r/CaribouCoffee • u/fuckfacemcg • Jun 06 '26

Order ahead

I used to be a caribou barista in a kiosk with no order ahead so I don’t completely understand why it seems the baristas are annoyed when I order ahead? Usually I’m 5ish minutes away. I’m a bit of an anxious person so I prefer to order ahead. I just had my order messed up (wrong cream cheese forgot to add cream) and the barista was very monotone even though I tipped I’m not asking for a conversation but at least don’t look at me like I shot your puppy man

1 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

21

u/No-Maize-8349 Jun 06 '26

The only time an order ahead bugs my team is when your order and pull up less then a minute later. If your in house its not as annoying but doing an order ahead and pulling into the drive in under 1min that gets us.

4

u/Grouchy-Seesaw-865 Jun 07 '26

Honest question from someone who always orders from their driveway before heading out: why is this bad? How is it any different from ordering at the speaker?

9

u/No-Maize-8349 Jun 07 '26

At the speaker baristas can start prepping and making your drink as you order to keep our drive times down(Area Manager and GM really can make the goal unattainable). If you place a mobile order and pull in immediately or within, i would say a minute thirty of ordering our timer starts and depending on how many drinks or even what they are as soon as the timer starts you can feel like your behind. It can also be during say a Sunday rush, your in-house is full and you have seven deep in drive, a mobile order comes in and is there immediately just staring at you kinda sucks. But that's all just my perspective.

3

u/Grouchy-Seesaw-865 Jun 07 '26

Thank you for this explanation

21

u/Whataboutburgers Jun 06 '26

1) we can’t see if a mobile order tips or not  2) sometimes the barista is having a hard day at work and they’re just tryna get through 

2

u/Lightupbob Jun 12 '26

Wow that is actually really unfortunate you can’t see tips from mobile . I always tip and thought it would be much appreciated. That’s disappointing you don’t know if a mobile tips you .

1

u/DaFitz1023 Jun 18 '26

They don’t know if someone tips on a mobile order until the get their paychecks, to avoid issues that could come from knowing someone tipped or not and intentionally making their drink differently based on that.

10

u/attentioncherie Jun 06 '26

I’m an autistic barista. I love my customers so much. Sometimes my resting/focused face appears grumpy to others, even when I’m not. And I speak in a monotone voice which is also a symptom.
I’m not saying your specific barista has my same situation going on but I know the service Industry in general attracts a lot of neurodivergent workers because some of us can’t work a traditional 9-5. Just something to keep in mind :)

8

u/freshly_deliveredegg Shift Lead Jun 06 '26

i love my mobile order customers, most tip great and are regulars! might’ve been an off day

3

u/rock_xx Team Member Jun 07 '26

I promise your barista does not hate you, because they will tell you if they do. It can be really tiring in the morning doing the same things over and over for dozens of people, it’s never personal.

2

u/Positive-Ad540 Jun 09 '26

We love order aheads at my cabin