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

[LMD]

Orange PTL reminds me of Orange Soda. I'm not sure why. But Orange isn't going to replace my love for Valencia. I'll have to try the Orange Mocha and other such concoctions when I head into work tommorow. Oh, and what's this Juicy Rasberry I hear of?

[Rebel Shift]

Heads up guys- the new orange syrup contains Yellow number 5. This is also known as tartrazine, an industrial coal-tar by product, widely used as a food coloring in north america ,but linked to adhd, aphalectic shock, and behavioural problems in children... under US law i believe its supposed to be labled as tartrazine, however canada is different....

ah, you think to yourself... no wonder it glows in the dark!

[Jeff]

Re: 10 second shots

Lately I've been recommending Espresso Macchiatos instead of Doppios because of shot degradation. Thoughts?

We do not have the DT drink tray thing standard here, I have never heard of that before, at least not in my region.

As for the Orange Summer Phase 1 drinks, they SUCK!! I have tried them all, to recipe, and they do not hold a candle to Valencia!

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

There is this blind woman who wanders around Boston. I really sad case. But anyway, one morning she is yelling that she needs to come in to use the bathroom. I know she is in fact blind, as blind as Hellen Keller. But do you think I let her in to use the bathroom? No, I don't let her in to use the bathroom, PERIOD. You should explain to the person, through the door, that you are unable to open the door. And as I always say, you should've used the bathroom before you left.

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
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[Mike Miller]

Wondering about peoples' experience w/in-store WiFi, not just at SBUX, but also in general. SBUX is most consistent in terms of it always being up and running (and at that price, it better be!), but Caribou offers free (first 2 hrs.) and Alterra (local micro) now seems to have also gone free. But Alterra's brand-new Bayshore Town Center location has no WiFi, so I go to the nearby Caribou. (By way of explanation, Alterra has 4-5 Milwaukee locations.) I know I seem obsessed with the topic, but I thought the whole point of WiFi was to draw people who wouldn't otherwise come into the store, or at least not as often.

Any SM's out there have any good best practices for dealing with partners calling out sick? We can't really reprimand them for being "sick". What do your conversations with them look like after they've called out at the last minute? Do you give them a corrective action for being "sick"? What if you know they're not really sick?

[rightattitude]

Would you personally buy a Caribou Coffee whole beans package at a store (I saw them at Target today) when you can get free SBUX whole beans with your partner discount?)

[justamgrCA]

I give all partners a phone list and even sick partners are required to get their shifts covered. That is the expectation. People know when they aren't feeling well and can get shifts covered, slackers who just don't want to work their shifts make it easier to write corrective actions for them. Enough times of doing that, partners that don't care about their jobs are gone. Very simple really.....

[justamgrCA]

By they way, anybody that comes into their store for a partner beverage(free)when not working is subject to immediate termination. It's considered theft, and the partner that rings them up for it is subject to termination as well. Does anybody read the policy handbook???? It's really an enlightening read. We do everything by that book, that way there is never a question about what is right or wrong. Very black and white.

[justamgrCA]

The drink tray with two or more items is referred to as staging. When I was first introduced to it, I didn't get the impression that it was a serious deal.....well, let me tell you it is! We do it every morning during peak in drive thru and people just rip the drinks out and hand the drink tray back to us. It's causing longer window times for me. Not sure what to do because it is an expectation that we do this.....I am hoping it will pass like alot of other ill conceived ideas.....we will see.

[coffeeguy]

"so...friends.

i got fired this past thursday after over three years with the company.

i was fired for breaking a rule that everyone, including my manager (who fired me), breaks with regularity and impunity. i let one of our regulars into the store after we closed to use the bathroom. i've watched my manager bring her boyfriend in after hours numerous times.

can anyone tell me if i have any recourse or am i really well and truly f*cked? do i go to my DM or RDO or will they write me off as a disgruntled ex-employee? what does everyone think?"

Your fudged as you knew it was against the rules and did it anyway. technically your manager should be fudged too. you should have called the business conduct hotline before you went and did this yourself knowing it was wrong and then got in trouble.

If you know it's wrong it doesn't matter who is doing it. report it and do not copy the mistake yourself.

[lost in space]

Its amazing how many partners on here don't know who to spell

F
R
A
P
P
U
C
C
I
N
O

THATS RIGHT 2 C'S

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

i don't care how you spell it. i still hate them. ^

[Nick]

Starbucks would not be where they are today without that magic trademarked word. Love 'em or hate 'em...they aren't going anywhere

[jenOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]

Help me order my drink in the appropriate way! I want four shots of espresso in a venti plastic cup, filled with ice to the top. I don't want my shots over ice. I want the ice added after. (It seems like this is inconsistent from store to store in the Milwaukee area.)

[Casper]

I have a weird question.

The pens used to mark the cups. They look like permanent markers, so my question is, do they have fumes? I was on an office website right now and there are Sharpie non-toxic permanent markers that look similar, so I was wondering if Starbucks using the toxic or the non-toxic ones, and if you can ever smell the fumes.Thanks in advance.

[Becca]

Jenoooooooooo
4 shots in a plastic cup will melt the cup if there isn't any ice or water. Besides, there are stores that won't put your espresso in a venti cup. My DM told us that espresso shots go in short or tall cups only.

[charelston]

*******Sticker machines will be the death of the third place. I understand the demands of high volume, but where is the love in a sticker??
At my store we have a sticker labler for drive thru, they gave one for front too, but we don't use it, it helps us to see when we have Drive, drinks, but the font it too small

with the markers I just bring in my own, because we forget to order them on a weekly basis hah

justamgrCA - I wish it were that simple, really, but in my region we are not allowed to document someone that calls out because they are sick, and if YOU read the time and attendance section of the big blue HR binder you'll see that partners are not required to get there shifts covered if they are sick. I'm glad that your way has been working for you, but it will not fly in this region because we stay within the guidelines.

[ex-shift]

At my old store you were required to find a partner to work for you when sick. As a SS I never made a partner find ocverage. If you are sick, then I would think you are to sick to call around.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

The Sharpies which Starbucks uses are non-toxic and in fact we order them through Staples, in their mail-order catalog. The only big ones have fumes which we are not allowed to use. The marker fumes would interefere with the breakfast, sorry coffee aroma wafting throughout the store.
And at my store, we don't really care if you are sick. You better show up to work or else you will be written up. And since there are so many medical professionals here in Boston, a doctor's note really doesn't count. Sorry. We don't care where you are or how you got there, just get to work within 30 minutes or else.

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
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[Christy]

When one orders a drink without specifying the milk (ie a caramel macchiato)...what kind of milk is in the drink? 2%, whole, ??

whole

[bareaster]

hey jeno
we pour the shots in shot glasses to constantly monitor shot quality. empty shots suck and it sometimes happens when you brew in the cup

[quadventiamericano]

ummmm BECCA?
a venti iced americano gets 4 shots....

but you are right about the espresso melting the cup... you should get it over ice so as to avoid that.

[katy]

Yes, a quad venti americano does have 4 shots, but it also has water. What this person wants does not have water, therefore this is not an americano and Becca is saying that her DM told them to only put espresso only bevs in short or tall cups.

[Barista to the Stars]

CUTEBARISTA:

Nooooooooo.........you are one of the good ones! Don't go -- fight, girl, fight......

Here's what I would do:

#1 -- definately request an exit interview, with a review of the documentation of your write up/termination. Prepare beforehand -- type up a synopsis (with dates, if you can) of where/when you saw this particular policy being disregarded by your SM. Enlist other baristas, if they are comfortable, to help you document the other infractions.

#2 -- decide what you want. Do you want to continue working for *$ -- if so, do you want to work in that store? If you get your job back, it will be under duress and, as we all know, there are any number of ways to manage someone out. Crappy shifts, barely enough hours to remain active, whatever. Again, know what you want BEFORE you go in, and be clear. "I want my job back but I don't feel, in light of our discussion, that I should continue at this store."

#3 -- if you really want to continue at *$, get partner resources behind you before you go in to meet with DM. Discuss with them the infractions that you and other baristas witnessed and make it clear that this policy was not enforced and you received no warning prior to termination.

Good luck......I hope this works out in a way that is both what you want and what is best for you in the long run. Take care. Let us know what happens!

Barista to the Stars

[Barista to the Stars]

OH -- I almost forgot -- regardless of what you decide you want, request copies of your performance reviews. They will bolster your arguement if you have been a model employee that was terminated for a single infraction OR they will help you in your job search.

Most employers can only confirm if you worked somewhere during a certain period and if you are eligible for rehire or not. As a term, you would not be eligible for rehire. So, you would want to explain the situation and show copies of your performance reviews to prospective employers. It still looks bad that you were terminated, but at least you can show that you were a good employee.

Good luck!

Barista to the Stars

[Barista to the Stars]

And, just to comment on tartrazine:

The evidence is inconclusive -- there are studies that say that tartrazine consumption in children with behavioral problems is linked with restlessness and agitation but no direct link to tartrazine causes these behavior problems in the first place. There is an established dose-response relationship to these behavioral patterns (ie the greater the dose, the more likely patients are to respond this way). And the doses studied are high -- 200 - 800 mg/kg/day -- way more than what would be in a frappucino or tea beverage.

Having said that, personally, I'd err on the side of caution -- at the very least, reserve orange syrup for occasional bevs only. It's not that good anyway.

Barista to the Stars

--- whose evidence-based medicine training has to come in handy at SOME point.......

[Phaedra]

I am considering taking a job as a barista at a local Starbucks. But I'm pregnant. Can anyone tell me what to expect as far as maternity leave goes? I don't expect to get paid leave, just wondering how management will approach this.

thanks!

[raspberrywmocha]

Phaedra,

I'm not sure about maternity leave but although it may not seem like it, being a barista is a very physically demanding job (at least at my busy store it is). I would recommend just talking to the store manager about your circumstances to get more information. :) Good luck!

[barista lane]

Christy, re: milk

Some stores are currently in a market test and using 2% milk as default, with whole and nonfat available upon request. Ask your local barista what they're using.

I don't have official information, but I would anticipate that the entire company switches to 2% soon...

There was a story on the news about a shooting at a Starbucks in Kansas City at the Ward Parkway mall. I wish all the partners there well and hope everybody is okay.

[Xpresso]

Chi-Town's Best-
I work at a crazy, high-volume store without print-out stickers...and (although we may have many deployment issues) we've never struggled with yelling out drink orders. We expedite the line from the Bar 2 position and then customers just tell the Register Partners what they ordered when the time comes for the transaction to be processed. Obviously we still try to communicate on the floor, but why do you say there's a problem with yelling since the sticker machine broke?

On a psuedo-related note, does anyone find the new Summer Deployment tips to be helpful? I'm struggling to find a way to double-bar the CBS during peak. All three blenders are going and we've got into a rhythm, but suddenly there's a few PTLs, GTs, and ice waters that throw the whole system out of whack. I'm going to a Summer Meeting this week, so hopefully I'll learn something new...or just continue to struggle as it continues to get warmer outside.

Drowning in a sea of Frappuccino Base,
Xpresso

[Barista to the Stars]

Xpresso:

As a veteran of a high volume store, I found the following to be helpful:

Register partner marks cups/calls out beverages.

Cups line up down the counter.

CBS1 -- does all prep to the point of blending (maybe add ice, maybe not -- dep on flow but all syrups/powders are added) Use six pitchers for three blenders. That way, three are blending and three are rinsing/filled.

CBS2 -- adds ice (maybe), blends, pours and finishes; then, passes to hand off person for calling out beverage.

When it works, it works well. Really good flow. Hope that helps.

[etta]

I was at a starbucks the other day and went to use the restroom. It is a solo one, and someone was in there. When she came out (no flushing, no water running), I saw she was an employee, and saw her go immediately into the men's restroom. It made me wonder if she was using the restroom as a break room? Does starbucks not give employees a place to take breaks?

A while ago too there was a discussion of the rule prohibiting employees from bringing valuables with them. Are lockers not provided, or some sort of locked office? I guess I assumed those things would be standard. In the latter case in particular, since I live in a big city, and would assume a lot of employees take public transit, they have no place to store valuables. Plus, if I worked there, I'd likely need to go places after work - and it would be super duper inconvenient to have to go home to get stuff.

And a little empathy to the employee at the starbucks I went to today -- some woman went up to the cashier, slammed her dulce de leche frappuccino on the counter (while he was helping another customer) and said something I couldn't understand, and then said, "I need you to make me a new one." I was appalled both at her rudeness to him, and to the customers who were waiting in line quite patiently (it was busy!!!).

[Christy]

Etta, could she have been checking the condition of the washrooms?

[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

i don't think our store was set up very well for cup marking/drink calling. there is no counter space to line cups up on, there's pretty much a plexi-glass wall between registers and bars, the registers are too far away from the bar so you have to yell at full volume to get your drink heard (not to mention be heard over the blender and angry customer noises) and far too often it's only one bar partner trying to mark cups and man both hot and cold bars. our deployment is miserable and we're terribly understaffed for the situation we have. we're in a high rent area, so our overall store space is tiny and cramped and hard to work in. so much for creating an uplifting experience here.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Chi-Town's Best/ Angriest Barista,
I just wanted to tell you, if you have three partners on the floor, then have two on bar and one on register! Thats the way do it at our store. The line might be really long, but people see the lenth of the line and no there is going to be wait. Tough luck because there is a Starbucks two bloks down! Always support beverage production, why because it takes alot more time and stress than pushing little buttons on the register!
Remember its about creating a great work enviroment, FIRST. You have to be with your partners 8 hours a day, a customer maybe 7 minutes. Who do you want to please more?

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
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[chi-town's best/angriest barista]

we have like 7 partners on the floor, and we still can't get it right! we have terrible slow people tho, and it seems like our customers have no concept of waiting patiently. they get rude and pushy if it takes longer than a minute to get thier drink (even the complicated ones orders when there are 40 other people in line) it's really frustrating trying to deal with it all hitting you at once. the thign i liekd about the sticker machine was you could control the pace a bit. you would pull off stickers only as fast as you could handle making drinks and keep yourself from being overwhelmed with "8 grande mocha frappuccinos, RIGHT NOW!" (that did happen today, during an existing rush, i think we all wanted to scream) it's like sensory overload and damn near impossible to deal sometimes.

[Phaedra]

Thanks raspberry. I'll be talking to the manager, but not for a week or so.

While I'm not one of those ladies who runs marathons while 9 months pregnant, I do chase my 3-year-old all day, so I'm hopeful I can do the job. I guess we'll see.

[HopkinsBella]

Sorry to hear about your firing, Cutebarista!!! I know I'm late to the ball on this, but it sucks.

[Cincy-Barista]

Phaedra:

I started at Starbucks when I was 2 months pregnant. I got to take up to 12 weeks maternity leave, unpaid, but I used vacation time that I had added up.

As for the job, I worked up till I was 37 weeks along and managed just fine. Everyone was real protective of me as far as not lifting and sitting if I needed to.

I totally recommend a job at Starbucks!

[Safe]

All the partners are safe in Kansas City, but I believe customers were injured. The store will be closed tomorrow. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

SAFE,

That's good to hear everybody is okay. I keep watching the news and seeing the huge window to the store just shot out. It's insane. Latest I hear on the news was speculation that it was a guy that got fired from target. Wasn't too mentally stable.

[Phaedra]

Safe, I'm so glad you're alright. The injured customers will be in my prayers.

Cincy, thank you so much! That's just what I wanted to know.

12 weeks unpaid ... I'm impressed. That's equivalent to FMLA, which they're not legally required to give to a new hire.

[imabarista]

Cincy
Got a store number?
2258 here

[LSManager]

Wow, hearing all these lovely stories about deployment and Frappuccinos being frowned upon makes me glad my store is low-volume. We do have it a bit easier on the Frappuccino side - we can see and talk to our customer while making them, and we're used to having orders all year round so we never get out of practice.
I had a Summer Meeting two weeks ago, and it does cover several scenarios of store volume and deployment. Something that made me laugh, though, was the quote from a partner about a 'Frappuccino time-out.'

Well, anywho. My store's down to exactly four baristas, including myself. We're all 'enjoying' working six day weeks, and awaiting news about our applicants (though I am the LS manager, I have other managers above me). I'm not sure how many will last through their first month - the benefits of working LS in my area are horrible.

Safe - Good to know everyone's unharmed, and I know everyone in my store will have the injured customers in their thoughts. I've been in a scary enough situation to understand, though luckily nobody at all was hurt.

[Lotus]

I don't know about you guys but it seems that Starbucks while protecting everyone is causing reverse discrimation! I mean why is that the minorities get protected, especially when they pull the race card? We "embrace diversity" does that not mean we embrace all types of diversity including non minorities? I just feel that the coperation protects itself more from a lawsuit then it protects those who are caught in the middle!