OPEN THREAD: Let's get the gossip, comments, and questions going!

It's another chance for Starbucks customers and employees to connect -- and bring up anything Starbucks/coffee-related. Keep it civil, please. || Jump to the third page of comments.

Comments

[Barista Bob]

Hey y'all! Let's start an online petition to remove Juan Valdez from Starbucks Gossip. I'm tired of his illegal alien ass crapping up this site!!! Baristas unite!!!!

[spence]

I want to keep Juan. Nobody is forcing you to read the Juan blogs and some of us really like them.

[Bren]

I would like to know if someone can enlighten me as to the "logic" of the post 2:00 pm drink/receipt issue I am having.

The other day I bought two drinks and two breakfast sandwiches. (These were for a business meeting and I need to keep track of the receipts for our crazy-a** accountant.) Later in the day I showed the receipt to get my $2 bev. (NB - I am in this store at LEAST twice a day, every weekday and know almost everyone by name, their stories, etc.)

The register person was someone I hadn't seen before. I handed her the receipt, she wrote an abbreviation of the drink at the top and then put that receipt plus the one for the $2 in the drawer. I told her I needed the receipts back and she said I couldn't have them. I hesitated and she snapped at me that "how else are we supposed to keep track?". I explained that I understood HER issue but that I needed the receipts for our accountant. Fortunately one of the regular people overheard this and told her just to "x" the receipt out and give it to me. She did it to the first one, handed it to me really s-l-o-w-l-y with a death glare but wouldn't give the second one. Since it was only $2 I let it go but WTF???? Is this the "rule"? If so, who needs to hear about this. I mean, what a PITA. And it isn't like this is for a FREE drink - I am still spending $2.

Also, I bought FIVE drinks the other morning and went in with the receipt that clearly shows the five drinks (all venti specials) and wanted to get two $2 drinks. Nope, it's one per receipt. So in the future am I supposed to have them ring each one up seperately? C'mon - FAIL!

So am I just being a beeyotch? Or is this sort of silly? Of note I am a HUGE Starbies girl, am totally faithful, always encourage the trainees no matter how slow they are or how many times they mess up, will CLEAN the bathroom up if I am in there and it's looking messy - you get it.

Input? Suggestions?

[Richard]

Barista Bob,

What makes Juan an illegal alien; the fact that he has a spanish monicker makes him a fiend or something?
How about you start attending the same sensitivity classes as Boston Starbucks Rebel!

[Bearded Barista]

Bren, the barista probably dropped the reciept she didnt give you in her safe box, which means she didnt have access to it anymore. In the future I would recommend saying you need to keep the receipt for the accountant before giving it to them. As for ringing up multiple drinks on multiple orders... please dont do it for multiple receipts, it makes transactions take a lot longer, and can be very frustrating for baristas and anyone waiting behind you in line.

[sample cup]

@ Bren:

The deal is intended to be one receipt=one drink at the $2 price.

[Coffee Soldier]

I had a customer today come in with a receipt with 45$ worth of stuff on it...4 drinks, 2 #'s WB, and a pastry...when they asked if they could buy 2 drinks at treat receipt price your damn sure I JUST SAID YES....I don't want to lose a customer in todays economy.

[Beantown Bearista]

Coffee Soldier you did the right thing...JUST SAY YES...Never argue or fight with the customer, its why we have the policy.
Heres a suggestion about treat receipts for you Bren; tell the barista at the pos for two copies of the receipt and explain that you would like one for the promo drink and one to turn into your accountant. All it is is a button to push on the screen of the POS called PRT LST. They can even mark one as not good for the promo.

[anna]

please dont call yourself a 'starbies girl' its pathetic

[MC in WeHo]

"Beantown Bearista" is the "beeyotch"

[BusyBean]

Are anyone's customers complaining about the increase in pastry prices since the launch of healthy foods? It seems the change in name and formula for essentially the same pastries doesn't justify the 10 cent increase for most. Any issues?

[Bren]

Hey Anna - what's pathetic is A) your not recognizing how important brand loyalty is regardless of what a customer calls themselves and B) a total lack of punctuation.

I am a STARBIES GIRL all the way and STARBIES should be damn glad to have me. I spend about $100 a week in there; to STARBIES that may not be a lot but to me it IS.

[spence]

Bren,
The promotion book states that customers need to "SHOW" their receipts. It doesn't say anything at all about us keeping them.
I am a partner and I am a Starbies Girl, too.

[nycstoremanager]

Partners love making their lives difficult!

I was working w/ a barista the other day & a guy spent over $20- he asked if he could have 2 receipts- the barista refused and they went back & forth b4 i finally jumped n & made her print him a 2nd one! Afterwards i was like really? Is it that serious?

There r tons of policies that baristas ignore everyday but when it comes to treat receipts they are all about *policy*!

[brown dot]

The point of the treat receipt is to get more people to come back a 2nd time. It is to increase traffic. And it is an opportunity for you guys to increase sales. yes, they may be getting a $3.50 drink for $2 however, you have the opportunity to get them to purchase a food item, which then adds another $2...so now your $2 transaction turns into $4. So don't argue, give them what they want! And do your job and upsale!

[FLbarista]

How many of you are doing the new grinding proceedure?? My store hasnt yet and actually im not even sure if my manager is going to tell anyone about it!! Just wondering...is it worth it??

[spence]

Brown Dot, Well said.

[Onward]

Let's start a petition to remove Barista Bob from this site for not liking Juan Valdez.

[spence]

We have been doing the Candence for about 2 weeks. It's can be done but I'm noticing that other things are taking a back seat. Because I am measuring, grinding and loading every 8 minutes, I do not have time to dash over to the condiment bar, quick wash the front door, pretty up the pastry case, stock up, etc.
At our store, the register barista handles making the coffee. Quite frankly, there is too much for me to do and do it well. I really really want a drain below the urns.
On the positive side, customers are not waiting for coffee.
Now, after 12:00 when the customer counts slow and we are only brewing Pike and Bold every 12 minutes: It's not a problem then at all.

[spence]

Let's not remove Barista Bob because he has a different opinion. Let's remove him because he's crass. (Bob, that means that you do not have any class or polish.)

[stacy]

"Starbies" makes you sound like you're still in high school... do you drink nothing but "fraps" too?

But to the point, the barista was being rather difficult for little to no reason. She could have x-ed out the treat portion and given you back the receipt. Hard copies of the redemption are nice, but it's really kept track through the computer. However, the barista did the correct thing on saying no to more than one drink for $2. It is one drink per receipt. Don't be a douche and have all drinks rung up separately just so you can cheat the system and get more discounted drinks in one day. This is guaranteed to make all the baristas and other customers pissed off.

We are doing this everyday for 3 months, you will have ample opportunity to receive discounted drinks. One per day for 3 months is more generous than any other promotion I've ever seen.

-------
And to the partners out there who's first words are "just say yes"-- that was created for grey area type situations. When there is a clear cut policy in place on how to handle something, you should be abiding by that rule. Otherwise, what is the point of having any policies to being with? If JSY is your one and only "policy" then you really can't run a business. You are instead running a soup-kitchen.

[MonkeyJoe]

"And to the partners out there who's first words are "just say yes"-- that was created for grey area type situations."

You obviously don't have a full understanding of what it means to *just* say yes. It too is a policy and it supercedes nearly every other policy, with a few exceptions like the return policy and anything food safety related. Its purpose is to not let the normal policies get in the way of satisfying a customer.

[WaSbuxMan]

Just Say Yes.....Not always!

The other day some woman in the strip mall at the Starbucks where I work wanted us to deliver her coffee since she couldn't leave her store. I told her I could not do that and she brought up "just Say Yes" and I told her I couldn't do it. She asked for my manager and I told her she was not there and she said she would call back.

Sometimes "Just Say Yes" causes headaches!

[stacy]

@MonkeyJoe

There is a huge difference in doing a little something extra to show your appreciation to a customer, versus letting customers whine and bitch until they get whatever it is they want. I have no problem going above and beyond for customers. My regular customers know I would do everything in my power to try to make them happy. But I will not, under any circumstances, give into someone who is just trying to cheat the system. No business should want a clientele who is only paying for product 50% of the time. This is one thing on a long list of why Starbucks is such shit these days.

[Melody]

I'm of the belief that the best policy is to treat every customer like a regular. If you would give your regular the benefit of the doubt, then I extend the same courtesy to the next person whom you don't know. The word of mouth returns on happy customers almost is beyond quantifying.

Tonight was the big re-opening party of University Village. I poked my head in very early, but due to other plans, couldn't stay and left very early. If anyone who was there wants to give a full report, I'm all ears ...

[BoldToday]

There was a reopening party at the University Village store? Dang, I'm always out of the loop when it comes to things like this (even though I'm a loyal customer with two registered cards). I was there just this afternoon (Friday) for an iced Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, and the barista at the Clover told me how it's her favorite, and we had a lovely little chat...

[pete]

Starbucks is going way downhill and there is no end in sight. Its mission to to transform itself into a greasy spoon like DD. They could have turned the Berry Chai Tea Infusion into a frappuccino for summer seasons, they didn't.

Their November 2008 downsizing of their subs (no way I'm paying $1 per oz of sub ever) and keeping the most craptacular (turkey cranberry) sub still on the menu, and the other have unbitable meat where all the meat is pulled out since your teeth can't cut it. I miss the Ham and Brie sub, and the Southwest Turkey Pepperjack sub.

Other than the new Vivano flavor, and a new salad, and the return of the Piadini (thankfully), I see no difference to the last season. What happened to all the promotional drinks and flavors that came about every season? Starbucks fire all of R&D in Seattle?

What happened to the Sorbetto (test marketed in LA) http://i43.tinypic.com/2mhwtna.jpg ? or Clover?

No summer drinks other than the Vivano. No Peach Apple Tart (one of the few lower calorie, wet bakery items). No new frappuccinos, dairy or non-dairy. No pomegranate frappuccino. No blackberry sauce. Nothing.

I remember when every season change it would be like Christmas morning finding out the new menus and a new promo drink. Now it feels like visiting McDonalds where the menu hasn't changed for a decade.

If I owned stock, I would've sold at the first store closing annoucement. This list http://www.starbuckseverywhere.net/ClosedStores.htm
is a thesis in capitalism gone rabid and a corporation killing their business model and uniqueness. Rather than being above DD and McD, now Sbux will be competitors. I'm very slowly switching to independent cafe near me because of starbucks' stagnation.

It knows how to compete with the Sbux in line of sight across the street, more teas, more coffees, more haute cuisine food, live (no-name) music, they added oatmeal 1 month after Sbux did to their menu, and they change their specials lists every day, also event catering. Only negative part is the higher prices than Sbux, since they target the expense account crowd better than Sbux does.

1 year ago, my Sbux had a morning rush from the local financial business sky scrapers. Now rather than 3 baristas, it down to 2, and they sit reading books in the comfy chair most of the morning until the senior citizens start rolling in after 9 AM to "third space" sbux. Evening hour cutting in May seems pathetic to me. Historically most Sbuxes in my region extend evening hours in May or April for summer, especially on the weekends. My Sbux is in a mega nightlife on weekends urban walkable area, so no reason for the hour cuts, except other businesses pulling away customers, or a failure of starbucks' allure.

I wonder if a Starbucks is still a status symbol among the white middle and upper class, or is it as much of a status symbol as a DD now after its licensed stores and menu stagnation and hours cutting?

I am from the Northeast.

[Noodoggy]

two things...

just say yes...is what it says...Starbucks does not make money by milking a customer for every cent when they walk in. Starbucks makes money on a REPEAT customer base that keeps coming in over a lifetime. It's the rationale behind the $2 treat receipt. I'd rather a customer pay 50 cents and keep coming back than get them for $2 and not come back. To think otherwise shows a lack of true business understanding. And is probably a good example of the malaise underlying the whole economic mess we are in. The risks in the realty market were passed off by people who wanted to get their buck now and be damned with the consequences later, even if it meant eventually dooming their business. Some customers are cheaters? maybe. But we are not in the business of judging customers. We are in the business of creating REPEAT customers. If you are so worried about the cost of a one time freebie or even a recurrent freebie, then discuss with your manager how to offset that cost. A good idea would be to get your customers to use their own cup or mug. i am sure there are many other great ideas out there.

Two:
I posted in the wrong section earlier...but has anyone noticed any difference if any in the brewed coffee since going to fresh grinding before brew? would love to hear your experiences with that.

[CamSpi]

@Pete

You act as though there isn't anything new at Starbucks, when really, A LOT has changed for phase two of summer.

All new pastries, a new healthy smoothie... but most importantly... lots of new coffee! The introduction of (Red) coffee, Gazebo is back and as good as ever, and Rwanda is delicious. And don't forget about interesting retail from Rwanda- like those neat totes and hand-made plushies.

Maybe I feel this way because I'm in a pilot area for a major frappuccino renovation, and I feel like new recipes and products are coming at me every day.

But I agree with your criticism about labor. Upper management is still encouraging stores to operate under ideal allotted labor. It seems like my manager actually gets excited when we have a rough day, and report calculate a -5.7% VTI. Labor is taken away from morning rushes when you need it the most, especially with the introduction of cadence brewing. Very frustrating!!!!!

[brown dot]

Pete

Starbucks is supposed to be trying to get back to the basics. Thank goodness we dont have 5 new drinks to deal with, to try to sample to customers and get them to buy it rather than their usual. I hope and pray for the day when our menus go down to just a few basic drinks and we don;t have 12 different flavors of syrup. In-N-Out burger has it right...they have burgers, fries and shakes...and they do great! Starbucks is trying to please too many fickle customers...we need to be Starbucks COFFEE not Starbucks Coffee, Tea, Sandwhiches, pastries, breakfast, lunch, snack, have it your way, smoothie, frappuccino Company

[Garch]

@Bren,

What I have done in my store is offer out two receipts to those that need one for accounting. When you come to the store in the morning ask for two receipts, be sure to explain why. If they put up a fuss then they aren't worthy of your business anyway!

[Barista Bob]

I'm sorry guys. I just can't bring myself to like "Juan Valdez." Why? Because other store managers read this blog, and might get ideas on how to improve that horrible idea known as "customer service," which I, for one, HATE! I hope and pray to Yahweh that my lesbian manager doesn't read Juan's dumb posts and get any bright ideas on how to turn our store around. I personally enjoy messing around with the customers and stressing them out. I know I'm probably in the minority their, but hey, it's how I feel. I'm out like my eyes after seeing Howard Schultz naked. Oy vey!

[me myself and I]

It seems like to many people really misunderstand the JSY policy. It has to do with common sense. Maybe Starbucks employs too many Baristas without it these days. But seriously, why would you say "no" to two 2 Dollar drinks with someone who had a way above average ticket? If they would be eligible with splitting their receipt, give it to them. Otherwise you will either alienate them or train them to make your life harder next time they come in and order ten drinks on ten receipts.
On the other side, if it was just someone buying one cheap drink in the morning but asking for 5 discounted drinks in the afternoon, I would say NO.
Use you sense of business, your common sense and all will be good. If you don't have any of these, your SM should have you on his watch list.

[Cheeky]

I don't understand why there are so many products on the shelves that nobody buys and sit on the clearance shelf forever but then the products that sell out before they are even out of the box like the double walled iced drink cups end up on ebay for 30 bucks because we can't get them. It seems to me that if a product is selling, maybe you should restock. Also, how many people are still asking for the melon syrup. Another stupid decision. If I want to use my treat receipt for a venti instead of a grande, how difficult is it to figure out. The manager at my store gets it but it's common sense really.

[brown dot]

Barista Bob

You would be the first partner that I would thoroughly enjoy terminating...I think I would do it with a smile :)

[starbottle]

I like the Bottled Frappuccino, which I buy in the grocery store.

Has the price just INCREASED, or am I imagining things?
The 9.5 oz size just rose from $1.79 to $2.19 at my local grocery. Is this happening elsewhere?

(Sbux also ran a big newspaper promotion a few weeks ago with a $1 off coupon for the bottled frapp or doubleshot. Maybe that is related to the price increase????)

Also, does anyone know where to buy the bottled frapp in the 13 oz big size? I have seen it at highway reststops. I saw the sign at the CVS, but they don't seem to actually carry it.

What is the price of both size bottled frapps if you buy them in Starbucks? I have trouble getting to a Starbucks so I don't know.

I am in the northeast. Thank you.

[Tracy]

Why is it trying to "cheat the system" if someone buys 5 drinks in the morning and wants 5 discounted drinks in the afternoon? It would be the same if 5 different people came in and bought drinks in the morning and then came back in the afternoon.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the logic?

What seems to be happening in my area in central california is that not all the baristas will honor the receipt for a frappuccino.

[Coffee Soldier]

Starbottle,

I'm in the northeast and see cases of the bottled frappuccinos for sale at places like Costco or Sams Club. It's much cheaper to buy them this way then individually in the stores.

[Rudeness.]

A few things:

Pastries are flying off the shelves in stores near me. Selling a lot more lately. The Banana Walnut Bread is fantastic. Anyone else try it?

And I went to a Starbucks I've never been to to test a theory:

Walked in, asked what they were brewing (Pike only) and was offered Gazebo if I was willing to wait. I asked for Italian Roast french pressed and was asked if I wanted a size or a cup + the whole press for $3.70. 6 minutes later I had it and they were sort of busy. I suggest others go and try it and see what they offer/will do.

[BoldToday]

@ Starbottle:

The price of the bottled Frappuccino is up to the individual retailer, and is not set by Starbucks. (FYI, the beverage is produced by partnership between Starbucks and PepsiCo.) The price variances and price increases have nothing to do with Starbucks or their promotions. I've seen them priced individually between $1.49 and $2.99 (even higher in a restaurant/foodservice environment), or $3.99 to $7.99 per 4-pack. Huge differences, clearly.

For the 13-ounce size, I would kindly suggest looking and shopping around until you find it.

I'm not sure how much either size would cost in a Starbucks store.

[JavaJoe]

well its my understanding that someone with an expensive amount reciept and someone with a reciept with one drink shouldnt be treated differently. a few of our best customers only get one drink, but they do it every day. the problem with society is that now when you give anyone an inch, they take a mile. nobody else just says yes and they seem to be doing fine. im kinda in the middle on this treat reciept thing. right now im just focusing on helping the paying customers feel like guests, and listening to whatever my ss and sm tells me! if they give you an order, they will most likely back you up

[Curious Customer]

I have a question about recovery coupons. I was cleaning out an old purse and found one of the old style brown recovery coupons in it. Are those still valid?

[Barista Ben]

As far as info on sorbetto - they are removing those terrible things from our stores. Which is good because we were going to take it out back and dump it somewhere. 5 feet of room taken up by that monster. I am glad it didn't pan out that thing was such a pita. An hour to close at night? Really? REALLY? RIP sorbetto machine.

Rumor has it they want to find a different way to 'make' sorbetto. Soon we'll have iced blended fraps, smoothies, and sorbettos! And we will have to explain why all our iced drinks are different.. *sob*

[Melody]

@Tracy - That's crazy that your Starbucks won't honor the treat receipt for a Frappuccino. It is as clear as day the real purpose of the treat receipt is to cultivate and hook the twice a day customer.

@JavaJoe - I see variations of "just say yes" happening all around me in the food industry. The waste from partners using take out cups on breaks, or other in store waste is far more than a little 30 or 40 cents here or there. Don't even get me started on the stacks of recovery coupons or Via samples on ebay. That's a true loss!

Even if Starbucks had no policy called "just say yes" there would still be a "just say yes". You can't get rid of it. There will always be times when you're better off losing 40 cents, than losing a customer. You may win the war but lose the battle. Starbucks does that too much these days.

Really this post is for MrsTillinghamshackles: I am up in your area of Snohomish County today. After only a slight hassle at the register, a barista brewed up Estima for me. I asked a bar barista if they had someone working at that store with the last name of "Tillinghamshackles" and he looked at me as if I had two heads and said, "I would remember that last name. Not here. Maybe Smokey Point?". I didn't push it. Clearly no one at that store reads this site!

[over and done ????]

Will,
FSN is done with the Pilot Program, they are being Evaluated on their service and what they have saved Starbucks, as in Dollars, not much from what I have heard.

Will,
again the Service Sucked, sending out people that didn't have a clue, the cover up by not letting anyone know, there were problems with the vendors, they did get cought Dubble Billing.

The RD's telling the DM's and SM's this is the way things are going to be from now on and to get over it.
but the DM's and SM's are pissed because they won't get a Bonus anymore.
(Manager's are starting to Quit faster than they can replace them.

The Stores have stopped calling any service calls in because it will hit their bottom line on their P&L.
They are no longer able to get everything fixed on one work order, from now on each item must have a work order, and they will get billed one hour for each work order, that won't save any money. (bad idea on this one)

Will the deal is this, while FSN is being Evaluated, they can't do any PM's because this would mean that still have a contract, this would take them over the 90 day Pilot Program, which means that they are going ahead with the Deal and not telling anyone, which in return would set both company's up for a law suit.
So the Evaluation should only take about 30 days but Starbucks gave them 60 to 90 more days, so if this is the case again, Starbucks has extended the contract, and they have Set themselves up for a Law Suit, and if FSN does any work past the 90 day's they will also fall under the Law Suit....(only service call's)

So the game is to wait and see who will play their hand first.

FSN is Based in Scottsdale AZ, so where do you think the next area will be. (TX)

That's if they get the contract. FSN is really working hard on getting the Contract.
because Facilities will be all under one roof, and out of Starbucks hands all together.

By the end of this year FSN will take over TPD and ship everything (parts) out of TX, cheaper labor.

You guys better start pulling your heads out of your b__ts if you don't have a clue by now.

Just think about what you have heard and what you really know.
you haven't heard much, just that the Contract is over and nothing else....

Just tell the Tech's everying is Great and we will have lot's of work for you, than Blind side them, they won't have a clue what hit them. AH AH AH AH
(Management); I am so good at this by now no one has a clue...who's next...

[Killer Kona]

"Just Say Yes" is basically a policy that keeps us from having to argue with a paying customer over something that is trivial. The customer gets satisfied, we aren't all worked up and stressed, and the company is happy because that customer will probably return. The customers are the reason why we put on those green aprons kids, I know to many out there it is just a paycheck, but if all you are in it for is the paycheck I hear that Burger King is hiring. Starbucks provides LEGENDARY CUSTOMER SERVICE, if you aren't willing to give it then you are part of the reason why the company is hurting right now. I might catch some shit for this, but this is just my opinion. I also am sick of hearing partners say that they don't drink coffee so they can't do tastings...IT IS A PART OF YOUR JOB AND IS A REQUIREMENT!!
My ranting is done for the day...thank you.

[Beantown Bearista]

I agree with Killer Kona...in my store I can think of a bunch of partners who have been there for over a year and have tasted maybe one or two coffees. I hold tastings with every promo, and I usually get yawns,eye rolls, and sucked teeth when I hand them the tasting cup. I even tried to talk about the new farmer support center in Rwanda and how great it was to have 2 brand new coffees to share with our customers, but hardly anyone cared. I felt like I was talking to the wall. It's actually pretty sad.

[seriously]

I we can afford to sell monkeys why can't we sell Barista Bears???

[sbsm]

Curious Customer:
If you brought it into my store I would honor it. Those coupons do not have expiration dates on them.

[Vincent]

Posted by brown dot:

'Starbucks is trying to please too many fickle customers...we need to be Starbucks COFFEE not Starbucks Coffee, Tea, Sandwhiches, pastries, breakfast, lunch, snack, have it your way, smoothie, frappuccino Company'...

BINGO! VERY well stated.

I also totally agree with Beantown Barista and Killer Kona..It is MONUMENTALLY sad that Starbucks COFFEE has such an increasing number of partners that don't like, have NO interest in, or even minimally appreciate COFFEE. I stated in a post last week that as little as 5 years ago, this would borderline on blasphemy at the 'BUX. But seemingly now in 2009, no more. This metamorphisis aids in the transformation of Starbucks COFFEE, to Starbucks Sandwhiches, pastries, breakfast, lunch, snack, have it your way, smoothie, frappuccino etc...

Again, VERY sad indeed.