I'll be enjoying a coffee or two at Starbucks on Christmas Day; will you?

Or will you be working there? In past years, I've frequented Starbucks stores in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and New York City on Christmas Day, and they were always packed. ...and customers seemed to tip well. What are your Christmas plans? || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[gc]

To be fair, Waltie has a point.

I'm sure there are many, many employees for Starbucks (and other retail outlets for that matter) that felt compelled to "volunteer" for holiday shifts.

When you're working in a job market like those who work for Starbucks work in (where just about anyone's qualified and Starbucks can literally pick from just about anyone out there desperate enough for a job), I'm sure someone felt like they didn't want to rock the boat and request off for the holiday. It's about job security, and sure, it was a face-value offer by the employee, but if they had their druthers, they probably would have asked to not work.

I'm sure some folks legitimately volunteered, but there were probably many more who just have job insecurity and didn't want to rock the boat.

As for the other, sure, it's retail. Generally, unless it's super-niche, retail's biggest boom times are in the last quarter of the year, largely during the holidays.

If you work in retail (eg retail food service like Starbucks), you're catering to those typically better off and with better careers that can afford things typical retail workers cannot afford. Retail workers are there to serve those who can afford what's being sold. It's all about serving the customer, after all, and making sure you're serving the affluent customer. You're supposed to work around their schedules, not have your customer work around yours.

Not too much to debate here, from what I can see.

[S-to-the-M]

New action item that labor, had been in fact, miscalculated with the rollout of Simphony. This problem has been affecting stores since October. I knew it, and we've felt it!!!! And of all times- our most crucial quarter!!

[James Connolly]

Hah. Holy shit, knew it. We've been talking about it in my district since they rolled that piece of shit boondoggle out.

The problem is accountability. The people at the top are completely unaccountable for their actions to the people who those actions affect the most. The Howard Schultzes and Cliff Burrows get to do whatever the hell they want, and when it inevitably screws over the people in the stores or working in the roasting plants, they don't get called to account for their actions.

In all seriousness, does anyone actually think that we, the baristas, shifts, and (yeah, maybe) SMs, wouldn't do a better job running this company than the people who are already doing it? Because, in all seriousness, I can't see a downside.

[Red cup]

@gc stop copying and pasting the same argument in every thread nobody cares or listens to you. You are so
Pathetic you are more pathetic than buttonpusherhater and waltie.

[Devremülk]

i like to read your posts. thanks for this one.

[javagirl666]

NO stores open in my district..not enough ppl signed up to staff even one.

[Patrick]

Can't believe Stores opened on Christmas Day. Gladly here in Dublin all Starbucks where closed, along with all shops. It's a Public Holiday, so everyone gets the day off including all public transport.

[anoy shift supervisor]

I did tips for my store yesterday... tips for people who worked xmas day were 9.17 an hour! That's in addition to being paid time and a half that day... I wish I had worked! Tips are usually around 1.20 an hour in this area.

[anne]

green cup,you have some serious issues,and i don't care how much money you have and how important you are,i wouldn't want to be you,and waltie you really need to experience the real world ,what region do you work in?you should come here to nyc and see how things work in other regions/districts before you judge.

[usorthem3]

Atheist do not recognize religious holidays even if they are Federal. Christmas was a Saturday that happened to fall on a FAKE(Jesus was not born on the 25th Dec) religious holiday. END Period. Happy Saturnalia everyone. It is the true pagan holiday this time of year, the Christians just stole it.

[red cup]

just because we are arguing that sbux stores should be closed on christmas does not mean we are forcing atheist or non christians to celebrate it, just because you idiots cant have your overpriced coffee does not mean you are celebrating christmas please learn how to argue properly and stick to the point. we are arguing that sbux should close because:
1. it is not a necessity
2. so NO ONE is forced to work.
green cup,waltie, buttonpusherhater you guys suck.

[Waltie]

"and waltie you really need to experience the real world ,what region do you work in?"

I work in a Starbucks kisok in Neverland Ranch. What, is that not representative of the rest of the company?

[latteteadah]

@hipster - the number of SB's open, from what I've gathered, is actually small compared to the number that see fit to close. It contradicts the point you're trying to make - if it weren't important to most people to have the stores closed on federal holidays, why is it not a company-wide policy to have every single store open and staffed from the pool of available partners? It seems to me that the norm is actually the opposite - there is no great benefit or loss to the company to have that % of stores opened or closed on the day - so why is it such a thorn to advocate that partners in the minority of stores that decide to stay open (voluntarily - not out of true business need) have choice?
It sounds like most of them do have choice, but it's NOT ridiculous to believe that keeping one coffeehouse open in a particular district and forcing staff to work the day is unecessary either. As hard as you baristas and cashiers and stockers work (I've been there myself) - your services aren't life-essential. People can and do survive for 24 hours without store-brewed coffee and tea! :) Case in point - stores on the East Coast (and in my region back on Dec 11) that closed during the mega snow storm. Wasn't related to a holiday, but people survived having their favorite retail brew houses closed - and no one was forced to sit one minute longer with relatives, pets, or annoying neighbors any more than they usually would be. Their holiday pay didn't suffer for it.

[Hipsterdufus]

yes when stores close do to a snowstorm, THERE ARE NO CUSTOMERS!! 'IF' all the basristas made it to the store and they persevered an opened anyway, they would have made hundreds, not thousands of dollars in sales. That is not enough money to open a store and remain profitable.

However, the stores that choose to stay open on holidays still make enough money to be profitable and provide a service to customers. Despite what you might think, the customers that come in LOVE that the store is open, that is the bottom line. What does it matter that it's nonessenial.

again, why do busniesses have to be closed on a holiday just because they are non-essential items?! Don't you think it's essential for those baristas who want to work to not loose out on a days work?! you think it's essential for non-beleivers to have absolutly nothing to do on a religious hoiday?! are we trying to bore athiests into submission? lol i jest, but seriously?!

W

[Hipsterdufus]

and I don't get what you don't get about only some stores being opened.

EVERYSTORE IS DIFFERENT. Everystore has a different customer base, even though we're talking about stabucks.

Stores in highly catholic areas will have MUCH less traffic than a store that is in a jewish area. Just one example.

Maybe a store in a very affluent neighborhood will see a dramatic drop in traffic because the customers all go away for holiday.

This is why most stores close but some stay open.

It's all about knowing your customer, and reflecting on your store's sales history.

[wham bam thank you ma'am]

Five stores including mine were open in my district and were all busy. I didn't have any trouble finding partners to work when making the schedule and had one volunteer from a neighboring store help out. We were actually overstaffed for that day, but I didn't care as I wanted it to let the partners have a fun shift that worked on Christmas Day and also so the customers would have good service. I know it wasn't so easy for a lot of stores in different markets or even in my district to find the coverage for the day. After 8 Christmases with Starbucks it pays to be proactive and I start looking at staffing needs for this time of year in September.

[explainsalot]

wait, wait , wait you don't even work in a real starbucks waltie? That explains a LOT.

[I <3 music]

@explainsalot

Someone needs to explain sarcasm to you.

[I.Heart.Spirit]

Was very excited to get my $155 in tips for working on Christmas, plus more money for the rest of the week. Can't wait to do it again next year!

[I.Heart.Spirit]

(PS, thanks to all the generous and kind customers who came to keep us busy!)

[RememberTheOldDays?]

I have nothing against having stores open so long as they're staffed with people who want to be working. It's really that simple. If your district has enough coverage to open 1 store, 2 stores, or all the stores...by all means let those people who WANT to work, work. I just don't want to see people faced with the choice of having a job on Dec 26th or spending Christmas Day with people they care about.

[Coffee Soldier]

New topic please!!!!!!!1

[Waltie]

"I just don't want to see people faced with the choice of having a job on Dec 26th or spending Christmas Day with people they care about."

What about March 26th? Should we make that a volunteer day too? Or should we just go ahead and staff every day on a volunteer basis, because you never know when people might prefer to spend time with friends and family instead of going into their jobs. In fact, just to be on the safe side, let's just close every store permanently. I mean, why should we force people to come in at all? That's just not fair.

(does that sound stupid and unreasonable and illogical? Well, so does closing stores on Christmas just because some people think we should.)

[I.Heart.Spirit]

Isn't Christmas on the 25th?

[James Connolly]

Waltie, seriously, you don't grasp why many people might want to spend Christmas Day with their family instead of working?

[Red cup]

@waltie
Nice use of the slippery slope fallacy your ignorance never fails to show.

[Waltie]

"Waltie, seriously, you don't grasp why many people might want to spend Christmas Day with their family instead of working?"

I absolutely understand that. I feel for anybody who would rather not work on Christmas, and if I work with them, I will do everything in my power to make sure they have that day off. However... it is a job that well all signed up for knowing that our employer is open 365 days a year at most locations. That's just a fact, so some people are going to have to work. Ideally, the people who don't want to work won't have to work while the people who don't mind working (like me) will work.

However, that isn't really the issue I've been having with most people. What really annoys and offends me is when people insist that because they celebrate Christmas a certain way (or at all, for that matter), then everybody needs to observe that, so therefor all stores should be closed on holidays. That's just specious logic that makes no sense to me. Luckily, it also makes no sense to Starbucks so we'll stay open.

And that's ok, because there is no shortage of people who are happy to work.

"Nice use of the slippery slope fallacy your ignorance never fails to show. "

I don't think that's really a sentence.

[RememberTheOldDays?]

(does that sound stupid and unreasonable and illogical? Well, so does closing stores on Christmas just because some people think we should.)"

Well I'm glad that "some people" includes everyone up to my RVP because he sure endorsed us having "only select stores" open. If a store normally does $3000 on a Saturday and on Christmas Day did half that and they were one store out of 10 in the district then it would seem to me that there isn't that much demand from our customers to have EVERY store open. It would seem that to be a poor use of company resources to open every store in the area to make $500.

[Waltie]

Obviously if there is no demand, the stores shouldn't stay open. That would be illogical. All I'm saying is that the business needs should dictate if a store stays open, and not the sentiment of a few people who think christmas is a time when everybody has to stay home.

[RememberTheOldDays?]

Well, again, I find myself agreeing with you there.

[Red cup]

@waltie
Nice use of the ad hominem fallacy your ignorance never fails to show.

[Waltie]

I don't think you know what the word "ignorance" means.

[Red cup]

Ignorance-lacking in knowledge. Pretty simple concept.

[Phil Melton]

Visited a Sbux in Kernersville, NC on Christmas Day, and the staff was very pleasant and seemed to be enjoying themselves. One clueless visitor was exasperated that the NY Times had not been delivered that day.

[latteteadah]

@hipster - again - it's NOT about religion. This is the SAME argument that people would have about the 4th of July. It's not about people spending the day any particular way - how many times have people had to re-explain that - it's about the almighty dollar NOT BEING AS IMPORTANT AS PEOPLE!
People NEED time off - consumers NEED to give more than passing thought to what it means when they frequent places, buy things. It makes no diff to me whether they're off because they're religious or not. People have FOUGHT to have federal holidays because it was RARE for an employer to even offer a CHOICE to their employees. Lest we forget. You have the luxury of being able to choose. It wasn't always that way. And the more people forget that - the more we put "well, the customers show up, so it must be ok" as the guiding rule - the more we slap those folks in the face - the people who worked 7 days a week and earned nada for back-breaking work.
Serving coffee is an art, a science, and an honorable job - but it is NOT essential, and it does NOT make or break a business to have it closed for ONE day.
Why is that so difficult to admit? It's not about you (the person who doesn't care if they're working one way or another) - it's about the worker who wants and needs the time off who can't get it because the company caters to customers who don't think they can go an entire day without spending money or making their own coffee.

[Red cup]

Latteteadah
Amen. I wish I could articulate my thoughts as well as you. For the mean time waltie still sucks, doesnt know how to argue and believes his experiences are universal, green cup is still living in the 19th century and believes in slavery and buttonpusherhater doesnt know the meaning to the word irony.

[Waltie]

It's not that I "don't know how to argue," it's that I choose not to. I engage in intelligent, civil discourse. People who try to pick a fight or start an argument with me are always going to walk away frustrated because I'm above that. I simply state the facts as I know them, and my opinions as I believe them.

Argue? No. I engage in conversation.

There is no right or wrong regarding stores staying open or closed on holidays. I simply have been explaining why the company chooses to stay open, and I have been expressing my opinion as to why I think their reasoning is correct. Why anybody would choose to argue with any of that is beyond me. The stores are going to be open on Christmas, and I'm glad about that.

And as for believing my experiences are universal (whatever that means), I simply believe that six years with the company in various positions gives me a certain expertise, perspective, and knowledge about how the company is run at a store level. I don't presume to speak for any other partner. I simply point out when other supposed partners are talking out of their asses and making accusations that simply aren't true.

In other words, I keep it real.

[Red cup]

I guess you don't know the meaning of argumentation, your ignorance never fails to show and it is now obvious that you are not college educated.

[Waltie]

Uh... except for the fact that I am college educated.

I mean, you may disagree with my opinions, but to call me ignorant or to imply that I'm stupid or lacking in education is just, um, stupid.

Nice try though. Just quit while you're behind.

[Red cup]

Where did you go to school? What was your major? Six years at the bux huh I didnt know the bux required an education.

[notthathard]

@Waltie, so you think that everything is relevant except your opinion? We already knew that. @Redcup, you are my hero

[Waltie]

I'm embarrassed for both of you.

Are you really trying to insult me and question my education, intelligence, and integrity simply because I don't think all stores should be closed on Christmas? That is so weird.

Or am I missing something?

[Bec215]

So reading the comments, it seems pretty simple:
- Store managers should ask people to sign up to work,
- Stores open for the hours that they have staff to support,
- If you're a store manager, don't ask people to work extended hours if you don't also have sufficient staff to cover breaks and closing.

My boyfriend's manager changed his regular schedule - without telling him- 4 days before New Year's Eve, and assigned him to close on New Year's Eve. So he couldn't ask to take off (we had plans), because he had to stick to the rule of giving her 2 weeks notice to request a day off! Originally she planned to keep the store open until 1am on New Year's - but the partners refused to work past regular closing, knowing they wouldn't get home before 1 am anyway and she only staffed 2 people for this extremely high-volume store located in a central tourist area. When you have people who behave like this, of course partners are going to vote to close the store - when managers act reasonably, employees aren't resentful.

[Red cup]

Im just trying to ask you a couple a questions. I suggest you answer them. If I'm making you feel stupid trust me uts accidental.

[Red cup]

It's*

[Waltie]

Don't worry, you're not making me feel, look, or sound the least bit stupid. If you had been reading my posts (or, at, least, understanding them), you'd realize that I've been of the opinion that the opposite is what has been happening.

I've been attempting to stick to the matter at hand, while you resorted to insults and completely ridiculous accusations. How do you not understand that that means you lost? You should go away now before you sink even lower and start to look even worse than you do now. And that's out of compassion, not anger.

[Red cup]

Pointing out someone s ignorance is not an insult and I'm not sure what wild acussations I made so can you please answer the questions I asked or quit while your behind.

[Waltie]

I've said all I feel the need to say on this topic. It has been exhausted by this point. And no offense, but I'm not going to answer any questions about my private life or personal history on this website. Sorry.

But I am flattered that you thought my "quit while your behind" line was funny enough to steal, but I spelled "you're" correctly.

Have a nice life, Red cup. Maybe someday you'll explain to me why the fact that I don't think Starbucks should be closed on Christmas elicited such anger and confusion from you. On second thought, I don't care. I'm done with you. Enjoy the ditch where I left you and your sorry attempt at a debate.

[Red cup]

What im concerned about is not that you feel sbux should be open its how you go about stating your opinion, claiming that your experiences are universal, using fallacies and then using the "its my opinion" defense. Btw sbux workshops dont count as an education.

[notthathard]

red cup is not the one looking more and more foolish