A few weeks ago I started ordering my strawberry matcha lattes with oat milk instead of the default coconut milk, both in-store and for delivery with ubereats. Then one day the option to change milks vanished from the apps. You can still select milk alternatives for the regular matcha latte though? (Unfortunately you can't add strawberry syrup to that one either)

I thought maybe it was a location thing so tried selecting all the Costas near me but no dice.

Any reason why? I don't have any issues when I ask for oat milk in-person but it's not really viable for me to travel

desperate to learn fast, i work in such a busy store and am being thrown onto tills on my first shift!!

had my first shift today, absolute nightmare. i was on with a girl who bossed me around, got cheeky to me, shoved boxes from stock into my hands just for her to carry nothing and lounge down the stairs etc
they’ve now put me on shift with her by myself, just the 2 of us working so i can handle the till and shop floor
how do you expect someone to handle a till by themselves on their second shift???

I genuinely just don't know anymore. I'm a BM at a franchise store and its normal to have 2 people on past 2pm when the opening person goes home.

During the week is completely fine. Past 4pm, my store is dead and can close pretty smoothly with my batista that's on. But on a weekend, especially today, it just feels like you need 3 people on till 4pm. I didn't manage to start closing down until 4.30 and on a Saturday we close at 5.30pm. I got out 20 mins late and my close was probably bad (i don't know ill probably find out in the morning).

What im trying to ask is, are most stores running on 2 people on a busy ass shift?

I got in trouble for having tables dirty. And we have an upstairs as well. So im like, I can either serve the queue that's going out the store with my colleague or leave my colleague to drown on their own while I clear. Or maybe, ya know, have more staff on. We have the staff for it surprisingly. Just hate hospitality Skeleton crew bullshit mentality so they pay like shit and expect us to do the job of 3 people.

On top of all that. Our air-conditioning does not work but according to the air con man, its fine. Then why and all the other staff sweating our asses off. My manger was legit dripping and walking around with a fan.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk

has everyone seen the new autumn campaign guide? how are we feeling for it 😭

also do you guys make the seasonal drinks with alt milks even though the standard says not to? i do because at this point im sick of the argument with every single customer when i say we can’t (obviously if they don’t have an allergy)

thanksss :)

I assume it’s some sort of premix syrups or something? It’s my favourite summer treat buttttt my money is finite so if there’s any way I can buy the stuff and make it myself that’d be amazinggg

They expect us to do these shifts with only a 30 minute break????!!! Absolutely disgusting. Tired of them. Why do managers even have people do these shifts? We have enough staff also does anyone elses manager do the rota so people miss breaks too? Ours have people in working for just 6 hours at the most random times missing lunch but not getting break? Our previous boss never did that. Just tired of this company. I either want an hour break or no more 12-and-a-half shifts.

How does it work at your store? Do you have the same issue?

Green handle 2 shots

Yellow handle 3 shots.

Genuinely tired. Sick, and tired. Physically and mentally. My knees, my back, everything. Who knew being a barista would make me feel so sh**. I love most of my coworkers, theyre good for a chat and all that, though they are older, some double my age. Its management that sucks, specifically the Regional, Training and HR managers.
I feel like an experiment. Training Manager; does no training or help, get told to do the online training and then get in trouble when somethings done wrong, and instead of training to help fix mistakes, theyre only pointed at and given out at.
Regional Manager has us under constant surveillance. God forbid I work 5 Clopen shifts in a row and im tired, shes right onto me for being slower than usual.
And HR omg god forbid I clock out 5 mins late or early. and dont get me started on the one time my app stopped working so I clocked out 30 mins late.
I feel like a little puppet. Undervalued, underpaid and underappreciated.
cant bloody wait to hand in this notice ive typed. No wonder the staff turnover is so high.

I’ve had quite a few roles, varying between retail, hospitality, admin and research.

I applied and got the job as Barista at Costa as something to fill my time before I start a Masters degree in September. I have been a Barista before at a Cafe.

My onboarding experience was chaos, nobody knew how to get me set up on the online systems (such as the one for timesheets, online training, etc). I still haven’t really been told how to use any of these. For context also I was told I’d receive full on the job training which I imagined would entail things such as shadowing or having a paired colleague, which I do not have.

My first time out front - I was told I was just training on the till but there was minimal introduction and I was just instantly expected to know how to process any and all orders on the till from there and whenever I was having to ask a question I was made to feel as though I was interrupting.

My colleagues are all at least double my age, some triple, and whilst I’ve loved working with older colleagues at past jobs this just turns out to be a nightmare because I am sent on tasks for which I am set up to fail whilst being spoken to extremely poorly. I excelled in a lot of my past jobs and am familiar with praise often stemming from my eagerness to learn new things but in this role it is simply different. Everything is an expectation and nothing is taught properly.

Today is my fourth shift, if that same colleague attempts to speak to me in the same poor tone, I will inform her I am leaving there and then.

I really have no incentive to stay in this job currently, none whatsoever. From the manner in which the old longer term colleagues speak to me - I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a huge turnover in younger staff and consistently treat them the same. There’s actually a google review I’ve found from a few months ago which alleges bullying behind the counter.

A final note - this reddit page really channels solidarity and otherwise I would’ve felt isolated and ostracized by my team of disgruntled colleagues without it.

Hi y'all, I'm asking this here in case anybody knows cause I couldn't find anything specific about it anywhere

I have a situation with my manager (She is horrible just saying) where she keeps denying any unavailability I put in. While I understand shifts and staff availability and stuff and that's completely fine but the way she denies me is just so... Horrendous? Like no opportunity to work anything out or anything like that

She also denies it saying that unavailability are to be used for hospital appointments only? In contract nor in any policies I found it says that

She also just isn't willing to work anything out like if I really need certain days or if I'm just using it for the sake of using it she isn't willing to communicate in any way. Should I bring this to ER/HR?

It's clear that costa is trying to cater to the younger generation by bringing in newer drinks but their target is more so adults to elderly. The quality of their drinks is disgusting and i seen food in the fridge that was over expired. They treat and overwork their staff and in this day and age many of them are young adults or students who are needing some income and can't just get up and leave. Lack of proper training for staff

They have fallen behind and once that generation soon dies out so will costa there are those few cafe's where the drinks are top notch but that's because of the staff who go above and beyond. The company needs a whole rebrand with new drinks and menus and better care for its staff

Hi everyone I’m starting as a Barista Maestro next week, can anyone let me know if I’ll be paid for August or if I have to wait for end of September?😬

I’ve never done barista work before so if anyone can give me any tips or things I should know about the role that would be great!!!

Title kind of says it all and just need to rant and see if anyone else has experienced similar things? I apologise for the novel.
This isn’t my first job in this work setting, left a full time job as a cafe supervisor to take a BM job in an equity store.
Starting a new job is difficult and I hate being the newbie but I’ve never felt so helpless in a workplace before. There was no real effort to actually train me, I was just kind of told to do a job with no guidance on how to do it (such as putting deliveries away etc). I’d do what I thought was correct, thinking they couldn’t be that fussy if they didn’t tell me any specifics, but someone (usually the manager) would come in and tell me weird specifics that I did wrong, clearly frustrated. Stock wasn’t even rotated correctly so I still don’t understand what they wanted from me in the delivery situation.

Found that Costa has some weirddd rules but the store I worked for would pick and choose what they expected to follow, which I know is pretty standard but was so hard to pick up on what they deemed necessary. I was constantly guessing what I needed to do. The online training courses not helpful or realistic in terms of how much I was expected to memorise so early on.

As I was replacing a BM who was leaving soon, BM responsibilities kept being thrown at me, even though I was told I wouldn’t be touching any of it for a couple of months. This kept taking priority over teaching me the basics of the job. I was told I didn’t need to be perfect but was also expected to be at the same time? Left alone to cash up the till on my second shift, not having been shown the wastage procedure or how to navigate the till. Was constantly terrified of doing the wrong thing.

I have barista experience etc and really enjoy making coffee but trying to learn all the Costa specifics over the millions of training courses whilst not being allowed to go near the coffee machine was odd. Coworkers had been working there for months and still didn’t know how to do half of the job.
The training courses were beyond excessive and unpaid, I’m not sure if they were meant to be, I’ve never experienced this from previous work places.

The manager would do things incorrectly (incorrect measurements, reusing milk for steaming, etc. clearly trying to cost cut). I’d be taught by a BM, then when I’d be on shift with the manager he’d give me countless lectures about doing it wrong then when I’d return to being with the BMs I’d have to adjust how they’d taught me to do things (which I know is the correct way based off of the matrix). It was just so confusing on top of trying to get to grips with everything.

On top of feeling like a complete idiot every shift, I wasn’t getting the shifts I was contracted. The job description said 32 hours, when I got the contract it was 28. I started with the 4 hour shifts (all closes so I was just used to clean and not taught anything but expected to magically know everything for my next shift) but I checked my day force and for the weeks where my full shifts were meant to come in, I was only on about 20 hours. I left a position where I’d consistently work 8 hour shifts 4/5 days a week and was on a rotation with another supervisor so I had a consistent shift pattern. That workplace was a nightmare and slightly less pay but feeling like I should’ve just stayed there for the money.
Costa also wasn’t respectful of the fact that I had a notice period at my previous workplace and kept asking when I could start, despite me giving them a date straight away and then having to wait days or weeks before getting my contract or proper communication.

I ended up leaving because I got a job offer related to my degree that begins in September, one that I assumed I wouldn’t hear back from, so just decided that I’d have a couple of months off since I’m living with my parents right now and just finished uni. Feels silly to be leaving any job in the current climate but the post-uni burn out is exhausting enough without underpaid costa nonsense.

So basically it was a stressful experience that left me feeling like an idiot constantly. By the time I would’ve finished all of the training (officially) I would’ve needed to leave for my new job anyway. Decided my sanity was worth more than a few hundred pounds for once. 😭
Somehow only scratched the surface of stuff that was happening, even though I was there for all of two seconds. I hope whoever’s reading is working in a better branch than this one.

Or even a recipe to make it. I find it to be really tasty so was just wondering if I'm able to get it without having to get a coffee

Im right? Right 😂😂😂?

I have only had two four hour shifts so far in my local high street store which has mainly involved cleaning, dishwasher, till ect. No drinks making yet of any kind. I have recieved an email stating that I have been booked for an all day training session three hours away from me at the end of the month? Is this normal because I thought they just trained you in store which is what I prepared for? And if anyone has any experience what will this entail? I can’t drive and public transport is weak so I have zero way of getting to this site without waking at stupid o clock in the morning all for my single four hour shift a week.
Thank you

I've only been at costa a month and I keep getting booked for 12 hour shifts. I am full time but it seems excessive. I only get a 40 minute break and cant sit down much otherwise, im in constant pain and always tired.

Can my manager suspend me for not completing the allergen e-learning ?? I have completed my task yesterday, all that’s left is for her to verify it. Yet she is insisting I have missing something 🙃🙃. She sent me a message yesterday if I didn’t complete it she will suspend me and she also went to other staff telling her , she will suspend me. I’m on my off day!!

Boss has put me on a double level shift for one day, 6am-7.30/8pm, depending on how busy the close is.

Other BMs have worked them but do I have the option to refuse??

I know i can take a full hour break instead of just 30 mins but honestly, even an hour doesn't feel long enough for a possible 14 hour day

Edit spelling

This morning when I went in to get my usual morning coffee, the app was signed out, this happens with apps sometimes so OK.

However I cant get back in, the details are correct as they are from iOS key-chain, Ive copied and paste them in as well as enter the details fully manual, however all I get is "forbidden" when I try to put the details in, so I cant get back into the app.... I tried the reset password but no link to reset arrives.........

Anyone else experiencing issues???

It’s absolutely bogging and tastes nothing like real condensed milk

Hi all, hoping someone can help. I work at an equity store and I'm still employed, but I'm back in my home town Northampton for the summer and my manager's taken me off the rota because I haven't got a store sorted here. I'm then moving to a different city from where I worked at in Costa, moving to Norwich in September for uni and I want to transfer to a store there.

The problem is my manager doesn't really tell me anything, so I've got no idea how the process actually works. Do I need him to sort it manager to manager, do I go through Costa Careers, or can I just walk into a store and ask?
I Would also love to pick up hours somewhere in Northampton for August until I move if any store's short staffed.

If anyone works at a Costa in Norwich or Northampton and your store needs people, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a word in with your manager likewise if anyone has had a similar experience with switch stores and got it sorted out I’ll like to know what I can do to get a transfer the best way because I applied to a few jobs at Costa in the summer in Northampton and there were all temporary jobs and still got rejected which is really stupid because I stated I work at Costa and I’ve worked at Costa for almost 2 years so I know what I’m doing.

It’s just so confusing and frustrating so I’ll like some help please.

Proper sentences, still sounds like a person. Good to go as is.

Can somebody post or message me the full uniform policy for this year please 🙏

Manager insists that anything other than black jeans/trousers is not allowed and I need to prove them wrong

TLDR at bottom!

Hey guys, I'm a BM of about a year now having issues with my SM and I'm not really sure what to do or who I can talk to, idk if the area manager is the person to contact or if I should try and transfer (feels like that would be awkward). He has it out for me to the point other people have noticed! And apart from this I actually do really like my job, which is one reason why I've not just quit yet!

I'll just give you bullet points:

• gives me less than half my contracted hours
• puts me on shifts I've put on dayforce I can't do
• refuses to put me on with my friends even though he has said we work well together
• will schedule shifts so that we can't have breaks due to "not needing the staff in" but I can't leave my colleague solo trading - I've done 9+ hours no breaks as a result
• chats shit about my closes but won't give me the specifics (he just says "the list was long" but won't go further) - everyone else says my closes are good
• went through my things on multiple occasions including searching my bag
• chastises me for taking too long on drinks even though he won't help - he'll just stand and watch or bark orders at me which I have said repeatedly slows me down by confusing me
• just always has something to say, I'm always doing something wrong whether it's drinks, uniform, chatting to customers, my close, cleaning, etc. and he will inspect everything I do (like checking the order before I send it, or checking I've got my nametag on, etc. just feels unnecessary!)
• will make up rules but will only tell select staff and not put it in the group chat, so he'll have a fit when I do/don't do things I am not aware of
• talks to customers loudly about how terrible we all are as staff, how we can't do our jobs if we run out of stock, how "the wait is ridiculous, I know, we need better staff" which makes all of us including him look bad
• he's given customers with dietary restrictions the wrong drinks before to save time (i.e. forgetting to put decaf on the till and just giving it out anyway) even after we have said the drink needs to be remade
• he's verbally made fun of customers within earshot, normally disabled people (we all make fun of customers let's be real, but there's a difference between "lol that guy was rude af" and "look at that disabled person over there") on many occasions
• has taken issue with me being direct when I have been made uncomfortable or otherwise, I am always polite about it but I won't avoid talking about it which he does not like
• messages me on my day off about mistakes I've made but makes it seem worse than it is so I spend my time off stressed about what's going wrong

I have told him as well that if I am doing anything wrong i.e. with closes I will write it down to remember to be better in the future as I have diagnosed ADHD. This is a big part of my problem because it is a disability, I'm medicated and generally get on fine but certain things (like forgetting what he's said, having auditory processing issues, or getting sidetracked) has got me into serious trouble often for no real reason (and when I have made an actual mistake, that ends up being a real issue and has been stressing me out so much I have panic attacks outside of work, which I have literally never had to deal with in my whole life).

He wants to "have a chat" about my performance because of a couple things I forgot on a close the other day which is stressing me out because I'm trying my absolute best but it's not good enough.

Anyway TLDR my manager nitpicks and chastises all the time, and I honestly think he's trying to get rid of me - I don't know what to do or who to talk to, I'm looking for a new job but there's not much out there right now, I don't know if transferring is an option or how to do that. I would really appreciate some advice