever" in line and yet hasn't made up their mind when they get to the counter. Bravo!!!

I can seriously see this chicks points. It all just depends on what city your Starbucks is in. Every city has a differnet culture and different people. In her city it sounds like the customers are very rude and impatient. In the city I work in there are the occasional impatient customers, but overall they are just bouncy lawyers, doctors, and politicians who just want to quench their caffeine addiction. I am honestly interested with our customers b/c I want to make sure they are ok, but I do know some of my fellow partners who get irritated easily. I just laugh at them and try to get through my day.

[Adrian]

AHAHHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAAAHAHAHA.

That is possibly the most amusing thing I've read all week.

[ittybittybarista]

Yes, yes, yes!

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

sure we have 4 registers at my store, but are we well staffed enough to have people at more than one of them during anything that's not a normal rush time? hell no! and we get toruists like mad. tourists + penny counters = "holy shit i'm waiting forever in this line while the foreign guy asks me what the value of each coin is, after spending 5 minutes at the register staring at the menu board and waitign another 5 while the old ladies count their $4.27 in exact change -all coins." and they wonder why the "speed of service" is bad on the snapshots...

[SD Barista]

Awesomeness! Angry baristas unite!

[a (probably former) customer]

I think this "barista" has some serious issues and probably doesn't deal well with life and other people in general. In addition, after reading this frightful rant, it made me wonder just how fake the people behind the counter are being... if you aren't being compensated enough in your line of work, find another line of work instead of projecting your hatred onto other people. I think I'll be taking my business to independently-owned coffee shops, where the owners genuinely appreciate their customers and treat them well. If enough people do the same thing as me, maybe Starbucks will downsize and this barista will be out of the job that they so obviously hate.

[CTNO]

Awesome! If I ever run into this person I'm going to put $1,000 in his tip jar and then take a crap in it.

[chris isla]

though some of the things are true, i still like a lot of customers. there are very few people i dislike. of course there are drinks that are annoying to make, but the customer is paying for it. it's not necessarily that we get paid to make it, but the customer is paying for it. if you don't like making it, get a job where you don't have to make it. tips are earned by doing your job right. you don't have to like doing your job, but if you want to keep it, you better act like it.

i love my job, my customers, and my manager. my store is great and i enjoy working there. if you compare this job to many others, it's not everyday that you get a catalog for rollovers, updates from district managers to specific stores, etc.

it's very organized.

the customers, annoying, nice, and daily caffeine regulars give us this job. appreciate their stupid attitudes and some of their interesting stories. without them, we wouldn't have this job.

Finally, this is a breath of fresh air, I am a retired partner and totally agree with this letter. And a note to the poster, "but as an observant longtime customer" means you know nothing about that its like behind the bar, so don't even try.

[AnonBarista]

Zepling is right. It isn't as easy as "if you hate your job so much, leave." Sometimes that makes it worse. I get bitter knowing that even when I want to quit, I can't. I wouldn't be able to survive. That does not mean I have to love coming to work. There are not very many jobs you can get and won't have to deal with customers or clients. And, if we work at the Starbucks, there are probably none we can get.

Everything this barista says has irritated every partner at one point or another. People are irritating. It's just a fact.

There are a lot of customers I like. There are some I tolerate, and few that make me want to hurt them. But those few are there, and it does not help me love my job that doesn't pay me enough to pay my rent.

[Mary]

This guy seriously needs to get a job where he doesn't interact with people.

[loneyanke]

I worked for Sbux for 10 months and absolutely loved it. Money was the only reason I left. And, yes, while it was annoying when people who obviously had no clue how to make a drink tried to tell me how to do my job or stood over me and critiqued the whole time or...lord help us, freaked when they got what they ordered (can't read your mind, people), I generally liked my customers. I enjoyed knowing the people personally and being able to make small talk about their lives. I loved spending time with my regulars...in fact, a year after I quit, I still keep in contact with several of them and always stop and talk when I see them around town. They brought us Christmas goodies and always asked about our lives. I still miss seeing them all the time.
Whoever the "angry barista" is, that person should not be working in a customer service job. To work this closely with people, you actually have to like people. Get a new job, please, before you go postal and hurt someone.

[AnonBarista]

Also, being called a bitter bean is NOT going to make anybody less bitter. If that is some cute name you hear in some training class, fine. It is supposed to help you learn how to deal with said partners. It is not a good idea to call someone a bitter bean. It makes them extremely upset, resentful, and yes, more bitter. Counterproductive.

[formerbukian]

I think this barista needs to find new employment b/c he/she is not happy. On the bright side you are funny and write well.
I worked at Starbucks for one year. It is one of the hardest job I ever had. I became clinically depressed while there and saw a therapist. I felt so much better after I quit.
During my time there I was;

-Stalked by at least 2 customers
-Hit by a towel (you know when you whip a towel at someone) by another barista (in a mean way because she didn't think I was moving fast enough). Management did nothing.
-Yelled at by another barista for helping an very elderly customer to seating (I carried his drink for him). She yelled "we don't have table side service!"...across a crowded room. The management sided with her even after I explained.
-Denied traing to advance
-Told I wasn't trained enough when I wanted to advance then still deined training (even after much paitence and requests)
-Humiliated and disrespected at every step.
-Experienced racism and sexism from management and staff.

So I think this barista's comment are very real.
I ask him or her to get out now. Quit today, you'll qualify for unemployment if you say you were experiencing depression realted to your job. I did.

[moi]

She needs to get LAID.

[Coffee customer]

Wow...sometimes Starbucks baristas substitute caffinated coffee for decaf if they're annoyed, or if they're out, without telling the customer? Holy crap.

I have a heart condition. I can't have caffeine. I don't bother to tell random baristas this, because why should they care? But if they might be randomly sticking caffinated coffee in my drink without mentioning it because the customer in front of me was a jerk or the machine's on the fritz...wow.

[Natalie]

Hey! As a barista, I actually DO care about some of the customers, especially some of the regulars. I actually DO care about their new baby/vacation/health problems/whatever story they have. Like, actually care. Cause you know what, when you see someone that often, you gain a sort of affection for them. You kind of like them. Especially if they ask you how you are, even if they're faking sincerity, it's nice. I don't care if the customers are faking it, I don't mind being the sincere one. I like the communication though. I like finding out about other peoples' lives, just because... I dunno. It gets me outside of my own life, it's something new to come to.

Agreed, money is a problem. And I think after almost working for Starbucks for a year, you become numb to the customers that you KNOW are cheating you. You know what, you deal with it. It's a job. This is life. There are always those who cheat. Whatever. Suck it up and deal with it.

I won't go onto all the specific points they've made, but I will agree on one thing- Frappucinos seem to be the bane of every barista's existence. To the point where it's kind of funny.

even decaf coffee/espresso still has caffeine in it. so does chai and the GTL, and frappuccinos and chocolate and any non-herbal teas, so i'd suggest that if you have any issues with caffeine you stay out of starbucks, becuase just breathing the air in there gets you caffeinated.
and coffee customer- usually it's decaf that gets substituted for regular, not the other way around, so you should be fine.

[BaristaGirl]

Coffee Customer:

Not all stores or Baristas are like that. It's much more likely that someone gets decaf instead of regular. Adding caffeine can cause real problems, and most of us should know that.

The store that replaced their decaf was wrong for not telling their customers. That problem has never occured at my store, and if it did - we *would* tell you.

We also wouldn't mess with your drink just because the person in front of you did something wrong or because of a bad mood. The customer would actually have to do something to warrant it.

You sound like a pretty decent person, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Perhaps add a 'Please make sure it's decaf' or 'Can I get that decafed?' if your concerned? Asking if you can get decaf would push for a store that doesn't have it to tell you, while the first is a polite way to put emphasis on the decaf.

As long as you're not overtly rude to your Barista, you really shouldn't have to worry about it though..

[italianstallion]

Well, I for one have been a partner for a little over a month and I wear my green apron proudly :-) I absolutley love my job and am proud to call my self a barista, BECAUSE the majority of the customers are nice. I couldn't have said that about any other job I've ever held. Our customers are laid back and some (the hot young house wives who come in early especially ;-) I really make an effort to make them feel at home. This is supposed to be a company who enforces customer service, but on a "next level" to that of say McDonalds, Burgerking, Wallgreens, Jewel etc... I knew that before I even started working there. I am A Psych major and let me tell you this kind of attitude is not only WRONG for this company/industry, but this barista is also displaying major borderline-personality disoder issues.

[CARAMELTUNNEL]

Speaking of Frappuccinos.....

For me its not so much as making the Frappuccinos as it is handing them out. Once its out I don't want to see it again. (Unless...see point C.) If I made it, and its right, somebody is going to drink it. Even if it becomes a freebie.

Prime Example:

Baristas/Highschoolers: Do not bring back 8 venti Caramel Frappuccinos and ask me to soak them in extra caramel, when it wasn't asked for in the first place. You best bet, someone is going to help me do it. I don't care who it is, if your just standing around and not doing anything, somebody is going to grab a bottle and get to squeezing. (Hence the name CARAMELTUNNEL).

Yes I agree Frappuccinos are quick and easy to make if....

A. The customer asked for everything they wanted upfront. That includes extra anything, coffee/cream base, the flavor, the size, decaf, light, whip/no whip, shots, and all that other good stuff. Yes it is very easy if I know about all that upfront.

B. During a rush: If Kelly orders a DCCF and Rachel orders the same thing to be cool like Kelly; chances are you want to be cool too. Go ahead and let somebody know you want one too. Its better to make 3 talls at once and have them come out all together, rather than wait for an empty blender and have you wait longer.

C.
1.If I hand it out (nothing do with make it easier)
2.If you know what you are getting:

(In a begging tone): Customers I love you. Most of you I have absolutely no problem with at all. Please, pretty please, do not stand at the handoff counter and watch me make your frappuccino (matter of fact any drink), let me finish it, and then hand it to you only for you to say, "oh, is that what it looks like. Thats not what I thought it was." That hurts so much, but at least you wont see a pissed of "what?" face from me. More than likey I will smile, laugh a little with you (if your like ha ha about it and not mean) ask you what you want, Call out the mistaken drink as a freebie (if correct and not modified), and make you a new drink. You may even get to hear me make the Cartman whiny sound (that makes people laugh). I am not mad at you. Do not be scared to ask about any drink if you don't know what it looks like or how it comes. Im nice about it, but another barista may not be as nice if you do this. Im just letting you know that could happen.

Other thoughts about Frappuccinos:

1. [Specifically in Drive thrus] Why do people "pause" before ordering one?

2. Why are they the last drinks to be ordered on a multiple drink order?

3. Are you able to predict when someone is going to order one? Down to what flavor and size before they even say it? ( I scare people by being able to do this, im cursed)

4. I have no problem with making these for anyone, but: Has anyone ever noticed that when you add shots to any frappuccino, no matter how fragrant the syrup is, that it will make the drink smell like trash? Why does blended espresso smell so bad?

Ok thats all I had to say...

[nathan]

BOO HOOOOOO. now go get my triple grande white mocha, NOW! *leans over the counter staring intently*

[Burrrista]

Huh...
i've been a barista for just about a year now, and I've worked in a number of other service jobs (7-Eleven, fast food, etc.). I can honestly say that Starbucks is the best job I've ever had, even though it's not the best paying. Though I have thought many of the things listed above (yes, for the last time, it's decaf. It would help things if you listened to me when I read the order back to you), I find that most customers are very pleasent and likable. The only problems I've had are with the ignorant people who insist on arguing with me about the names because they think it's "cool" to challenge Starbucks. Or the people who insist on ordering the drinks as they're called elsewhere...this confuses the poor new baristas who are having a difficult enough time anyway. And please don't yell at me if we're out of something. I don't control customer counts, weather, or the orders; I'm just a barista.

[margie]

Burnt bean needs a new job. Preferably one wherein s/he never has contact with other people. Obviously the rest of the world is too imperfect for his/her delicate soul.

Jeeze.

[Erica]

so yes i am a barista at starbucks and some of the things on there can be mildly true but for the most part no. not all baristas are that bitchy. yes im outgoing and if i start a conversation and you respond i will have a genuine conversation with you and honestly care about what your saying. i wont hate you if you get a frappucino. that is my job. as for people thinking that people at starbucks dont work hard that is wrong we do work extremely hard to make you grumps who havent had your coffee yet happy. no matter what kind of day we are having we are required to serve you with a smile (the good baristas anyways.) some things customers do can be annoying but thats how it is at any job and the fact that any starbucks partner would post that pisses me off. if she hates her job then she should probably just quit.

[melba]

AMEN... THAT WAS WAY TOO FUNNY!!! YOU HIT
IT ON THE NOSE MY FRIEND..... WE LIKE OUR JOB WE JUST HATE STUPID PEOPLE.

[Former Customer]

Let's see if I can put this in a vernacular you would understand...

"Barista", my a**. You make coffee drinks, and it's not rocket science. Get over yourself. If Starbucks had any sense, they'd automate your f***ing job. At least then, I wouldn't be concerned about a machine "loathing me" and spitting in my coffee.

I don't f**king care if you f**cking like me. If you got a f**king new tongue stud, I don't want to see it, thanks. If your eyebrow piercing or new tattoo is infected, stay the f**k home or get a f**king job shoveling sh*t.

Maybe you could get a job driving a cab. Most people expect cabbies to be ass**les and hate their life, so you'd fit right in.

In the meantime, just serve the f***king coffee and shut the f**k up. And BTW, the appropriate response when you serve it is "Thank you", not "Have a nice day". Oh, and the tip I leave for you?... You might want to wear gloves when you touch it... Yo, know'm-say'n?

So, kiss my ***, bitch/bastard (have someone help you choose the appropriate gender reference, if even discernable).

I'm sure you can live with one less customer; and I know I can live without Starbucks and ass****s like you. Now that your customers know "have a nice day" really means "f*** off", I think you'll be less rushed and have more time to p*ss and moan. You're good at that... you should go far in Starbucks.

[Rebecca]

amazing. thank you for that.

former customer,
Wow...so you know how to lower yourself to their level, isn't that smart? You are no better than the person who wrote that letter. Not all starbucks partners are alike. Believe me, we CAN live with one less customer, if that customer is you.

[Darleen]

Former customer- that was pretty appalling....

[BNBARISTA]

Former customer-

If you had bothered to read all of the posts before yours, you'd see that the barista who wrote that screed was very lonely in his/her opinions of our customers. I am usually not offended by customers, regardless of what they've thrown/dumped on me. I am usually able to smile and tell them to have a nice day (and MEAN it-if they've actually thrown their payment at me, they probably are having a horrible day). That rant you just posted was not only offensive to any barista (and yes, that's the CORRECT term for what we do) but it was a pretty decent demonstration of your intellect and good manners. Chances are, you're the kind of customer that barista was talking about. And for the record, I've never witnessed anybody spit in anyone's drink, even when spoken to the way you just addressed all of us here.

(Though I think that you'd probably deserve it)

[KoPbarista]

i really have to agree with alot of what was in that list, but the thing is, there will always be customers that are like that, and while it might kill you inside that's just too bad. deal with it, and quit if you can't. whenever it get to the point where i can't take it, i just excuse myself to the back room for a breather. not a huge deal. i will add one thing to the list though, i hate it when people throw down their money on the counter and expect me to pick it up. i don't care how bad your day was, you can hand it to me like a civilized human being. and also, if you work in a slow store that just had a morning rush, it's easier for you. i work in the second largest mall in america, where on saturdays my registers take on 100+ customers a half hour. when customer after customer does at least half the things on that list, it gets to be a bit much.

[MIKE - EX BARISTA]

Finally the Truth !!.
I can totally relate..and the writer had wrote, its not all..most, but not all. and i totally agree...because people give barista's alot of sh*t.

my favorite one line was "9. If you order a Frappuccino, I will hate you even more."...haha

I hated getting those people whom would want like 18 different things in there frappuccinos..like splenda, extra shots, extra mocha, lining the cup with mocha and caramel..with extra whipped cream with extra extra caramel.

and to tell you the truth, with these people..i put soo much caramel on there stupid frappuccinos..that i hope there 9. If you order a Frappuccino, I will hate you even more.

i hated getting tons of people with there special request for there frappuccino. like splenda, extra mocha, caramel, shots, lining the cup with caramel..putting it in a venti cup for extra extra caramel.

with these people, i would squeeze the crap out of the caramel bottles, and i would put so much damn caramel on there drinks, that i would hope there arteries would clog up !!

[CARAMELTUNNEL]

I got so tired of squeezing caramel through a pinhole that I just take the top off and free pour.

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

hey, former customer.
congratulations on being the poster that they seem to hate more than me. hard to do, so i give you props for that. but, gee, i wonder why you're so worried about you drink getting spit in? with that attitude of yours, i can't balme anybody who does. now get the f*ck out of my store before i really snap and throw drinks at you in a wonderful reversal of fortune.

[Calgary Barista]

Don't tell me that you dont know how much money you have on your starbucks card. I dont expect you to know how much money you have on your starbucks card and if you do know, I still dont give a shit.

[howard - chai tea addict]

Having worked in customer service from the bottom rung to the management level, I understand how frustrating jobs like this can be. That said, I'm grateful to have never had a server who treated me in a way that let on to any ill will toward me - in fact, the baristas are often extremely friendly and conversational, which I don't much mind even when I'm in a hurry.

I patronize businesses like Starbucks because I was brought up to value business models that show their employees a little consideration. That's also the reason I always tip my servers -- I even offer exact change when I can (sorry?). Whether or not they like me is completely up to them, so long as the distaste isn't obvious.

OMG! My Hero! Preach the word, Fellow Partner! I hear ya loud and clear. YOU made my week!!!...maybe even my month or year! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

[Amy Alkon]

If you're not an asshole, you tend to get treated well wherever you go. On a plane, I make an effort to ask for "black coffee," rather than making the flight attendant have to ask me whether I want cream, milk, etc. It takes very little to be considerate as a customer, and it makes the world a slightly nicer place.

Moreover, when my homeless artist friend changed Starbucks, and I needed to give him his bank account papers (I helped him start an account), but I was also hurrying across town to spend the day and night with a very sick friend, the barista at the new Starbucks took the papers and put them in the safe and saw that he got them. The barista offered to do that; I didn't ask. That sort of thing, which I've actually found pretty common, is what makes me think of Starbucks as more than a coffee chain.

[Stuart]

This guy is seriously ticked off, and with good reason. It's because he is a 100%, 24 carat, all-singing, all-dancing Dick.And obviously not afraid to let the world know about it.
Perhaps he should consider getting a job he likes. And all this crap about being an artist, Jeez give me a break. Van Gogh was an artist, Dylan is an artist, Schumacher is an artist. People, like this knob, who stick overpriced second rate coffee in a mug and top it up with milk are not rare,nor precious and should realise that their remumeration is probably commensurate with their contribution to the operation. You want a tip fella, go sit on your fist.

Don't tell me that you dont know how much money you have on your starbucks card. I dont expect you to know how much money you have on your starbucks card and if you do know, I still dont give a shit.

Calgary barista- good attitude, I'm sure you will go far with that. Why don't you get an office job where you don't have to deal with us "stupid" customers. I am sick to death of reading this nasty stuff by you bitter employees, if you can't handle the job quit. You are probably a terrible barista anyway!

[carol]

I agree with the above post, calgary barista , you come on here and so blatantly state that you don't give a sh!t about your customers, you should find other employment, you have a lousy attitude!

[JavaRat]

I am an Artist too. Actually and old artist(late 40's)and a new Barista(4 months). My life history reads like a made for tv movie. The last 30 years have been rough and what our writer says is true about being a Barista. Working with the public is icky sometimes (to put it lightly). However, attitude is everything. But at my age I can't afford the luxury of a negative attitude. I might have felt the way our writer feels a bit more when I was younger. I wish the writer best of luck in his/her artistic endeavors. Hang in there--do you art, I hope you find a way to have a happier spirit.
As for myself--I like my customers, even my grumpy ones--My manager is terrific--and even though my feet hurt by the end of my shift, I have to admit I had fun.

bon chance

[TinaE]

As a customer, the thing that keeps me going back to my local store isn't the coffee, but the excellent service and attitude of the staff.
I feel sorry for this guy. He sounds very disappointed and bitter about life.
As an artist myself, I know how difficult the life can be. I also have learned, however, that there's no use bitching about the path you've chosen in life. If you don't like your job, and facing the public every day isn't for you, find another one.

hey pissed off starbucks employees,

get off your high horse. you chose to work in the service industry...guess why they call it the "service" industry. Thats right, you are there to serve customers. hey we all have to deal with a-holes in life...suck it up.

as for what most starbucks customers think of the "baristas" - i think budweiser's ad agency summed it up nicely:

Today, we salute you, Mr. Fancy Coffee shop Coffee Pourer
(Mr. Fancy Coffee shop Coffee Pourer)
What do you do with a masters degree in art history?
You get a nose ring and pour coffee for a living.
(pour it on now)
Why is it called a latte? Maybe because it costs a latte
and, it takes a latte time to make.
(whole lotta latte)
Someone ordred a cappuccino? Step aside and let the
man who works the milk foamer take over.
(step aside)
Sure, you charge five bucks for a cup of coffee,
it's putting that tip jar out that takes real guts.
(Yeah!)

So, crack open an ice cold budlight, Guru of the ground roast,
it's not the caffeine that gives us the buzz, it's you.

(Mr. Fancy Coffee shop Coffee Pourer)