Baristas:

[abbiapple]

I'm very curious to hear what other people think of thier coffee shop jobs.
I'm beginning to think I may be stuck at Starbucks forever...

It's hard to leave.
Great benefits, decent environment...
generally shitty customers though.

[lilyflower]

Customers are shitty when you work in any kind of service job, sad to say.

[samender]

I had a second job but had to get rid of it. I couldnt stand the customer interaction that I was having. Just had to give it up.

[k.monster]

I LOVED working in coffee - but I always worked for small, locally owned cafes and I think that makes a big difference. My favorite was an internet cafe that was super tiny (max capacity 25 people) tucked away in a neighborhood in the bottom half of an old victorian. I only made about 25 bucks a day in tips, but it was totally laid back, had tons of regulars, and I got to dork out online all day long!!

[tdko]

If Peet's Coffee would pay me $18/hour, I would never leave. I worked for them for a year and some in high school, and then again after I graduated. I love customer service, but the pay was so bad. Good benefits though, and you only had to work 21 hours/week to qualify.

[Ederratic]

I've been with The Buck for about a year now. It's not bad but I'm doing it to help pay my way through college more than anything. There are a few lifers whom are trying to climb the ladder and they seem to be OK with the company. It's such an easy job and so easy to get benefits that being stuck there happens often. All told I really like working for the company and may keep it around as a part time gig at night when I get a "real" job.

Some of the customers downright suck but the regulars make up for it. Except for the stalkers. I have one now(female) and its freaking me out. I'm going to put in for yet another transfer to get away from the drama.

For those who haven't worked for Starbucks we've got Drama. D - R - A - M - A! If you feel your life is boring then get a job as a Barista part time and it'll suck you in.

[abbiapple]

So, there is enough drama working at the Buck to fuel discussion on an entire forum board. So I started one. I'm hoping baristas from all over the country will log in and share thier dumb customer stories...
maybe even some customers will have a few things to say too.

Blue Barista Forum (http://www.bluebarista.forumup.com)

*cheers

[winneythepooh7]

I think that the more $$$$ we make in customer related fields, the tougher the work (ie. being a Social Worker ;). ) But Starbucks/coffee shops in general sound like awesome jobs just for the benefits/environment alone.

[RayJ1977]

I have a professional career and there are days I think I want to move to Seattle and work at Starbuck's forever. Love that place.

[madge86]

Has anyone done that? Quit their full-time gig to work at Starbucks? I've seriously been pondering that. My day job is SO not the right fit for me. I'd love to hear people's stories...

[Syracuse]

Maybe the customers would be nicer if you'd hurry up and give me my cappacinno. Seriously Starbucks hires some stupid slow people. Not saying it's you, but I boycott that place now, too expensive to make me wait ten years.

[Xander]

For all of you baristas, do you get hit on a lot? I'm guessing most service jobs carry that cost, but I'm just curious what your thoughts are. :p

[rsp319]

I worked at Starbucks for a couple of months before I started my full time job. They have good benefits, but like someone else said there was way too much drama there. Too many immature people as well. And I ended up opening a couple of days a week and that was annoying since customers would be in a huge rush to get their coffee or other drinks. Some of the customers were so rude and I would want to say that they should give themselves more time before they needed to be at their train. However, I kept my comments to myself. The Starbucks I was at did well since it was right across the street from a train station. It was on the line that people would take to get to NYC. Oh well, I did it and learned from it. It was ok as far as customer service jobs go, but I wouldn't do it again.

[Honey418]

I dunno if it was just the Starbucks location I worked in, slopeside in Breckenridge CO, but we got slammed on a regular (line out the door daily), not a fun (or easy) place to work. I was never even able to look up. For all the baristas out there I give you props.

[winneythepooh7]

I dunno if it was just the Starbucks location I worked in, slopeside in Breckenridge CO, but we got slammed on a regular (line out the door daily), not a fun (or easy) place to work. I was never even able to look up. For all the baristas out there I give you props.

Most of the Starbucks I run across in Manhattan and by the train where I live are always super-packed for several hours in the morning especially. They have like 5 or 6 (or more!) people working behind the counter, and move the line pretty quickly, but I am sure people are annoying and obnoxious over their $6.00+coffee drinks. I'm not THAT envious of this job.

[dollface]

What I want to know is how do people know about all of the drink options? I read that Starbucks has a million different ways for people to order their drinks...way more thank is listed on the menu.

I go there all of the time, mostly because I can't concentrate on my studies if I am at home. But all I ever order is a large coffee. I don't know any other drinks besides cafe latte and capuccino!

[NewMrs.]

What I want to know is how do people know about all of the drink options? I read that Starbucks has a million different ways for people to order their drinks...way more thank is listed on the menu.

I go there all of the time, mostly because I can't concentrate on my studies if I am at home. But all I ever order is a large coffee. I don't know any other drinks besides cafe latte and capuccino!


I was wondering the same thing. I have only been to Starbucks a handful of times, and I only go when I have a gift card that somebody else gave me. However, I always get confused about what to order. I usually end up ordering the wrong thing.

I also got unnerved the first time I went to Starbucks and the barista asked me what my first name was so that she could write it on my cup. It seemed a little creepy at the time, although it makes sense to me now.

[wordsmith]

Most coffee drinks are a slight variation on the same basic thing, so it's really not that complicated.

[winneythepooh7]

Since they are all usually pretty busy, I don't feel like I can take my time and actually read all the stuff on the menu anyways, or the other customers and the SB employees will get pissed!

[SpaceMonkey]

Since they are all usually pretty busy, I don't feel like I can take my time and actually read all the stuff on the menu anyways, or the other customers and the SB employees will get pissed!

Seriously. I feel so weird if I'm standing there at a coffee place (Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, indepedent coffee place, whatever) and actually reading the menu.