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I might be cross training to work in Starbucks. What's a typical day there like? What can I expect from training and working there?
Archived What is it like working at Starbucks?
- Thread starter ZombiePanties31
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At our Starbucks, you need to be super outgoing and friendly. We have one who is not, and it's a bear for her and everyone else she comes into contact with.
Beyond that, I have no idea. Starbucks scares me, and I have nothing but respect for all of those who can do it (and do it well).
Beyond that, I have no idea. Starbucks scares me, and I have nothing but respect for all of those who can do it (and do it well).
Bored Food Aver
FORMER Food Aver
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I'm not sure if this question deserves a separate thread or not, oh well.
How different is working at Starbucks compared to Food Ave? Right now I hear rumors spreading that my store is one of many that will switch out Food Ave for a Starbucks, since we definitely don't have to room for both areas. It's kinda put me on edge as most of my hours are in Food and my store has been attracting more entitlement queens as of late.
How different is working at Starbucks compared to Food Ave? Right now I hear rumors spreading that my store is one of many that will switch out Food Ave for a Starbucks, since we definitely don't have to room for both areas. It's kinda put me on edge as most of my hours are in Food and my store has been attracting more entitlement queens as of late.
redeye58
Hasta Ba Rista, Baby!
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The majority of starbux is making drinks to order, very few food items, selling/grinding coffee & coffee-related products (mugs, presses, Vias, teas, etc).
Food Ave is more mainstream as a snack bar: drinks, snack foods, meal courses. Much more different selections.
As others before have said, Starbux has a few drink types with a LOT of variants. Once you learn the basics, it's just a matter of adding the extras accordingly.
Ex: a simple latte is steamed milk & espresso shots. Add vanilla & it's a vanilla latte; add choc w/whip & you have a mocha latte; substitute the espresso with Chai syrup & you have a chai tea latte......and so on ad infinitum.
A coffee frappucino is a few pumps of coffee base, milk, ice & frapp base syrup blended & topped with whip. Add mocha & you have a mocha frappucino. Add chips to that & you have a Java Chip frappucino.
When you look at the recipe file, it looks daunting but when you make a few drinks over & over & over & over & over enough times, it becomes easier w/o realizing it.
Food Ave is more mainstream as a snack bar: drinks, snack foods, meal courses. Much more different selections.
As others before have said, Starbux has a few drink types with a LOT of variants. Once you learn the basics, it's just a matter of adding the extras accordingly.
Ex: a simple latte is steamed milk & espresso shots. Add vanilla & it's a vanilla latte; add choc w/whip & you have a mocha latte; substitute the espresso with Chai syrup & you have a chai tea latte......and so on ad infinitum.
A coffee frappucino is a few pumps of coffee base, milk, ice & frapp base syrup blended & topped with whip. Add mocha & you have a mocha frappucino. Add chips to that & you have a Java Chip frappucino.
When you look at the recipe file, it looks daunting but when you make a few drinks over & over & over & over & over enough times, it becomes easier w/o realizing it.
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2 special orders of Stbx coffee, will change your mind real quick.
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With your eyes almost close, i am sure.
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The TMs that work at Starbucks in my store are really good. Most of the time they are telling me about different combos/ingredients I should try.
redeye58
Hasta Ba Rista, Baby!
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We have a few "Starbux snobs" who seem to think they have sensitive palates but I seldom get complaints from people who know their drinks.
Still, you'll be self-conscious at first. Then you'll discover most folks don't even know what goes in their drink.
When our espresso machine was being serviced, we had a sign up "no espresso drinks". Those guests who actually SAW the signs would then ask for ICED lattes. (headshake)
Still, you'll be self-conscious at first. Then you'll discover most folks don't even know what goes in their drink.
When our espresso machine was being serviced, we had a sign up "no espresso drinks". Those guests who actually SAW the signs would then ask for ICED lattes. (headshake)
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I'm one of those guests. I can barely order my own drink...don't ask me to customize it or know if it uses the espresso machine!
mrknownothing
purveyor of things
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As nice as it is to get free Starbucks when I cover carts, it gets really awkward because I don't know what the hell any of it is. It's like that Dunkin Donuts commercial from several years ago:
"My mouth can't form these words. Is it French, or is it Italian? Perhaps Fritalian?"
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Working Starbucks is a lot of fun and (unless you're in a really small store) should keep you busy for your whole shift. Training can be intimidating; the hardest part is learning all the drinks (and it'll take awhile to remember them all) but after some time, it'll become second nature.
Also note that the Starbucks experience can vary a lot depending on what part of the day you work. During the morning, you'll mostly be making drinks and interacting with customers (while dealing with a constant customer rush), while at night you'll still be doing those things, but also cleaning every inch of the store to prep for close and morning shift.
Finally, be ready to be ignored by the ETLs. @redeye58 put it best: "
It does seem like Starbux & the café are treated like a love child at a political fund-raiser most of the time."
But if you have awesome co-workers, it should be great!
Keep in mind I'm at a high volume Starbucks, so it is probably very different at smaller stores.
Also note that the Starbucks experience can vary a lot depending on what part of the day you work. During the morning, you'll mostly be making drinks and interacting with customers (while dealing with a constant customer rush), while at night you'll still be doing those things, but also cleaning every inch of the store to prep for close and morning shift.
Finally, be ready to be ignored by the ETLs. @redeye58 put it best: "
It does seem like Starbux & the café are treated like a love child at a political fund-raiser most of the time."
But if you have awesome co-workers, it should be great!
Keep in mind I'm at a high volume Starbucks, so it is probably very different at smaller stores.
It's really fun compared to cashiering, I can tell you that. Learning is really scary, at my store they made me work full shifts when I didn't know crap, it was awful.
You just gotta be confident, as with anything really. Once you learn it it's totally worth it. Just don't be that guy who doesn't date stuff, doesn't close well, ect
You just gotta be confident, as with anything really. Once you learn it it's totally worth it. Just don't be that guy who doesn't date stuff, doesn't close well, ect
From what I hear from the lanes, a few drinks made, a lot of cleaning, and a LOT of talking and talking LOUDLY so I can hear the FULL conversation from my lane. Usually there are 2 Starbucks TMs over there shooting the breeze. They are not allowed to back up cashier so yeah, that's annoying. I understand but I feel it's a waste of payroll most days.
You would never catch me working in SB. I find it all very confusing and the price of the drinks are astronomical! I'm more of a QT coffee kind of person. lol
You would never catch me working in SB. I find it all very confusing and the price of the drinks are astronomical! I'm more of a QT coffee kind of person. lol
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Until you've had a six shot dark chocolate breve you haven't lived.
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Starbucks is one of the easiest workcenters you can be in. The training seems daunting at first because you get a lot of terms that need to be learned up front. However, once you are familiar with the drinks and the open, mid, close tasks it is really simple. You get some entitled pricks, but not nearly as much as Guest Service does. Generally speaking so long as you have a good attitude and make your drinks well you'll never run into a problem. I have never had a drink sent back unless it was a teenager wanting "MOAR XTRA CRML NAO!" and those are few and far between,
The biggest thing to know is for hot drinks make sure you are steaming milk properly which means you should hear a soft paper tearing sound and no high pitched screeching sound. The Starbucks training guide tells you how to steam milk properly and don't let other TMs or even Starbucks TLs try to tell you differently because you'll get milk that isn't aerated properly. In addition always make sure your shots are not dying. Espresso shots are only good for ten seconds, after that they turn black and are absolutely disgusting.
If the last two Starbucks TLs at my store weren't complete morons then I'd probably still be working there.
The biggest thing to know is for hot drinks make sure you are steaming milk properly which means you should hear a soft paper tearing sound and no high pitched screeching sound. The Starbucks training guide tells you how to steam milk properly and don't let other TMs or even Starbucks TLs try to tell you differently because you'll get milk that isn't aerated properly. In addition always make sure your shots are not dying. Espresso shots are only good for ten seconds, after that they turn black and are absolutely disgusting.
If the last two Starbucks TLs at my store weren't complete morons then I'd probably still be working there.
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