"I just want to draw a middle finger on your cup"

If you work at SBUX, you'll be nodding your head in agreement to the lyrics of "The Starbucks Rant Song"...

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Comments

[Anon.]

horrible.

[CoffeeBean330]

I saw this on facebook. I love it.

[SK]

brilliant! Thanks for posting.

[spence]

He should be fired. Having said that, I listened to it several times and laughed each time.

[shift.misto]

i love that he is actually a barista, not just someone with a funny idea. im not going to shake your tea, i'll just swirl it a bit..

[Guat.my.mala]

I loved that video. I posted it on FB. (since my profile is super duper private).

[Guat.my.mala]

The part about latinos with extra caramel frappuccinos is soooo true. =) I almost died laughing at that part.

[SDheadbaristaemeritus]

As an ex barista, he hit the nail on the head. I would decaf people left and right.

[Coffee Soldier]

Is he still a barista or did he quit and then post that! Wow...hysterical but a pretty risky move to post that online!

[promotedtocustomer]

Ha ha, I love it! He shouldn't be fired. Geez!

[Jersey Girl]

HYSTERICAL! And all oh, so true.

[spence]

Okay. It's very funny but if he's actually doing the things he says, well, yeah, he should be outed.

[drive]

Wonderful and super-clever!

[lizz]

You are so my hero!!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!

[af]

This song is great -- I wonder if he quit his job and then could victoriously share this with the internet?

[Ian]

I think he should be promoted, not fired. Dur dur dur.

[DelusionalCustomers]

Without a doubt, at least a quarter of the baristas at every Starbucks I've worked at/covered shifts (20+ stores) do one or more of the things that guy listed.

[ANON]

why should Chris be penalized for being honest? 70% of customers treat baristas like crap. This is the environment that Starbucks has created by catering to customers the way that they have. Starbucks has created unbearable work conditions also impossible work conditions for actual human beings. I once had a DM tell me that we are supposed to smile while cleaning up shit in the bathroom. I can smile while being called names, having customers throw drinks at me, being made fun of by teenagers, threatened by the homeless and other crazy people but no.. I can not smile while cleaning human shit on a daily basis. Keep in mind we make a dollar more than minimum wage. Ah, what a great culture. Thank you man for making me smile!!

[That Guy]

@ANON welcome to retail, doesnt sound like its for you, or the guy in the video.

Honestly you described maybe a .05% of your actual job description, and if it was as bad as you say our thousands of partners would have quit long ago and as a company we wouldnt be getting countless applicants on a daily basis.

[Justin]

I don't think wanting my shaken iced tea to be shaken is creating a horrid work place :P funny though.

[hi]

i love this video! you have to be able to laugh and have fun with your job! especially with the way we get treated as coffee robots and not real people,... as for people saying starbucks has unbearable work conditions and blah blah blah.. ITS A JOB! we aren't there to just sling lattes and go home.. we are there to help run a business, in all aspects...drink quality,selling, cleaning, customer service, etc..
Starbucks didn't smear shit on the wall or puke all over the bathroom, that was someone else and as much as i hate it i have to clean it sometimes.. oh well, its a JOB!

[Tom]

Woh guys. I love how people immediately hold others to a standard of perfection (which they don't hold themselves to) and call for termination of employment. First of all, it's a comedy song. Learn to laugh a little. Second, the video has 200+ likes and only 5 dislikes. That should tell you something. What he says is merely what the average barista experiences. Chill out and laugh if you've found yourself taking the same short cuts. Fire the guy? Goodness, he's getting minimum wage. It's just a cup of coffee, give me a break...

[Matte]

I thought my store was the only one with a human feces on the floor/walls problem.

[Long Timer]

An instant classic, like Penza Bars and Joe magazine.

[Long Timer]

I think this should make it on the next "Off The Clock" CD.

[latteteadah]

@anon That's what retail and service industry businesses do - cater to customers. The next time you find yourself upset over having to clean a toilet as just one part of your job to earn your wages, consider that many of the people walking into your store also had to do things they weren't comfortable with or enjoyed to earn the money to be able to buy a drink from you. That doesn't entitle them to trash the restroom, sure, but we're talking about the average person here, not the insane.
If your company allows them to customize without a charge, don't be shocked when people do it. They could just as easily choose to not walk in the store and spend their money, and there goes your job altogether.
It's just how life goes. Whether you're a barista, or an administrator in an office - we all do unpleasant things and encounter people with attitude, but we grin and bear it because it's what's necessary.
People don't want to hear it, but there are people with degrees and decades of experience in other fields who would consider themselves lucky to be in your shoes - working at a Starbucks where there's at least some variety to what you do and interaction with people, vs. other places (i.e. cleaning toilets in a building after hours being the only thing you're paid to do).
I take the song as it is - just some good old-fashioned venting. We all do it.

[lattelady]

It was HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh so true. After kissing butt all day long everyone has the need to vent. He does it in such a comedic e=way. All comedy shows have lampooned Starbucks, so this guy is nothing different. Sat. Night Live & Mad TV have all done it. Get over it!! It is truth in comedy.

[James Connolly]

Not bad.

[tmastert]

I think everyone who thinks he should be fired should go work at sbux for a week during the middle of summer and see if they feel the same way :D

[Wannabe]

PLAIN AWESOMENESS!

[Sad Barista]

luv it

[Argentius]

Great stuff. I know all of these customers... notice how he's not just ranting about the crap customers pull, but also the crap baristas get away with...

It may not be a job that takes a great deal of qualifications to get in the door, but d-mned if isn't hard! A part of me misses those green apron days...

[Waltie]

Yeah, this was pretty dumb. The funny thing is how this guy comes off like a judgmental prick for being angry at people who come in and expect him to... you know... do his job. It's not as though he's pointing out people who are harassing him or anything. He's making fun of fat people and people with kids who are crying.

Yeah, this guy's a loser.

[leftinthebottomoftheroaster]

The latino with xcr crf was funny, but if he really wanted to be edgy, he would mention the African American STCF+ Lemon Loaf combo. But I doubt he'd get away with that.

@waltie- Fat people deserve to be made fun of. They bring it on themselves with their lack of self control and constantly stuffing their faces. Public taunting should be allowed.

[Faux Paws]

Integrity...

Is what you do when folks aren't watching.

As a barista in NJ & Richmond, VA, I had my share of total jerk-wad customers.

But never did I switch brewed decaf for the real deal. Only once for shots...that doesn't count for tall drinks, right?

Do your best. You have to live with yourself, not your jerk-wad customers.

Faux Paws
PS: LoL at the kiddie stuff. Don't you love when the pre-pubescents come in by droves for their custom fraps?

[Alex]

Jeez, what's with everyone getting all butt hurt about this? It's a song. On Youtube. If anyone (customer or barista) has a problem with the lyrical content of this song, GET OVER IT.

It was funny, it was off the clock, and based on most of our experiences-- it was absolutely true.

[anonymus]

aaahahahah african american + lemon loaf!! SO TRUE!!

[Working Stiff]

Anyone work for a Boston-area Starbucks? If so, can you please contact me at heraldstiff (at) gmail (dot) com?

[coco]

Waltie....are you one of the customers that come sit in the cafe all day using the free internet and buying a tall coffee....i come look at this site occassionaly and YOU are ALWAYS commenting on every thread against any comments that arn't positive....have a sense of humor...you obviously don't or never have worked at a Starbucks....yeah it is an OK job but the company over caters to customers so that they have a sense of entitlement that they can treat us without respect...I don't care if they have spent $5 on a drink...that is their choice to walk thru the door and spend their money...so don't expect us to kiss their rears...even tho I don't decaf people or intentionally make drinks sub standard, I think the video was awesome and funny

[Craig]

I can honestly say I've felt all his frustrations at one time or another over the year (and had nightmares about rotting teeth from XCR people) but I would never do any of those things. (I was an SM... not a great example.)

I agree with some comments though... Sbux has created a horrible working environment. Yes, shaken iced tea should be shaken, but after 100 of them in an hour, it's like, "can't we just have normal iced tea already!" Same with fraps... "bring out the McShake machine..."

But those frustrations are alive because Starbucks is too cheap to staff it's stores. When 1 person is forced to become a fake, un-genuine, smiling robot doing a repetative task for hours at a time, they do have a breaking point.

Back in the day, when say 5 or 6 people were on the floor working, we could all roate and keep it fresh and avoid burn out. And service was better for the customers too...

Now a store that would of had 5 people has like 2... But you choose to work where you work. Don't be a douche if you hate it. Just quit... that's what I did.

[Chrissizle]

I am actually the guy who did this video.

On that note I just wanted to say that I understand all of the negative critique and accept it. I can't make everybody happy. I actually love my job and love making the best drinks.

I made this video not for the customer, with whom I love deeply, and not for my managers, with whom I respect and appreciate, but for my fellow baristas. If I was able to provide just a few with some comedic relief after a stressful shift, than I can accept the consequences of my actions.

I'm sorry if it offended you, really.

[Coco]

Your awesome Chrissizle....and I'm sure ALL baristas can relate whether they will admit it or not!!! I think you deserve a MUG award and a raise.

[M]

Love love love the video and take it with your intent....you didn't get fired did you?

[cafenoir]

@waltie- Fat people deserve to be made fun of. They bring it on themselves with their lack of self control and constantly stuffing their faces. Public taunting should be allowed.

Posted by: leftinthebottomoftheroaster | September 06, 2011 at 06:22 PM

Just FYI, you are a huge douchebag for saying that. I hope you understand that genetics come into play. Besides, there are legitimate eating disorders (binge eating disorders) that affect people in ways similar to alcoholism. Would you make fun of alcoholics for no self control? Besides, not all fat people lack self control nor do they constantly stuff themselves.

I don't expect you to believe any of this and I do expect you to continue being a douchebag, but somebody has to stand up for human dignity.

[BoriScorpio]

This video is awesome!!!! I did it for 8 years and some people fail to understand what its like. Last time I checked their job is not to cater to IDIOTS who think they know what they want when they dont hence the dry cappuccino comment. Im spanish and I found the caramel frappucino comment so true. Yeah people pick their jobs or sometimes they have no choice to work where they do but it doesnt give other people the right to think they are better then those baristas because they have that apron on. Tust the apron does come off and at some point that person who you thought was worthless for working at starbucks and was just making coffee may at some point be your doctor :) Its a video on youtube for petes sake if people are offended then dont watch.

[leftinthebottomoftheroaster]

@cafenoir-

Of course genetics can PLAY A ROLE in weight, and can effect a small percentage of the population. medical disorders account for a very small percentage of obesity. Look around, we are pushing 60% obesity rates, and it's mostly apathy. Genetics, medical disorders, mental issues- those are excuses. Once you know you have them, they CAN be successfully treated, cheaply and easily.

[Kaklong]

Since you were a good employee otherwise, you may as well file for unemployement benefits, and if the company refuses to pay, go to a hearing with them and the unemployemnt office and fight for your rights. If you don't get your job back, at least you will have some income while looking for a new job.

[Bunter McFarlan]

Cappuccinos are difficult to make, it's true. Ordering a cappuccino from Starbucks is futile and useless. The best thing to do at sbux is probably just a drip coffee if you are desperate enough to go there for whatever reason. You can't expect a busy store to make a cappuccino while 20 people are waiting for their Fraps.

Having said all that, yes, cappuccino drinkers do tend to be picky. Also, we shouldn't have to specify "DRY". If the cappuccino comes out exactly like a late, then it's a late. If it's a bit heavy, then that's fine. If I want it dry, I will say dry. However, if the barista makes a late when the customer ordered a cappuccino, then the barista is just being lazy, or is too busy. Personally, I think it would be better if he could say "DO you want that dry?" or, "I'm sorry, we are too busy to make you a proper cappuccino." How refreshing would that be.

ANYWAY . . . I think this guy lucked out. He's talented and articulate and will end up somewhere far better. As far as being offended goes, as a cappuccino drinker I'm far more offended than as a Latino. And, that's not a lot :)

[Toni]

All I can say is " wow" !!

[4yearsplus]

Every barista should donate their tips for a week to this guy just for the stress relief these songs bring!