Weekend OPEN THREAD: Ask your questions, or just speak your mind

Let's the get discussion going -- in a civil manner, of course. Anything Starbucks/coffee-related is up for discussion in the open thread. || Jump to the third page of comments.

Comments

[BCbarista]

New "healthy" strawberry juice coming...I think a strawberry vivanno is in the works.

I'm guessing it won't have a thick consistency like the pureé, so the blended strawberry lemonade is going to suck. But who knows, haven't even tried it yet.

[#)P@p]

We already make Strawberry Vivannos in our location, just not on the menu...It's like a specialty drink at our store, there not bad, but we use the old strawberry stuff for now.

[...?]

does anyone give out mug awards, green apron cards, etc. anymore?

[**P@p]

Of Course, we wouldn't be sharing the full experience if we didn't :)

[CamSpi]

Has anyone done any interesting coffee tastings, lately?

[inopethflames]

so are there new frappuccino flavors coming out this next week? i thought someone had said that was going to be coming out the last week of may. there hasnt been anything new or different since the winter/holiday drinks other than the tea stuff which i dont ever get or care about.

[Mrs. Tillinghamshackles]

No. New. Frappuccino. Flavors.

[Lesser Possesed Siren]

@inopethflames *liar?

[TNT]

Why don't we drink the customers beverages for them. It's the only other service we don't offer yet (but don't expect to get more labor for it).

Stupid company!!!

[sbuxgirl]

Does anyone know what Starbucks is planning to do about the minimum wage change coming in July? I know in my market the state complies with federal minimum wage laws, and the new minimum wage will be $7.25/hr on July 24th-it is currently $6.55/hr. We currently start baristas out at $7/hr and they then make $7.70/hr after the first 6 months. Are they seriously going to start new hires out at just the minimum wage of $7.25? Also, if any of you are working in Seattle, do they plan on raising other barista's pay, since their pay will now fall so close to the minimum?($7.70 when the min. is $7.25)

[SBUX Alum Bill]

@ sbuxgirl

I don't know the specifics about Starbucks' wage scale in Seattle, but the minimum wage in the state of Washington is $8.55.

[GRTL]

sbuxgirl,
In regards to them increasing currently employed baristas after minimum wage increase...good luck with that! I wish we all would get a cost of living increase but it is not going to happen...

[White Mochatress]

Has anyone heard about new optimal scheduling requirements? In my old store, the new manager has already taken away the request off book and has told partners the new "minimum" weekly hour requirement is 30 hours. Also has said that partner schedules will be permanent and if you need off, you must get your "permanent" shifts covered.

[CamSpi]

@inopethflames I haven't seen any communication on the portal about new frappuccino flavors within the next week... However, stores will soon be receiving a healthier strawberry puree which will be a new Vivanno. Also, the Dallas market is the new pilot for the customizable frappuccinos, which will launch summer phase 2 (which is 20th or so?)

[Vivanno]

Camspi, are we going to be doing a strawberry banana Vivanno? Where can I find out about the new Vivanno on the portal?

[SPORK]

Two questions:
1) I know once in a while I've accidentally taken out more than one pound of coffee a week, and I'm always ready to deal with the wrath of my manager, but she never brings it up... does upper management monitor this? What's to stop me from stealing 2 pounds a week? (other than my moral fibre that is :P )

2) Is it at all possible to trick the music player in the back of the store to play a CD I brought in or burned? Anyone have advice for that?

thanks!

[SBUX Alum Bill]

Probably no surprise here, but
SBUX is renegotiating leases with many landlords. A large part of the SBUX decision on which stores to close is probably driven by that renegotiation process, as some landlords are more accommodating than others. Store profitability may not always be the primary criterion in those decisions.

[sbuxgirl]

As far as the optimal scheduling, I am a SM and I can speak from experience that we are all being directed to have as many partners as possible working 32 or more hours per week. they are virtually going to eliminate part time partners and i think as a company they are thinking the more employees that work more hours, the less employees you have alltogether and that means less money spent on employee benefits(insurance, markouts, etc). i would not be surprised AT ALL if we eventually let go any partner that is working less than this(a lot like we had to let go any employees working less than 12 hours a week). this would be a good idea in a differnt setting, but starbucks is living in the clouds if they are thinking that in today's economy, there are just lines of people that are willing to devote 32 to 40 hours a week at a place that pays them $7 or $8 an hour(even with insurance, which really isn't all that great of insurance!).

[sbuxgirl]

another thing, optimal scheduling doesn't work because when everyone counts on their set shifts, if a partner wants to "trade" or "give away" a shift because of requests off, it is hard to do so because there arent any partners that are working less than full time so there is no one to trade with! this also happens when a partner wants to take a vacation!

[green_cup]

another thing, optimal scheduling doesn't work because when everyone counts on their set shifts, if a partner wants to "trade" or "give away" a shift because of requests off, it is hard to do so because there arent any partners that are working less than full time so there is no one to trade with! this also happens when a partner wants to take a vacation!

Posted by: sbuxgirl | May 29, 2009 at 03:52 PM

How is this Starbucks' fault? They're providing you with a paycheck and you're providing them with your services.

The problem here is that Starbucks always has more people who want to your job at the drop of a hat. You only have one Starbucks.

I guess you could go find a new job, but in this economy, good luck.

You're basically at Starbucks' whim until you go find employment where you have negotiating power. That probably means you need to get more education, skill, and accept more responsibility and liability in your professional life.

[MIKE-Fired barista-----cuz I cared!]

In regards to the two pounds...would love to hear a response...

As far as the CD, yes and no, there are a few different models of these commercial players out there...if you can get the DIP switch settings for your model, you can play what you want. The issue is you need to switch it back and on some units the CD is destroyed when the music is put onto the HD...so be carefull

[MIKE-Fired barista-----cuz I cared!]

In regards to the two pounds...would love to hear a response...

As far as the CD, yes and no, there are a few different models of these commercial players out there...if you can get the DIP switch settings for your model, you can play what you want. The issue is you need to switch it back and on some units the CD is destroyed when the music is put onto the HD...so be carefull

[white_knight]

@MIKE-Fired barista-----cuz I cared!
double post ftw!!

anyway, i was wondering if any of you guys know anything about going overtime, if its done two weeks in a row, will i get the "talk", is there such thing as a starbucks protocol to this. and how long does it take to accumulate more hours to your vacation hours?

thanks.

[Venti Urnex Latte]

All markouts are recorded on the computer. There is a computerized record of this. So that if someone wants to look up and see who has marked out more than their alloted pound a week, it is easy to do.

In one nearby store, the partners all thought they could get 2 boxes of tea a week. If a pound of coffee was $10, and a box of tea was $5, then the result was two boxes of tea, right? First-grade arithmetic. That store was a disgusting mess and I hated being borrowed there. Everyone who worked there had the brain of a first-grader.

Anything you use your partner number for, like markouts, partner discounts or partner bevs, is recorded and computerized.

[SPORK]

Absolutely Venti Urnex Latte, but the issue is, do managers check this. Any managers on here regularly take time out of their busy admin day to check that?

[Naptown Barista]

It's kinda funny, but I just read a post from green_cup & knew he/sh wrote it before I even finished reading it! Ha! Ha! Thanks for the laugh!

[KGB]

@SPORK , yes a good MGR will look at that stuff, but in the real world when I have only a few hours on Monday to do my Admin, that is the last thing I look at. Be a good partner and just stop hurting your store (company). one LB a week please. I like to look at the big picture. If you "forget and take!" 2 extra lb/month for a year, that adds up to $240 (if its PPR). Now if your partners get wind of this and say "well my dad would like to have some coffee for his B-day/Xmas/whatever" then that can add up. Lets just say $1000 +/-. So in a few months when your MGR says that the P&L is all out of wack and need to trim (hrs are the first to go, sometimes).you be sure to see if Dad likes his gift....sorry, I just think if everyone gets something small like this and blow it up to the big picture.Some stores will be doing alittle better. (please dont burn me, I know this is only like 1% of whats killing us now) Thank You ! Have a great day with your Pairing!

[KGB]

can we please have a summer with a drink that has a simple build!!!MMCF sucked cause the warehouse ran out of chips,(York DC, my boy, love ya) and BCB, OMB. hurt my head. I am in a outside mall next the a movie complex.....Frap Madness Time!!!!lol
BTW
@green_cup I love my job, and my company!!!I just like to vent and have fun sometimes, so please dont come down on me like you did too sbuxgirl..lol

[green_cup]

@Naptown Barista:

Laugh away while you're counting your (very small) paycheck. "Ha! Ha! Thanks for the laugh!"

[brown dot]

@Sbuxgirl

When Cali raised their wage, we had to bump some partners up who were below the minimum and the people who were above the minimum did not get a bump until 6 months. There was also a 6 month minimum so at the partners 6 month review, instead of like a 2% raise they got a set raise (like 20 cents. It was very complicated. Hopefully bux doesn't complicate it like that for you guys.

[x]

they really only pay attention to the markout reports if they are looking to get rid of people.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

SPORK,
It depends what CD player you have. If you have a hard drive player, you can connect your iPod or whatever directly into the "booster" box, there are settings in the back. Use a "Y" cord. If you know somebody in a band they can better explain it. If you are in a CD player store, then its alot more complicated. Haven't made one of those CD's in years.

[Aces of Eight]

My store is the test store in our district for the eight minute cadence system, we are starting it next week. Do any of you have any experience with this? What was it like... do you have any advice?

Also, I have heard something about this Strawberry Banana Vivanno before... I assumed we would use the old Strawberry sauce, but I guess it isn't "nourishing" enough. When is summer phase 2? And is The Vivanno coming out before phase 2? Sounds like it... I hate vivanno's... if we start getting MORE I am going to be very annoyed.

[BusySM]

What is considered a high-volume store? My store is between 32k-37k a week, not drive thru. It feels busy to us and it is really hard to relate to slower stores. What is your stores weekly sales?

[Venti Urnex Latte]

@spork, I don't know if managers check people's markouts. That is not what you originally asked. You asked whether management monitored markouts, and what's to stop you from "stealing" an extra markout.

Management may or may not monitor markouts, but they easily have the ability to. That information is available to top executives in Seattle. Nothing is in place to stop you from stealing if you are of that mindset. You can be terminated if you are caught stealing. Or you can be caught stealing and not terminated. You can also be terminated for being the best employee ever. Under U.S. law, you can be terminated at any moment and for any reason.

Only you can assess the risk-to-benefit ratio for yourself and the likelihood of possible outcomes.

[SS]

The whole reason Starbucks recommended we not add strawberry sauce to Vivannos from the start is because of the high sugar content. The new strawberry juice will have less sugar, thus making it an acceptable addition to the health-oriented Vivanno lineup. For blended lemonades or strawberries & creme Frappuccinos, we'll be adding classic syrup to make up for the missing sweetness.

[Aces of Eight]

So Starbucks is now ruining the Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino and the Strawberry Lemonade.

I want to hit something really hit, I guess my wall will have to suffice.

[Aces of Eight]

We are expanding something that is totally non-coffee related and so not back to basics, and ruining not coffee related (but still classic and way more popular than the vivanno) drinks.

This is, ridiculous. I just don't know where they get these stupid ideas. Screwing with two classic drinks for what... a new VIVANNO flavor? What are they thinking?

[STUCKINTHEDRIVETHRU...NO LONGER!!!]

@SPORK

Another option for playing your own music, my store's model player has a Axillary input in the back of the unit. All you have to do is turn down the "Program" knob on the front and turn up the tiny little knob on the back. I'm able to plug in my iPod, portable cd player, laptop, etc through this.

[CamSpi]

@Vivanno
Because my store is in the Dallas market, we received early info about summer phase 2 because we're the pilot area for customizable frappuccinos (You can adjust milk, amount of coffee, decaf, etc). The "pilot" program is the next step after the "Testing" market... In the booklet that explains the new customizable frappuccinos, there is a page that states we will be launching the new vivanno five days before the launch of the customizable frappuccinos so we'll have time to focus on both at a seperate time. But yes, there will be a strawberry banana vivanno.
Actually, to make it really confusing (for some people, at least), they're referring to it as the strawberry banana smoothie, not the strawberry banana vivanno, although the name vivanno will still be on the menu.

[Mikey]

When Howard Schultz visited Vancouver this week, he reminisced to employees about the city's special place in Starbucks' history, as the site of the company's first foray outside of the United States in 1987 and the testing ground for what would become a global business.

“We had no clue what we were doing,” Mr. Schultz, Starbucks Corp.'s (chief executive officer, said in an interview at a downtown outlet, a five-minute walk from that original store at Vancouver's waterfront SeaBus terminal.

“[Vancouver] seemed close, we had some good real estate. But in those days, none of us had any international experience. It was just passion and will,” he recalled. “And you know what? That's what we have today.”

It's vintage Howard Schultz inspiration – and he, and the company he founded, will need it. Since its birth in Seattle nearly 40 years ago, Starbucks has built an iconic brand with relatively little advertising, thanks to the power of a once-novel concept and customers' embrace of a “third place” between work and home. But now Starbucks is up against a competitor, McDonald's Corp., with a gargantuan marketing budget and a bottomless thirst to win coffee drinkers' business.

In the U.S., Starbucks is fighting back with an unprecedented advertising campaign that reminds customers, “It's not just coffee. It's Starbucks,” and other tactics, such as sending out Mr. Schultz to talk up lower-cost drinks.

Starbucks is investing heavily in digital media (Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, joined the board in March), with campaigns on networks such as Twitter.

The fight is about to come to Canada, where fast-food giant McDonald's is spending millions to woo customers with cheap coffee combos and Starbucks intends to expand its advertising campaign in coming months.

In terms of financial muscle, it's no contest. Last year, McDonald's spent more than $820-million (U.S.) on advertising in the United States alone – more than 30 times as much as Starbucks spent on ads in 2008, according to ad tracking firm TNS Media Intelligence.

Mr. Schultz knows that no matter how much he adds to the marketing budget, he can't afford to outspend the competition.

“We don't have to,” he said, sipping from a cup of black coffee in a Starbucks mug and munching on a scone after spending the previous few hours talking to some 250 employees – or partners, in Starbucks lingo – at a nearby hotel. “That's not our game. We need to play our game our way, and focus on our strengths. And our assets and our strength are the experience of our people and the humanity of the company.”

For Starbucks, that means emphasizing matters such as support for coffee growers, the African AIDS-related Red campaign – and, oh yes, affordable drinks. Half the beverages the company sells are less than $3 and a third are under $2, Mr. Schultz said. Specialty drinks can cost significantly more, he concedes, but the blanket “four-bucks” tag is unwarranted.

McDonald's, which has rolled out its McCafé products at about 11,000 of its U.S. restaurants over the past few years, recently launched a test of the concept in a “handful” of its restaurants in Atlantic Canada, and plans to have 70 pilot stores by the summer, said John Betts, president of McDonald's Canada.

The McCafé offering includes cappuccinos and lattes (regular, vanilla and caramel); mochas and espressos (single, double and long), topped with chocolate drizzle or powder.

Although prices at the test stores are still in flux, McDonald's espresso-based coffee drinks in the U.S. typically range from $2.29 for a 12-ounce cup to $3.29 for 22 ounces. In contrast, a caffe mocha at Starbucks in Chicago is priced from $3.10 for a 12-ounce cup to $3.95 for 20 ounces.

As part of McDonald's coffee push in Canada, the burger giant handed out free brewed coffees for two weeks in late April, a campaign that was so successful that Mr. Betts said the chain will run a similar promotion some time soon.

The strategy seems to be working. In its latest fiscal quarter ended March 29, Starbucks' same-store sales fell 8 per cent in North America while those at McDonald's rose 4.7 per cent.

Starbucks, which has eliminated $500-million in costs through its restructuring, remains highly profitable, has an “impeccable” balance sheet and is still opening stores throughout the world, including 60 this year in Canada, Mr. Schultz says. (Fifteen underperforming stores are being closed here as part of the company's global overhaul.) Starbucks has also introduced Via, an instant coffee product, and is constantly refining its food and beverage offerings.

And while McDonald's is muscling into the coffee game, the playing field is much bigger than commonly believed, Mr. Schultz adds. Of the estimated 65 billion cups of coffee sold in the United States every year, Starbucks serves an estimated 4 per cent. (Comparable Canadian figures are not available.) When he looks at the cities and countries in which Starbucks operates, he considers most of them underserved.

But by carrying less expensive products in its stores and selling such things as instant coffee, Starbucks is in danger of losing its luxury identity, said Jenny Darroch, a professor of marketing at Claremont Graduate University's Drucker School of Management in Claremont, Calif. “By putting in cheaper products, they start to violate the principles of what the Starbucks brand stands for,” Prof. Darroch said.

Bryant Simon, a professor of history at Temple University in Philadelphia who has written a soon-to-be-released book on Starbucks called Everything but the Coffee , questions the wisdom of the company's emphasis on ethics and values.

“They should just advertise the product, more than the aura of the company,” he said. “I would make myself people's definition of coffee and give up the other stuff. That's already gone. Nobody thinks of Starbucks as authentic any more, do they?”

Well, Mr. Schultz does.

Asked whether anybody really cares about fair-trade beans when they just want a cup of joe, Mr. Schultz says he believes some will.

“Not every customer is going to think it's relevant, or believe it's true, or think ‘This is why I come to Starbucks.' But I still want to tell the story. Because at the end of the day, the quality of coffee will tell its own story, coupled with what we do around it.”

He speaks over the hiss of an espresso machine, in a store in the city where Starbucks has been a fixture for more than 20 years, then heads out the door, on his way to meet some “premium customers” who warranted the invitation by being daily customers for years at a time. He can't wait to meet them.

[Venti Urnex Latte]

The new ad that says if your drink isn't perfect they will make it over, and if it still isn't perfect you must not be in a Sbux:

Does anybody else think this is incredibly misguided?? It basically says that your Starbucks drink is likely to suck, and even if they make it over it still might suck!!

This is the dumbest ad ever, unless they are trying to drive customers away.

[p))Plllllllllll@@]

but starbucks is living in the clouds if they are thinking that in today's economy, there are just lines of people that are willing to devote 32 to 40 hours a week at a place that pays them $7 or $8 an hour(even with insurance, which really isn't all that great of insurance!). Posted by: sbuxgirl

For an SM to say this... PATHETIC
The funny thing is you would be surprised at how many people would work for this money

[P@2Pppp...]

You're basically at Starbucks' whim until you go find employment where you have negotiating power. That probably means you need to get more education, skill, and accept more responsibility and liability in your professional life.

Posted by: green_TURD

Hey I have 3 jobs, a college education, I'm a Union Organizer, Military Reserve, 2 Terms in Iraq and have a Beautiful Fiancee, Survived September 11th in New York City...I'm here cause I want to be and have changed this establishment for life, you are just a toy Green Turd

[usorthem3]

..? i gave a mug award yesterday 2 one of my favorite baristas from hungary. she is an excellent learning coach although she has never been sent to the class in the last five years. not having trained anyone new since december 07 i felt that she could do a better job than i, so i was free 2 run the line while she spilled forth her vast knowledge of basic operations(first block training). she did an brilliant job of connecting and welcoming as well as helping me when necessary. i have time scheduled with eli sunday so i will have the chance 2 know and teach him then.

melody i will deep instill the understanding that if someone asks for a bold brew afternoon the correct response is- look if open choices then if not what would you like?" that is what I learned from day one. thnks 4 the twitter thumbs

Naptown Barista roflmao when i read yours because i knew the same thing about two lines in.

white_knight- vacation time varies with average # of hours you work per day. it changed in jan and depending on your tenure if under three years you can accrue no more than forty until you reach your third annv. then you can accrue up to 80. since ive been spending mine over the last four months averaging 35 to 39.5 i accrue approx 1.5 hours per payroll give or take a minute or two. look on your check stub friday just remember the caps on time able to accrue

[YumP@p]

The whole reason Starbucks recommended we not add strawberry sauce to Vivannos from the start is because of the high sugar content. The new strawberry juice will have less sugar, thus making it an acceptable addition to the health-oriented Vivanno lineup. For blended lemonades or strawberries & creme Frappuccinos, we'll be adding classic syrup to make up for the missing sweetness.

Posted by: SS

We already make these since the Vivanno came out...we smoked some skunk 5 in the fridge, came out and I was like Yo add the damn Strawberry to the Vivanno OMBB ....A CLASSIC ever since...but not on the MENU...be creative, that's an easy one

Who's got some Ill killer "Specialty" drinks they want to share??

[CaliSM]

Going back to the markout thing, I was an ASM for 2 years and have been an SM now for 3, and I've never seen a report that lists whos marked out what.

[SS]

Really CaliSM? Try looking in your Troubleshooting Reports..."Partner Coffee Markout"

I'm a shift and I know that.

[Venti Urnex Latte]

If someone has been an SM for 3 years and doesn't know that the markouts are computerized and recorded, that is a huge failure of.....of something. Of training? Of hiring? Of competence? It is frightening that a 3 year manager doesn't even know basics that I, as a mere barista, knew within weeks.

We once had a manager who didn't know you were supposed to empty the urns of old coffee before starting a new batch. It's scary when managers don't know even the most elementary things that they should know.

[HAAAHAP@p]

This is the type of SM that causes YOU investors lots of $$ and definitely has no idea about Labor issues or how things function as a whole at ones store...man WOW!!

Oh man I pissed myself seriously CALIFORNIA is like a dream world!!!