I've loved STARBUCKS since I started working there back in college. I was so proud of being a Barista & Supervisor. The one thing that impressed me about that company was the training they provided. Before I was left alone on the bar to make drinks, I was given a full month of on the job training, as well as training of the history of the company. Let me tell you - back then I mastered the art of foaming milk! You could ask any employee in my store how to make any drink - and they could recite it back to you {SNAP} "just like this".
Not anymore!
I'm one of those people that find a drink they like.....and order it to death. About a year ago my bro-in-law ordered a Cinnamon Dolce Latte (aka CDL), hated it & passed it on to me. It was pure love. That would be my cold weather drink! Knowing from my experience working at Starbucks that you can order your drink anyway you like - I tweak the normal order of "GRANDE CDL" to my obnoxious version of "GRANDE DECAF SKINNY CDL WITH LITTLE WHIP AND TOPPING". Why order the whip & topping if I'm getting it with sugar free syrup & skim milk? Every barista that takes my order rolls their eyes at me (which I pretend to ignore), but the truth is....if you eliminate the whipped cream & topping, you might as well skip the drink.
On friday a cashier took my order, called it correctly to the barista who proceeded to give it to me w/o the whip or topping. At $4.84, I check my drink before I leave - so I took the lid off, noticed what was missing & asked for the whip & topping. The girl then proceeded to give an exaggerated eye roll, squirted 3" of whipped cream (ie: 2" over the rim so no way would the lid go back on) and sprinkled an enormous amount of topping on top. Then handed it to me & said "the lid wont go on". I said "sorry, I need to walk to my office - can you make the lid fit?" She then said, "then drink the top off". Was she crazy? Did she really think I was going to slurp 2" of whipped cream so she can fit a lid? Um....no. My reply was, "Sorry - would you mind making the drink over so the lid can fit?" No point in getting nasty to her (and if you know me, you know I sometimes take pleasure in getting nasty). I order the same drink every day, at the same place, so just like every other barista here - she will learn that my order is a bit annoying.
Not anymore!
I'm one of those people that find a drink they like.....and order it to death. About a year ago my bro-in-law ordered a Cinnamon Dolce Latte (aka CDL), hated it & passed it on to me. It was pure love. That would be my cold weather drink! Knowing from my experience working at Starbucks that you can order your drink anyway you like - I tweak the normal order of "GRANDE CDL" to my obnoxious version of "GRANDE DECAF SKINNY CDL WITH LITTLE WHIP AND TOPPING". Why order the whip & topping if I'm getting it with sugar free syrup & skim milk? Every barista that takes my order rolls their eyes at me (which I pretend to ignore), but the truth is....if you eliminate the whipped cream & topping, you might as well skip the drink.
On friday a cashier took my order, called it correctly to the barista who proceeded to give it to me w/o the whip or topping. At $4.84, I check my drink before I leave - so I took the lid off, noticed what was missing & asked for the whip & topping. The girl then proceeded to give an exaggerated eye roll, squirted 3" of whipped cream (ie: 2" over the rim so no way would the lid go back on) and sprinkled an enormous amount of topping on top. Then handed it to me & said "the lid wont go on". I said "sorry, I need to walk to my office - can you make the lid fit?" She then said, "then drink the top off". Was she crazy? Did she really think I was going to slurp 2" of whipped cream so she can fit a lid? Um....no. My reply was, "Sorry - would you mind making the drink over so the lid can fit?" No point in getting nasty to her (and if you know me, you know I sometimes take pleasure in getting nasty). I order the same drink every day, at the same place, so just like every other barista here - she will learn that my order is a bit annoying.
What she did next I didnt expect. SHE WALKED AWAY and TOOK OFF HER APRON! HUH??????
After about 2 minutes of standing by the bar watching others get their drinks - I asked the other barista (who was working next to the barista who just walked away the entire time) if my drink was there & he said "which one". I told him & he said "oh - it's at the end of the line". I asked him where the girl went & he said "guess she went on a break". WHAT? It's not even 9am in midtown manhattan during rush hour - who goes on break then?!?!
I then walked over to the cashier while I was waiting (who happened to be the manager) and asked why the barista walked away when I asked her to redo my drink. She apologized, picked my cup up from the end & told the other barista to make it a priority.
Today I show up at 8:45am & order the same drink & have a different cashier tell me the drink was on the house due to the incident on Friday (which if you know me, then you know I get high when i get something for nothing), but then proceed to burst my bubble by asking me IN FRONT OF AN LINE OF CUSTOMERS, "did you say to the white manager on Friday that the little black girl made my drink wrong & you wanted her fired?" OH-MY-G-D!
How dare someone even ask me that in public - I was mortified. I asked if she was the manager on duty (which she was), so I answered "no - I didn't play the race card & I'm embarrassed that you would ask me that".
{{SIGH}} I loved Starbucks!
1 comment:
Love your blog! I found it through "eggface" and can so relate to your love/hate relationship with Starbucks!
Cindy
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