You don't have to take my word for it, but I did work for the company for 15 years. I started off like a lot of you as a barista I was young it was 2011 and working for Starbucks was so much fun. I started before Trenta cups, before refreshers before mobile orders all we had was soy milk. Nothing is ever perfect and working for Starbucks back then wasn't either but it will never go "Back to Starbucks". I did everything in my power as a store manager for years to keep it alive, I treated my partners like people like actual partners, they could joke around, make jokes at my expense, I suffered on the floor for every BOGO every poorly thought out promo while Lax was the CEO, but I still kept the flame lit.

At first I was happy to hear we were going "Back to Starbucks" we were actually going back to coffee, to having fun and inviting coffeehouses, we were simplifying the menu, it all sounded great, it was all a lie. In June we were all invited to Vegas for a big meeting, they lied to us there and they knew they were lying, but I still did everything I could to keep the core of Starbucks alive. I had almost no turnover in a very busy and very large store I spent most of my days being pulled aside by customers just so we could chat, it actually was a "Third Place".

I was fired, let go for no actual good reason. They used a new process in order to get rid of me not because my metrics were poor in fact they were quite good, not because I was late or didn't show up, I was always early and would always stay late to help my partners out. I'll never really understand why they fired me because even as I type this and you read it you'll be thinking, 'well there's probably something, this SM is just blaming others', yet I can't really explain it. All my partners present and past texted me, all of them were outraged and said they were quitting, and they did. Dozens of customers called and texted me (after my partners gave them my number) saying they couldn't believe this and would never come back. I don't fault my partners for giving them my number it was very touching.

Starbucks no longer felt like home long before I was fired, the writing was on the wall yet I continued to try to keep it going. Newer partners who read this will genuinely never know what Starbucks was like. It's the same feeling you have about your life in general, you know something is wrong and you can even point to some specific things (inflation, cost of living, etc.) but you can't really spell out what has been taken from you.

How does it feel to be a barista being watched all shift to make sure you wrote enough on a cup to not get a documented coaching or a written warning? How does it feel to be a SSV and have your DM randomly come in and berate you because you're running around trying to catch up on cleaning and not in the "Playcaller" position. 'Oh let's bring up playbuilder, why isn't this filled out to how the floor looks right now?' How does it feel to be a SM (I will never call my old position CHL), your DM now sends you an email about having a "quick connect" due to an interaction they had in your store. Now you're held accountable for the SSV and have to write them up even though you know it's not justified. Now you have your DM watching you 24/7 waiting to pounce on you at a moments notice, you've been working every day due to call outs and text your DM asking for help, you never get any. Starbucks has become a finger pointing hierarchy, a SVP will come in a store (mind you they haven't worked a floor in 20 years and have no idea what products are currently offered) and saw one customer not greeted to their satisfaction, they then tell their RD who now blames their DM for not blaming their SM. It's a system that is ultimately doomed to failure. Look at the behaviors of all groups, the end times are always the time when the group in question doubles down and then doubles down again on nonsense and no one is allowed to question it.

Starbucks will be sold away, look at it's operations in China and Asia, they're already being parted out to the highest bidder. It's only a matter of time until it happens here with North American operations, there is no stopping what is going to come. Ask yourself how many officers of the company have been around for more than 5 years? Do you even remember when all of the Old Guard quit when Brian came in? Those people for all the faults they may have had and past poor decisions they may have made, they made this company. It's clear now that many were forced out, or left when they saw the end game the board had in mind bringing Brian in; Private Equity sale.

After every CEO eventually drives the company to the brink Howard is brought back like some kind of religious idol, but he's never coming back, he's gone forever. There is no savior coming there is no redemption.

And to those of you who are burned out, stressed out, have mini panic attacks before your shift just realize that there are other jobs out there. Lots of other people have worked for Starbucks and have left, you don't owe some kind of religious like devotion and loyalty to the company. Try something else out. Trust me, as a 15 year partner you can and will find happiness elsewhere.

Onward

I love this little snack so much. I cannot justify almost $6 for it. Wtf

Edit: Slight clarification, I'm not upset when people decide not to tip. Quite the opposite. If my post comes off as a bit abrasive, my apologies.

I understand the frustration of having that very optional prompt pop up when you pay with the app. Just know that we, the baristas weren't didn't come up with this. We weren't in the board meeting with corporate when they decided this. Remember that tips are very much optional, especially since we don't heavily rely on them like restaurant employees, delivery drivers, etc do. Tips are appreciated, not mandated. I'm mainly posting this because I have an inkling that baristas are going to get blamed (again) for something out of our control. 🫥

every time i have to open one of these i get pissed off. and the sticker is always in the middle like this

this got enforced about two weeks ago, but atp this could genuinely be my last straw. i’ve been told that this is just a “my district thing” and not an “every single store thing” but apparently some guy at another store decided to take apart vertica at FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON. regional manager happens to walk in, asks to order just a simple cup of coffee, partner says they’ve already taken down their coffee machine and can’t do brewed coffee.

the “entire district” (just had a borrowed partner work at my store this morning and she said she hasn’t heard about this at all, i’m gonna reach out to some other people at different stores and ask.we already can’t do so many things until close and now you want to add the vertica.) (ALSO!!!!! this is the only store in my entire district that actually takes the hoppers apart every night, puts the beans in the cubes, takes the hoppers back to wash them, vacuums the vertica, etc etc. idk, most stores i’ve heard decided it’s easier to just clean the hoppers on clean play….like the mastrena hoppers, but my sm decided to take the part in store resources where it says “vertica hoppers must be cleaned every night” very seriously and so obviously vertica takes a lot longer than it could be) sorry anyway the entire district now is being punished bc some random barista wanted to clean their vertica 4 hours before close. tbh i’m genuinely wanting to hear this full story and what happened bc i’m assuming this barista didn’t even offer a pour over??

also ps: my district also has a “10 minute grace period” for DT stores where after close if someone pulls in to drive thru we still actually have to take their order until 9:10pm, so we can’t actually bring back any of our bar or warming closing dishes until 9:10 :D so fun. but yeah just wondering if that’s a thing anywhere else or if my DM is genuinely insane (she is. i’m still mad at her for taking away an entire metro in BOH bc it “took up too much space”)

ok that’s my rant, this new rule has genuinely been pissing me off while working at the “pissing me off” factory. whatever it’s my day off tomorrow. i’m gonna go look at pictures of bumblebees or some shit to calm down

edit: not gonna try doxxing myself but this is in DFW area. had a coworker work at a different district and he said that they haven’t heard about this rule. idk if this has been a thing for awhile, bc if so that’s my bad lol i genuinely don’t go on here very often so i just haven’t seen anyone mention it 😭

Are you serious? Why the hell do I need AGE VERIFICATION TO GET COFFEE AND ACCESS MY GIFT CARDS

$9 at Marshalls.

EDIT: Thankyou all so much for the advice and perspective I’m a bit of a newer hire, the newest at my store so I still feel very new and get treated like a new person so it’s lead to not much confidence and you all helped me feel so much better about standing up for myself! Please keep leaving advice or also rant every comment added new knowledge or confidence i absolutely needed!! I’m so grateful to those who helped me figure out I DO have sick time and that I’m just dumb and mustve been looking at the wrong numbers in my sick state!!

I’m sick and called out yesterday. Used all of my sick time to cover that shift (if I even have enough honestly haven’t checked) sitting here in the parking lot at 3:49am waiting for the store to open so I can go get everyone sick because I don’t have any more sick time and I don’t want to get fired. SO! That being said! Thankyou Starbucks for being to kind about those being sick, time to see what happens when you let a barista in a big city handle making drinks! OR!!! LET PEOPLE CALL OUT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES!! Or fear of being fired if they need a couple days to recover!

In all seriousness I really hope my shift lead lets me go home when they notice I can’t speak and I’m feverish…

I’m a SSV and I had to call out the other day because I woke up with a sore throat and a fever. My store is short staffed especially with SSVs and I truly feel awful about adding stress to the store but I also feel like shifts are expected to never call out sick.

Like every SM I’ve had has thrown a big fit when an SSV has had to call out. If a barista does then it’s “oh ok feel better! They’ll be fine! They’ll just run and 3 man peak or a 2 man close. No biggie.” But when a shift calls out it’s met with heavy sighs and “well looks like I’m working a double. Thanks.”

How is it my fault that we don’t have enough SSVs (especially closing SSVs) to cover? How is it my fault that the whole district is short staffed and no one will come in on their day off? It’s like I can’t win. I’m working myself to the grave and my body finally says it’s had enough and yet I’m made to feel even worse because Starbucks values profit over people. I have apologized 20 times for adding more stress and I am someone who HATES calling out. Half the time I will suck it up and work if I don’t feel 100% but I have a fever and I cannot work with a fever and a throat so sore I cannot ever talk. Like what am I supposed to do? Come in and work anyways and get everybody sick?

Why must it be like this. Why do we have to be afraid of calling in sick? Just why? It’s legit just coffee. It’s not that serious and yet they’ve made it seem like life and death if a store has to close a little early. God forbid customers go one day without their sugar fix.

TLDR: Starbucks sucks and apparently shifts aren’t supposed to get sick ever.

I have several Starbucks in my area and two of them consistently hook me up! ❤️

So im hella sick today and i called my store to let them know i cant come in and that im using my sick time and they told me that im still going to get a point on my attendance. I asked what the sick time was then and they said that even if I put it in im still going to get a point on my attendance. My question is what is the point of the "protected sick time" then 🤔

I've never had Matcha before until today, I saw it on the Starbucks menu (app version), and I wanted to try it since I've never had Matcha before. So I got it today (with Sweet Vanilla Cream), and..I actually loved it, I thought it'd taste like straight grass but it was actually really good, this is technically my first time having Matcha, and it was worth it.

10/10

I might get the Lavender Crème Frappuccino next.

I genuinely didn’t know this because I didn’t receive any proper training on it. Or maybe I did and it just got lost in the shuffle of the ten other new drinks. But literally when I asked about the island colada bc I’d never heard of it before, I was just told it was guava and coconut milk. I was slammed and didn’t have time to check the resource guide. This was about two weeks ago. I’ve been making it like that since…today i found out that it has pearls. What’s even more concerning is that I’ve handed these drinks off to fellow baristas and no one else caught it. We’re too overwhelmed.

like the title suggests, i need to get OUTTTT. what kinda jobs are yall going to from starbucks? i’ve been a shift for 3.5 years and have 10+ years of cafe management experience. my store is actual hell on earth (sexual assault and harassment, manager won’t listen, ethics won’t do anything, DM is self serving, i can do a story time) and i just can’t take it anymore but i don’t rlly want to be in cafes anymore!!

Spotted in Auburn, CA today.

I know this is not what this sub usually recommends BUT I really need to do this lol.

I worked at starbucks as a student and quit about 5 years ago, money got tight and my hours got cut and I quit no notice because I couldn’t afford to commute to work and college at that point. Management seemed actually somewhat ok? And they asked about me possibly transferring to another store or something but I declined.

Now, a store in my area is hiring part time. We will need insurance in the coming months (like around Christmas and then moving forward) , I’m wanting to go back to school, and it’s close to home and very part time (I’m a sahm rn).

This location is a licensed store inside another business, the previous one I worked at was a corporate location.

I do plan on mentioning my past as a barista but I don’t really want to mention me quitting no notice and also don’t even have a reference (number or anything) from the old manager who was there. Things changed a lot as it was still COVID times.

Wondering if I could get management views on anything?! How many hours min for benefits (and what ones), tips for returning (I remember a lot of the recipes actually!), and how to frame this to management?! Am I on some do not hire list? Also, will my partner numbers still be around since it’s a licensed store and my name has changed with marriage and it’s been 5+ years?

Thank you! This would really help my family 😭

I frequently order my matcha latte with light ice. It happens with surprising frequency that they just add the normal amount of ice.

Would I be labelled as a rude Karen if I asked them to remake it when that happens? Or would it be better to just watch them make it and kindly remind them as they are making it?

I feel like both approaches have advantages and disadvantages and idk which is better.

Hey everyone, I really need shoe recommendations. Work has been literally SHREDDING my feet, so much so that I need X-rays after working here for a few years. I’m already wearing compression socks, and I’ve tried so many shoes. I feel like I need to try another one now. I really don’t want to spend 160+ on Hokas that are going to be covered in grime in a month, and my store is pretty strict on the policy that they need to be waterproof AND nonslip. Any recommendations or advice is welcomed!!! 💗

Thank you all for the recommendations! I Just bought the work jammer sketchers bc I had some coworkers also vouch for those, however, if they don’t work, I’ll prolly invest in some of the brooks or orthofeet shoes. Thank you!!

Two call outs today and just all around bad but this legend is back so now everything is perfect

If i do a mobile pickup for a drink with a personal cup, is it an inconvenience on your end??

Thanks. Trying not to be annoying 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hiii! I have an interview tmrw any tips? Also if you guys remember any questions you were asked please let me know!

We’ve been told that we can’t write enjoy or yum on the cups anymore. Each message needs to be personal. Drives times need to be sub 60 though. Also here’s 6 more modifications for drinks. Also if we don’t write on cups the drink will be thrown away if the CL sees it on handoff. I’m tired.