Here's the perfect story to start a discussion on Starbucks customer horror stories

From the Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal: A man walked into Salem Starbucks and sat down without buying anything. When asked to leave, he threw ice on an employee. The man then took out a hammer and slammed it against a table, damaging it, and yelled profanities at employees and customers before leaving. A familiar episode? Can you top it? || Read "Man arrested after incident at Starbucks"

Comments

[AliCat]

Now that I think about it though, there are a couple of nice baristas there (and I mean 2).

[FLA SM]

Here's a good one. In our area, a couple of years ago, there was a mall store that had just converted to Starbucks from Barnie's. During their first week open, they had an older gentleman who had ordered a coffee and sat down at a table in the food court, right in front of the store. He sat there, and sat there, and sat there, never moving for quite some time. Finally, the shift supervisor approached him and (you guessed it!), he was stone-cold dead! I guess our coffee was a little too strong for him! It was a whole production for the EMTs to come and take away the body.

[AliCat]

FLA SM - Piper's Alley in Chicago had the same kind of thing happen. A shift found him sitting in a chair - had been dead for hours.

I swear, if I ever find a dead person in the cafe, I'm quitting, bad economy or not.

[Killer Kona]

Honey man is kind of short and creepy looking. He will order a zen tea and ask for honey packets. He will then take the honey packets into the rest room and masturbate using the honey, leaving a nice pile of honey and DNA. He has been BANNED from every store in the district.

[Kris Merrells]

Moral of the story: you can't keep a man from lovin' his honey.

[SnowInSummer]

We have one regular afternoon customer that makes us run screaming to the back room when she pulls up. As soon as she's through the doors, she's complaining about the condition of the parking lot or how she couldn't get the closest parking spot (everyone should know she is older & has "problems" walking). She orders the same drink everyday & every time, she returns it because "it tastes funny" or "I only like it if so & so makes it". We make her drinks over & over again for her with a smile, but deep down we are biting our lips. We apologize all the time to her for what ever she is complaining about. She even asked us to ask a customer to move from her favorite seat and she got mad as hell when we told her we couldn't, so she did it herself & the customer got mad & left. No matter how hard we try to make this woman happy, it's not good enough. We don't understand why she always returns, she sits alone looking out the window.

[Lisa]

BostonStarbucksRebel...From Belmont, MA?

[Melody]

@KillerKona - YIKES!!!

And for the files of when a barista should "just say NO": Eons ago I was in a Starbucks waiting for a beverage, and I saw a somewhat disheveled looking woman telling the barista at the bar that she should get a free beverage. The bar barista said no. I came in the middle of the conversation, so not sure what was said before, but I heard the non-paying customer telling the bar barista that since she actually OWNS Starbucks that's why she should get free drinks. I nearly laughed out loud and thought, that'll be news to Mr. Schultz. The barista very very politely got her to leave, handling the situation with perfection.

[triple_short]

i can't believe some of these stories. my jaw dropped when i read the one about the barista in chicago getting repeatedly punched over and over again.

the worst that's ever happened in my store is finding a small amount of feces on the floor in the bathroom or a customer causing a scene because they are trying to scam free stuff. i have never had to call the police thank god. i'll keep my fingers crossed that i won't have to do that any time soon and count myself lucky that i haven't had to yet.

[syguy]

I had acouple show up one morning after working out. They went into the mens room where she "took care of business". A barista went in afterwards and the only thing in the trash can was "spent" paper towels. I miss them....

[Barriston]

We had a man come in with his three young children right before closing and buy (caffeinated) frappecinos for all of them. His wife then came in and tried to use a zero-balance gift card to pay, and asked if we could give them any free pastries.

Two days later the father walked in with his children again and tried to return some dvds that he claimed to have purchased at our store (we had a dvd rack at the time) and I asked for a receipt. Of course he didn't have one since he stole the dvds from us the other day. When I told him I couldn't do the return without a receipt, he asked if I could just give him free frappecinos for his trouble!!
What a great thing to teach your 7 year old..

[Shifty Stuporvisor]

Oh man do I have a few of these...a man smoking crack on the patio, and the cops never showed up. A working girl and her pimp working an early morning shift out of my lobby. Drunk guy taking a swing at me when I asked him not to panhandle on the patio. Junkie ripping the wiring out of the wall in the men's room trying to cook his heroin. More syringes and spoons in the bathroom than I can count. A "deaf" man with a petition shoved me on Christmas. A guy with no hands, one hook and one stump, told me he was going to have his sister come beat me up. The guy who peed in the chair the day before asked me for change at 4:45 the next morning. A crackhead we'd already banned tackled me on my way home. Then I transferred, so far at this store two exposed penises and a few incidents with feces, but better. I think my favorite story is the time I was standing outside waiting for my opener, and this guy is telling me how lucky I am to have a job, he can't get one because of all the felonies he has. A car rolls up and the guys inside yell out the window "Hey mamacita!" and the felon dude yells back "She don't speak spanish!" At least I wasn't mistaken for a girl working the corner that time, I think.

[me]

We had people taking swings at our SS as well. Seems to be common.

I also once had a nice very used tampon hidden behind the toilet. Of course I grabbed right into it while cleaning the washrooms. Man I'm glad I ALWAYS wear gloves. I was excused from doing washrooms for a while after that (so it had something good to it ;-) )

One Sunday morning I was waiting for my opener, a cab pulls up right in front of our store, the driver gets out and starts peeing against his rear wheel.

Way too many people not being able to aim right while doing #2. Even more for #1.

Couples going all the way on our comfy chairs or in our washrooms. (Especially the idea of doing it in our washrooms really turns me off, see above paragraph).

And this is all in an upscale neighborhood in Toronto...

[RVA-SS]

I once had a lady come into the store early in the morning with her dog on a leash. This dog was HUGE and very dirty. I proceeded to ask her if her dog was a service animal. She of course said he was. She asked for a "bowl" of water for her dog. I tell her we don't have any bowls but we do have cups. That wont do. She decides that it will be better to steal a ceramic mug from the retail wall and leave her drink and pastry that she paid for on the counter. Oh, did I mention that dog got loose in the store and ran behind the counter and she couldn't get control of him...fun!

[no clear answer]

somebody HELP ME!

are we allowed to add mocha and chia lattes to the new pairings? We have been told just to add the addition of .30 to the total. Is this correct policy? We had a guy that wanted a mocha and a M&M cookie and the barista told him if he gets the cin swirl collee cake...he'll save x amount blah blah...so, he took the deal.
Is this what we should be doing????

[Mrs. Tillinghamshackles]

In my district we are allowed to do things like mochas and chais for the pairings, but only if people specifically ask for them. We aren't supposed to advertise these 'exceptions'.

[Noor]

We have a highly fussy customer that comes through our cafe every few weeks. I'll tell my employees to give her whatever exchanges and remakes we ask for when she makes up problems with her order. When she approaches, I give her GREAT BIG SMILES and lots of attention. She always tells me how happy she is to see that I'm here and on bar because I can make her Americano better than anyone else, and it always tastes strong and delicious.

What I don't tell her is that I hit the AMERICANO 16 button on one of our cafinas, and then just play around with the buttons on the other cafina while giving it a very intent look.

Not a horror story, because my god. This is such a cesspool of negativity thread.

[Rachel]

This story is so unbelievable, but I swear every word of it is true, and it happened to me. A man came into our store, (to paint a picture... mid 30's, receding messy blond hair, strange blue eyes, orange leather jacket, jeans) bought a soda, and was walking around or cafe staring at people. I was the MOD, and a few people came up to me and said he was making them uncomfortable. I went over to him, and told him that he needed to sit down and have his drink, or leave, because he was bothering the other customers. The dialog was as follows...

"Satan doesn't want to sit down. You can't tell satan what to do. He does as pleases."

Me:... trying to figure out if he thought he was satan, or if he was actually referring to the devil... "Sorry, sir? Who is satan?"

FREAKS OUT "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHO IS SATAN?' Satan knows everything. Satan knows what girl (me) does. He watches her... continues ranting

Me: Sir, if you don't want to sit down, I'm going to have to call the police.

"Call the pigs! Satan hates the pigs. Satan wants the pigs to come."

Sooo... I went into the back to call the police, and while I was on the phone with them, he stared at me, with his creepy blue eyes, and mumbled things to me. Honestly, I've never been scared at work, but that man will haunt me forever, because I'm not the type of person that believes people can be possessed, and if there was an event to convince me otherwise, that would have been it.

[Paco Loco]

Papitos check this one!!

I'm opening the store, just kicking it doing my thing when all of a sudden I hear a loud scream...AAAAHHHHH!!!!

I got so scared I dropped the Venti drip I was holding for a customer. I look at the lady who just screamed a lung out and she's pointing at this guy on the line.

Turns out this guy is wearing nothing, absolutely nothing!! His thing is all swinging around and the whole 9. I'm like "Papi take that illegal weapon your strapped with and leave my store immediately"!

He starts laughing, scratching his nuts while smiling at me. He won't leave till we get him some drip coffee, I told him the only thing thats going to be dripping is the mop when I place over your naked body!! The dude wouldn't leave but when I got the mop he bolted into a car outside and sped off, I think it was a college prank, sick Papi though!!

[Splash]

Is it bad that although Paco Loco's posts are ridiculous, they always make me laugh? =)

[BCbarista]

Does anyone know who sings the song that's on the playlist now called "Ooh baby ooh" or something. I looked at the name but forgot to write it down!!

[white_knight]

eh. i think he's a troll.

[jzojzo]

A guy brought his bird in the store. It was a large macaw bird. He new the bird how to go poop so he put the bird over the trash can and the bird "did it's business" over our trash can.

[caffeineaddict]

I had a customer come in at opening with blood dripping from his head and down his face. He said nothing except that he wanted apple juice and then while my boss was by the refrigerator he told me that the other man was dead.

My heart just stopped and I told my manager who called the police. Turned out that he was drunk and had fallen on his face. But refused care past what the paramedics did on site.

[Vicki Verona]

I worked in an outdoor strip mall that is a very touristy attraction and all of the middle schoolers loved to go there on Fri and Sat nights. On these nights the teenagers have
-Taken the bathroom doors off the hinges
-set the trashcans on fire
-smoked pot in the lobby
-use the comfy couches as their own personal "love" spot
and we used to have a couple that we knew was having an affair and after about 2 hours of grinding in our lobby chairs would go to the restroom together for about 30 minutes and leave a wonderful mess to clean up after they were finished.

At another store I had a lady through her hot mocha at me through the drive through because it wasn't "extra hot enough"

[jade]

a man decided to empty his colostomy bag on the pation and then didn't understand why that bothered us!

[lisa]

this guy would come in every day early in the morning and stay til at least 10 past close every night, rarely ordering anything, but trying to be BFFs with all the partners, knew everyone's name, etc. we couldnt figure out if he was homeless or what, cos he always had nice marc jacobs shopping bags and stuff like that, but mostly just wanted him to go away. when our a/c broke down, the guys that came to fix it moved the ceiling tiles in our bathroom, and come to find out this dude was living out of it. all of his stuff (magazines, books, clothes, shaving supplies, SEX TOY) filled three garbage bags when they brought it all down. only guy i know ever to be banned from starbucks (and only our location!) which he fought tooth and nail with the DM. the worst part is, this happened almost a year ago and he just tried to come in again, thinking nobody would be left to remember him. boy was he wrong.

[bcasm]

there was a man who wanted to buy our summer water bottles at a discount so he could use them to transport blood to china for cancer research... :S

[Dolce]

Latest horror story involves homeless man requesting something from bar partner, who can't understand him. Homeless man tries to climb over hand-off plane (ours is waist level) yelling profanities and death threats. Security called, man throws punches at the officers. Homeless man maced, police called, man arrested, barista called to testify.

Some of these stories are incredibly sad! I have to deal with very unruly customers and crazy homeless people at my store daily, so nothing really phases me any more, plus we have security officers. We have a few regulars (homeless guys) who we allow to sit in the lobby all day because they serve as our eyes and ears, looking out for misconduct that we can't see. They love their job and they're good at it! ...But you guys see some pretty horrible stuff.

[sbuxststrm]

Beavertail (aka Wingnut) is a Boston area nutjob worse than Honey man, She has hair that is so matted that it forms one giant dreadlock... kind of like a beavertail. She reeks of urine. She doesn't just smell of urine she REEKS. Imagine a very large store. Imagine the door opening and never being closer than 30 feet to her and being able to smell the stench that is this awful woman. (She's awful, because when she has been allowed in the store, she cuts right to the front of the line.)

Honeyman is not just creepy, he's unctuous. He also come up to the register asking for a venti double cup of hot water which he brings into the bathroom.

Then there's the pathological liar who claimed he was in Brazil after a long absence. He would bring his possessions in and expect to be able to keep them in the store all day. He tried this after I attempted to have some compassion for him. However, because he's an addict and a user of people, he took advantage of that. I always hated that he would come in with a dirty cup and ask for a refill and I would explain the refill policy everyday. Like the two previous people, he's mentally ill and possibly sociopathic. This results in both odd and rude behavior.

The guy I actually like is a guy who wears Harvard hockey paraphernalia. He's got the worst jokes. He carries 6 shopping bags and 2 suitcases. He pays for his coffee and occasionally pesters people, but is pretty good about keeping to himself. He's the one of these four people who actually is homeless. He drives me crazy, but he's a good person.

[spence]

Hmmmmm. Why isn't Green_cup writing now? Maybe he's seeing a little bit of the other side of the fence.

[jon]

We also had a customer throw a short cup full of sugar back through the drive thru window and it hit our manager in the nose and broke her nose.

[Marcus]

Reading all these just confirms to me what terrible mental health support we have in this country! For those interested, read the book Crazy (crazy a father's search through america's mental health madness is the full title).

Having said that, sounds like some of you have had it pretty rough.

[Moiraine]

Why do half of the crazy people stories have to be from Boston, where I really want to go?? Lol!! :p

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Hey,
Does anybody in Boston remember the dog barking guy. He got a venti caramel frappuccino. He's pretty amazing.

[Riverhouse]

Work long enough and you will see most anthing you could imagine.
Fights, attempted murder, blood, bombs, drugs sales, threats on the barrista's lives, Chairs flying .fires cars driveing through walls , other car accidents , people being taken out in ambulances, arrests. Additional staff required for safety at closing ,drunkeness or substance abuse overdoses. Mentally ill,stalkers homeless, and gangs can make life interesting also.
Which brings us to staffing problems This is entirely separate threat from time to time. Amazing considering we live in a nice town. I know one thing, we are not unique.5.5 years and counting.

[Patti]

Wow, a lot of unhappy and angry people out there. Makes me hesitate to visit any Starbucks anywhere, but I'm sure it's not limited to one corporate venture.

My hat goes off to all employees everywhere who deal with rude and crazy people and manage to still maintain their professionalism.

[SonSon]

I haven't come across anything this heinous personally, but I've heard some stories. . .

My shift cleaning up a homeless woman's "doodoo balls" at 5 in the morning

The same shift having hot coffee thrown at her-actually, it was thrown at another barista's face, who happened to turn at the right moment, and it splashed across my shift's arm, giving her 3rd degree burns and permanent scarring

We currently have a man who comes in every morning as soon as we open and gets a sample of coffee and a cup of hot water. Then, he goes to the condiment bar and makes his own weak-ass Americano, with ample half and half. The thing is, this guy comes in every morning in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase. He also came in every day for two weeks last summer with a Vivanno coupon, asking if he might get a latte instead, then asking to see the supervisor when we said no, even though he was a) usually speaking to SS in the first place, and b) had already been informed several times that he would have to get a Vivanno. Never mind the time he came in complaining that a latte he's had the previous day gave him diarrhea.
He usually ends up there at the same time as another regular, who gets a doppio. A few days ago, after the doppio man left, this briefcase guy pulled my shift aside to inform her that the doppio man has been taking "handfuls" (he takes two packets) of sugars each day. She handled it kindly, rather than what I might have done, which I'm sure would have involved a snarky comment about how at least the doppio man is PAYING for his handful of sugars.

We're so over him.

[Pike Partner]

Nothing too exciting- a homeless guy who smells really bad, and laughs to himself while talking to his invisible friend...

Also the junkie who vomited in the men's room sink before closing...couldn't make it that three more steps to the toilet, huh, dude?

[Moiraine]

Wow. I've worked in a few stores and can relate to the panhandling, people falling asleep in and/or peeing in the lobby chairs, crazy people talking to themselves in the bathroom for 15 minutes and all of that, but I have never had a customer as disturbing as the 'honey man'. Eww. That is just...so wrong.

In one store I worked at, there was a shelter nearby and we would often have panhandlers outside the door, but one time a bum was actually walking in our drive through during a busy time. You know how some people have that little dip/handle on the inside of their car door, like for pulling it shut? Lots of people keep change in there, and this guy starting literally reaching into peoples car windows, grabbing for some change and walking away really fast.
Lol! Imagine if you are in the drive through and all of a sudden this big hairy arm reaches in your window! Ahh!
:p
At least we can laugh about this stuff later huh? I mean, it takes all kinds...and we get them all!!

[Paco in Trouble]

Papitoos!!

This one's a bit embarrassing but here goes:

So I'm on the bar killing it when I feel the need to pass some gas. Only thing is I don't want anyone to hear me. So I try to pull a silent but deadly, I must have tried to hard because all of a sudden I feel hot liquid DOO-DEE running down my leg...Wow! What to do, What to do?

I ran to the back and told everyone I had gotten mocha down my shirt, I ripped my boxers off, threw them in a clear trash bag so cintas would pick them up to be cleaned, then Free-Balled it for the rest of the time.

What a day!! SQUIRT, SQUIRT!!

[no clear answer]

how does a partner file a complaint against a SM. I have a SM that is the worst...provokes gossip shares confidential information about partners with anyone she is around. ALWAYS late or cllas in....changes our schedule without so much as a call to inform us. I could go on and on but...what do I do. My DM seems to turn his head and act like this is just jr highish and can't be bothered. help me...PLEASE

[Blaze]

@ No Clear Answer

There is a few options:

1-Let your RM know whats going on, tell your DM that you want to have a meeting with the RM and the SM to review your complaint. (If that Dosen't Work)

2-Call Business Conduct Helpline @ (800)-611-7792
They will talk to you about the complaint and take steps necessary to remedy this situation.
(Partner Contact Center # (866)-504-7368

3- This option is the best: Join Starbucks-Union (IWW) because it sounds like you have a very good lawsuit you could win on your hand$...

Good Luck and keep me posted...

[Blaze]

These are the SM's and DM's that ruin it for all the rest of them and make the anger settle in with a lot of partners. They need to be fired and if your RM doesn't do much they need to be fired as well...this manure needs to end asap. This is why people form hatred towards the mules of upper-management (ASM,SM,DM,RM etc...)

[no clear answer]

Thank you Blaze...I will try your suggestions to go to the RM. In Jan I went to the DM who then told me he would "coach her" and now my SM just informed me that I am being demoted to barista ....said my work is excellent as a shift but, that I lack "partner connection" I feel this is due to her bad mouthing me because I went to the DM in the first place. Each partner has told me they have had no issue with me and all were upset by her mouth on the floor regaurding my situation. all of them said they would back me up.

[Blaze]

@ No Clear Answer

Get the direct number to your RM and set up a meeting, I would also write something like an e-mail for example and get it to the RM as well so it is documented. Take advantage of your Supervisors that support you (which sounds like all of them). If needed even have them sign a paper that states they have no issues with your style of operation and make sure they would be willing to talk to the RM in case she calls them for a meeting on the issue.

Make your point solid and show how other partners are having issues with her as well. Have lots of examples to show and be able to prove your points. Also let her know that once you proceeded to take action through your DM to remedy the situation the DM has just worsened the results and you feel the DM is taking sides and not being fair or trustworthy/approachable.

this should set you up and place you back on the right track, but remember you must fight for whats yours, DON'T LET them take it away from you...Keep me posted best wishes

Solidarity

[GG Deluxe]

You want really crazy? Try making a ghetto latte in the Czech Republic. The Starbucks Baristas will stare you down. What was that movie? If Looks Could Kill?

Now that was easy, go to a Czech Starbucks and try asking for a glass of iced water to go with a pastry or coffee. I dare you.

On the other hand, if you want normal crazy, then go no further than the 24 hour Starbucks in Gotham. Its chock full o' regulars.

[Amy]

I remember the barking caramel frap man! I also know about honey man.

K, here's a question I have for you guys... I have worked in a bunch of Starbucks stores in Massachusetts over the past 10 years, and in EVERY store I have worked, guys pee in the trash barrel in the men's room.

Anyone else experience this or do I just have that effect on men?

[Retail employee]

I was expecting more stories where are the ones from Texas?

[SUPERSHIFT!!!!]

lol Can i top it?... SURE COULD!!!! So my store is semi in the hood and crack heads are UNAVOIDABLE....After the lunch rush a heavy set middle age black woman walks in after sum 6 foot run down lookin white guy screeming " You betta not come back near my daughter ill kill you" so this guy acts like he dosent know her yet she is still yelling "you dont know me do you know who i am?" So heres where her ranting get intresting " Im baraka, Baraka Obama" no not barak "Baraka" "im baraka obama, imma call the president on you. dont come near me ill kill you: (this was before obama took office)(OBAMA!!!! YES WE DID)so anyways the coutomers are staring and very appaled, my sm is panicing calling the cops, and me im highly amused by it all lol. so my sm and the barista are usless at this point and im ready to go around the counter and get these crazies out of my face then my sm stops me and says "dont do that she might hurt you ive delt with these people before!" Well listen i went n handled my handle and talked to her like she was a human being drugged up or not n i told her look if the cops come there gonna lock u up bcause your the one making noise. if that man did something wrong let somone else deal with him what goes around comes around F^%K him!" And i walked her out! I think my smn was a hater though because instead of saying "hey thanks for clearing the situation, she says "next time dont do that!" So the moral of the story is people are nukin futz however theyre still humans even if they are Baraka Obama!