The weekend is finally here! That means it's time for another open thread

There's no such thing as going off-topic here; chat about anything you want that's Starbucks-related.

Comments

[jenOOOOOOOOO]

About my drink request...I'd be happy to have my shots pulled into shot glasses and then dumped in my cup. I'd even be happy to have my 4 shots in a regular paper cup and then an extra venti cup filled with ice. But how do I request it? When ask for an iced quad espresso, I get it in a tall cup with ice. I want a venti cup with ice so that it cools to the temp I want.

I've even tried ordering an iced venti americano, no extra water (willing to pay the extra 10 cents to get the combo taste I wanted), but was told they weren't allowed to do an iced venti WITHOUT the water. Huh? Forced water? For a higher price? I wish I could have a SBUX manual to know what the realy scoop is.

The only reason I want to know how to call my drink correctly is because I want CONSISTENT beverages. And I find that I don't get them from store to store. In fact, some stores have people who don't even know how to ring up a quad espresso. Last week, one barista rang up a doppio and then charged for two extra shots. Huh? This same store also tried to charge me for a tall Americano with two extra shots when I ordered a Venti Americano in a tall cup. (Before you ask, water to espresso ratio is my desired effect.)

Another store in the Old Orchard plaza north of Chicago YELLED at me because I asked for a Venti Americano in a tall cup. I was told I was supposed to just say Venti in a Tall. Um, ok. But at that other Milwaukee store, that would have gotten me a drip cup.

That's why I get frustrated. I have the utmost respect for all of you who work in the demanding service industry--and why I stay happily seated behind my desk from 8-5. But the inconsistencies in deliverables makes me crazy. I just want to say the right thing to make your jobs easier. Is that wrong?

[C]

Ok I am trying to figure this out Jenooooo. My drink is a four shots over ice in a grade cup. When I get to the register I ask for: four shots over ice in a grade cup. I have never been questioned on that. I always get what I ask for.

[FloridaSS]

An iced venti americano is 5 shots, no? Hot americanos are 2 for tall, 3 for grande, 4 for venti. Iced venti drinks always get an extra shot because they have more volume than a venti hot drink. So, 5 shots in an iced venti americano.

We have no problem at my store making an iced venti americano with no water. But it will melt the cup without at least a few chips of ice added first. Why can't you order a quad espresso and ask for a venti cup of ice?

[justabarista]

FloridaSs,

Check the BRM. Iced Venti Americano is four shots.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

FloridaSs,
If you cannot figure out what BRM stands for its means Beverage Resource Manual, aka, the Starbucks Beverage Bible or Koran depending where you live.

[BaristaGirl]

((I'd even be happy to have my 4 shots in a regular paper cup and then an extra venti cup filled with ice.))

Quad Espresso, Venti cup of ice

((I've even tried ordering an iced venti americano, no extra water, but was told they weren't allowed to do an iced venti WITHOUT the water.))

Maybe they were afraid it'd melt the cup? I don't know of any rule that says that.

I'd say an Iced Venti No-Water Americano.. and then if they have a problem, tell them to just give you an inch of water then.

(( This same store also tried to charge me for a tall Americano with two extra shots when I ordered a Venti Americano in a tall cup.))

You're doing it right. The Americano is the one drink that's charged by number of shots and not cup size. Maybe order the Venti Americano, let them ring it up, then tell them to put it in a tall? But, yeah, it shouldn't be causing you this much of a problem.

[USMC]

Hey everyone, this is my first post, so be gentle. :p

I am looking at an ASM position and I was wondering if anyone knows the policy (if there is one) about being promoted to ASM and then transferring to another state within 3 months of the promotion. Someone told me you have to be an ASM for a year before being allowed to transfer, but I think that sounds a little on the ridiculous side.

Does anyone know? THANKS!

[brutopia]

Random question. Can you include a tip when you are paying with a starbucks gift card? I feel like a complete douche when i get my drink (not to mention that I'm one of the obnoxious customers that gets an overly personalized drink) and don't have any cash on me to tip with.

[barista lane]

Nope, sorry. We have no way of taking tips from a card, even if it is a starbucks card.

[USMC]

No, we can't take tips from a card, or a credit card. It's really not a big deal, though. If it really bothers you that much, just throw some change in your pocket before you come to Starbucks.

Honestly, though, I appreciate it more when a customer acknowledges and apologizes that they have no cash to tip, rather than the regulars who ALWAYS order crazy multiple orders, are rude, talk on their cells, and NEVER leave a nickel.

[C]

ASM positions are 6-8 months training. Generally you can not transfer before training is complete. However, STBX does realizes that stuff happens and will try and work with you. Do not tell them in advance you are planning to transfer (my opinion), it will just through a monkey wrench into the hiring process. But if its only three months why not wait till you get to where you are going to apply.

jenOOOOOOOOO

It sounds like your baristas are being buttheads. I'm pretty sure they're trying to deter people from doing the "ghetto latte" thing, but honestly you should not be having that much trouble. Talk to a manager or go to customer relations to complain. Or find a Starbucks where they will do it for you.

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

it's true, i am always wary of iced venti no water americanos (which do get only 4 shots by the way) because so many of them at my store are turned into ghetto lattes. in those cases, i cram as much ice as possible into the cup, because two can play that game.
here's a rant: to everybody who flipped out today because we ran out of normal lids and had to use those crappy flat ones: ohdeargod you people need to relax! it's just a lid, it's just coffee, it's not the end of the world. really. i know it kinda sucks, so i appologized about a thousand times today, but that does no justify you beign rude about it. stop sticking your hands on ym side of the bar trying to grab around for the non-existant lids. i almost hoped you'd get burned so you'd learn a lesson, but i don't want to have to deal with the ensuing lawsuit. i am not lying to you when i say we are out of the normal lids. why would i do something like that, really? don't come from the drip coffee hand off area over to the bar and ask for a differnt lid. if we don't have any in the store, we don't have any over here either. i'd had my daily dose of stupidity by 9am, and i didn't get off until 2.

[Cincy-Barista]

imabarista-

my store is 11281

[BNBARISTA]

My sympathies Chi-Town, every other week last summer we were out of regular lids (because we had no manager and the bookstore manager did ordering) and we heard it from customers, believe me.
My favorite was when they'd ask if we had the other lids...if we had them, obviously we'd be using them.
And the reaching over the bar is unacceptable, it's a workspace and there is a reason there are swinging doors separating it from the cafe. People do that to me all the time with the travel trays, and the worst part is that i'm RIGHT THERE. You wouldn't just walk behind the cash register in Filene's because you needed a pen to sign your credit receipt; you'd ask the woman who was completing your sale.

Has anyone seen the cover of the new promo summer phase 1 book? 3 partners have pointed out it's potential racist double meaning....I can't wait for the posters to go up and see what happens!

[BaristaGirl]

Brutopia:

First, thanks for tipping!

Second, tips are all compiled at the end of the week and then divvied out. If you feel bad for not giving one day, just add a bit more the next. It will still go to the same place and the partners will know you appreciate them. ;)

[samplezzz]

Oh god..customers and their lids!!! I WISH the company would mandate the closed lids be used on all drive thru drinks. If the drinks don't go out in a carrier I have seen so many customers squeeze their cups and even some tip the cup sideways to fit it into the window because they stupidly can't open their window the whole way for some reason or they come to drive thru with a broken or frozen window!!! Maybe all the DT's should use them then all the poeple who don't like them would come in to get the regulars resulting in more sales when they see the retail setion!!! I'm going to tell my SM tomorrow!

[rightattitude]

huh? Are you in Canada? All cups have to have lids on them if you are in the US.

[Sbuxnewbie]

What's a closed lid? We only have one choice of hot lid when we place the paper order...

[rightattitude]

Same here (re: lid option)

[Samplezzz]

No we are in New England....You can order either the lids with the hole that are raised up or the lids that are flat that the customer has to peel back the hole to drink it...sorry for being unclear! We always use the raised ones but the flat lids I think make more sense for DT. We stock the flat lids because we have 2 customers who ask for them on a daily basis.

[jenOOOOOOOOO]

To chi-town's best/angriest barista:

So I sometimes add about 2 T. whole milk and 4 packs of splenda to my drink. Is that a ghetto latte? In my head, that's adding condiments, not necessarily scamming for a different kind of drink.

I'd love it if my cup was packed with ice, instead of filled with ice and then melted down by espresso.

I think I'm learning that it's all relative, depending on which side of the counter you're standing on. (But not leaning over.)

[PhillySM]

Ghetto latte: At the condiment bar you fill your iced venti no water americano to the top with milk of your choice. It saves you about $2. A lot of cheap people do that so they don't have to pay the price of an iced latte.
I wouldn't say 2T of milk qualifies as a ghetto latte.

[PhillySM]

Ghetto latte: At the condiment bar you fill your iced venti no water americano to the top with milk of your choice. It saves you about $2. A lot of cheap people do that so they don't have to pay the price of an iced latte.
I wouldn't say 2T of milk qualifies as a ghetto latte.

[nyc shift]

Re: asm

You have to be in place for 1 year as an asm or sm before you can be transferred. This is the problem I'm facing...I could be moved up and my dm wants me to move up...but I can't stay another year in nyc...so I gotta transfer and hope to get promoted in my new area.

[BJ]

Hey Jason Wabbit,
Unfortunetly, there is little recourse for your separation from the company. Thats a safett & security issue and partner can easily be separated for it.
Seeing how you obviously had a bad role-model, I would definetly contact you areas partner resource specialist and give her all the details. It may not help ge your job back but it'll definetly focus some attention on that SM.

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

jen0000000-
nah, that much milk is pretty normal. it's the people who fill half the cup or more with milk (and the whole shaker of chocolate poweder, ack!) that's the problem.

[SS]

In order to be promoted to an asm position dont you need to "pass" in front of a panel of DM's first?

[Chuck]

So I'm a partner in Seattle, and I have a friend that workds at a licensed store. He wants to transfer to a corporate store, but is unsure about how to do so. Can he talk to our DM (we are in the same district) about doing a transfer, or would he just have to freshly apply?

Promotion Question
how long do u have to a partner to be promoted to a shift.

How long do u have to wait to get a promotion to asm.

How long do u have to wait to go from asm to sm

Ty

You can't transfer from a licensed store to a corporate store, you have to go apply at the corporate store.

Re: ASM transfer timeline

Each DM decides their timelines - I believe it's officially written somewhere that it should be a year, but I'm transferring after 7 months, since both DMs are cool with it. (They don't mind that I'm in the midst of my training, either.) However, if your DMs aren't cool with it and you have to move, then you'd be demoted to SS.

[been there]

answer to promotion question

In my experience across the Seattle area:

From barista to s/s, anywhere from 3 days to 3 years (took me 2 months)

From s/s to ASM, anywhere from 2 months to forever (took me 1 year)

From ASM to SM, anywhere from 6 months to forever (took me 2 1/2 years)

Office politics play a large role in who gets promoted, as do hard work, gender and race. That's not my opinion, it's an observed fact after working in four districts under at least a dozen district managers. Good luck!

[unhappily a former partner]

Sorry to the other former employee. I know that my sm violated quite a few policies, including what caused me to leave.

Question for anyone who might know....How long does an employer have to get out Cobra information?

I have found corporate to be dead wrong on payroll issues, had to have my divorce attny call them once, ugh. But, i did call the employee line to register a complaint against my sm. I first spoke to a contractor intake person (not employed by Starbucks), then to a Starbucks representative, who was very polite and friendly and left me feeling tons better about my situation.

[ChiTownSbuxGirl]

For those of you who work at DT stores:

Do you have as much trouble with your DT garbage as I do?? First of all the design is ridiculous. The chute, which im sure was invented to make lives easier, is at such an odd angle that when more than 3 cups are thrown into the can, they get stuck in between the actual garbage can and the chute, causing everything to build up. this also results in liquid dripping down the side of the can and into the bottom of the concrete case which holds the can. After a rush, the garbage can is floating in about 5 inches of filthiness, which happens to look like frappuccino btw, and the chute is completely stuffed full by people who feel that the DT garbage is for their weekly car cleaning. When it gets that bad it requires some un willing barista to go out and clean it out with a wet vac ( a truly disgusting and smelly task esp in the summer).

Any advice as to remedies for this? Ive been talking to my SM and DM about possibly drilling holes in the side of the concrete casing to allow for drainage, but because neither of them have ever had to deal with this problem personally, it has yet to be fixed...

[Phaedra]

"How long does an employer have to get out Cobra information?"

I've been researching COBRA. My understanding is, they have 14 days to get you the info, and the government will really crack down on them if they don't.

[diva]

Starbucks is going to increase the price of Chai Latte!

I live in Hawaii and am a chai addict. One of the baristas here told me that soon Starbucks is going to severly increase the price of chai because it has been doing so well. :( I am really sad because my daily chai habit already eats such a hole in my pocket. I will be boycotting the chai once the price increase is in effect. I know they are in it for profit and all, but come on, how much do you think people will take? I think, if I remeber correctly, she said the price is going up 80 cents. Even a 40 cent increase would be too much. They've just lost a chai customer. I can get chai cheaper at another cafe where I can have free internet access too! Starbucks, don't do it, you are rolling in profit as it is.

[Sebastien]

I have to look at Str8 couples sitting on each others laps and making out!! So more power to the gays if they are comfortable to do that with each other!! If customers are that homophobic I wouldn't want them as a coustomer those are the ones that definetly deserve decaf!

[nashvillebarista]

Im a shift in a Nashville store, and last summer we did the blueberry and juicy raspberry test. And they were both amazing. The blueberries and cream was the biggest seller and our customers were so sad when we were done with it. And the juicy raspberry was better than the regular. I know it wasnt stable enough for hot drinks and they had to tweak it before they could replace it so I dont know if its going to taste the same. But the one we tried was a lot better. It had a more "real" taste to it. And I know the blueberry is summer phase 2, Im not sure about the raspberry.

[StarbucksNow!]

I'm speaking on behalf of a friend who has just told me the Manager of the Starbucks on Greenback/Madison in Folsom, CA has permanently 86'ed her for no reason whatsoever. Now, mind you, my friend is outspoken, loud, wonderfully obscene, and also has pumped into Stabucks' coffers about $8000 in the last two years at that location. Now, all the employees "know" her, her voice, what she looks like, and all of them have told her to go to a different starbucks, that they do not want to lose their jobs, that apparently the Manager has told them not to serve her. The cause of the conflict was when the new Manager would not allow them to split her drink into two cups after paying $6.65 for a drink. I think this is rediculous, illegal, and abusive, and hopefully the situation will be investigated and acted upon in the near future, otherwise, legal action is always possible. I don't know of any reason why Starbucks should hire and retain people like this. Now, all of this is, of course, just related to me word-of-mouth, but I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

[Darleen]

Now, mind you, my friend is outspoken, loud, wonderfully obscene,The cause of the conflict was when the new Manager would not allow them to split her drink into two cups after paying $6.65 for a drink.

I think you pretty much answered your own question. I doubt your friend is the saint you have her pictured to be, we don't ban people for no reason, if we did every mean customer that came in the door would be banned. Legal action? I found that one amusing. Starbucks has the right to refuse service to anyone, although I have never seen it happen, your friend must've done something to warrant that. Why didn't your friend just ask for an extra cup and then split it herself? Problem sloved. I think there's more to the story.....

[Darleen]

I don't mind splitting drinks in two for customers, probably most of us on this site would do it if asked, so before anyone goes off on me saying I'm too lazy, thats not the case. I just think for starbucks to ban a customer from a store it has to be over more than what you are saying.

[Baritsa226]

okay curious, what should i do? my SM promised me and another girl in my store that we would be promoted to shift by the beginning of June, its now May 23 and nothing has happened yet after she told us this, she hired a guy who used to work for the company before as an ASM (just so happens he's the one who trained her) and immediately promoted him to shift, and it looks to be she is doing the same exact thing again with another guy she just hired. This poses a problem considering at the time she told us we were being promoted she needed two more shift supervisors, so in turn, it looks as though we are totally getting the shaft and when we approach her about it she just kind of brushes it off and ignores us. Should we contact HR? obviously this is a petty situation which is our word against hers. But the underlying problem here is that our SM lying straight faced to many baristas and then screwing them over and reverting to croneyism is a recurring issue in our store

[Juztin]

i work in a canadian store and when someone orders a solo espresso we charge 1.80 but a shot only costs 35cents? whats the deal with this and should a nice mission review do the trick?

[brad b]

the best thing that i had with the orange syrup took me back to when i was a kid.....ORANGE DRINK!!!! thats not bad grammer ether. the orange flavor drink thst used to come in little plastic barrels

(in a iced tall cup) take 3 pumps of orange, mix with a few oz. or lemonaid, and fill to top green line with water, add ice and you have orange drink

as far as espresso goes starbucks charges so much for one shot because it also coers cost of cup, lid and not to mention all of the 1/2&1/2 and sugar put in it.

i was in another store and someone was trying the "oh, i asked for three shots in that grande cup" trying to get a free shot and the barista on pos charged for a solo espresso instead of an add shot. the guy was a douche to the manager so i didn't say anything....

[crowdSPRING]

I've had a Venti Coffee Frappucino with two decaf add shots (could be regular but I just do it to balance the drink, not for caffiene). It tastes delicious.