Let’s have a big round of applause for all the baristas out there who smilingly greet us grumpy in the mornings and send us off with a great start to the day, aka the morning cup of coffee, on which everything that waits ahead relies. Meetings, dates, calls, you name it.
So let’s just all imagine the uncaffeinated bunch of clients Starbucks workers see every day. In fact, we don’t need to imagine that, thanks to the Reddit community which goes by the same name, r/Starbucks. Here, the employees of the popular coffeehouse chain spill it all, the good and the bad.
Below, you'll find the stories they shared about the most awful clients, craziest orders and everything they had to deal with at work and it’s just pure madness. After you're done reading this one, be sure to check out part 1 with more Starbucks horror stories.
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My Dog Passed And They Told Me To Come To Work Anyway So I Quit. Her Name Is Eva
Support The Workers
My daughter works at a Starbucks, in Wisconsin. She makes $17 an hour. She started last November.
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I read this as "Stop being generous to people other than me". People can be generous to whoever they want, and it doesn't have to be the worker.
Starbucks ALREADY pays them well above minimum wage. Begging for money is just that - begging for money. Should we tip the walmart employee? Or the mcDonalds (who are probably only making min wage and should get more)?
Read the actual comment. IF you are going to be "nice" and give your money to someone else, why are you giving it to the person behind you in the lineup? Why do they need the money? I might be behind you, and I certainly don't need help paying for my coffee.
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Starbucks pays above minimum wage, you get health care, parental leave and even free education.
tbh, I don't tip in fast food places other than maybe the odd 15p change in the tub if i've not had the correct change, it's just not really expected that much here in the UK. As for buying drinks for other customers that have walked into a starbucks or fast food place behind me? No... they're the ones that don't need an extra hot drink like maybe the homeless guys outside in the cold do.
Yeah I only tip in restaurants. If your job isn't tip based then I'm not tipping in the fast food genre unless I have a huge order. I was a waitress and am an amazing tipper but I'm not tipping you for making me a cup of coffee or putting ice cream in a cup or making my sandwich.
As an adult, I've realized how messed up the tipping thing is here in the US. On top of that, like you mentioned, there are placed that put out tipping jars when there was no service beyond "putting food in a bag." Hell, give me some long tongs and I'll do it myself.
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I see people keep commenting about the pay, remember that different areas and states have different costs to live. So $15 can either go a long, or very short way. Is your rent $900? $1500? $2200? Etc. Those were some of my past rent examples. And before you say, "just move", moving is f*****g expensive too. If I can save up $5000 to move a few states, I'm just going to pay off my car....
I use the app. There is no tip option. When I pointed this out to my regular guy at the window he said, oh they pay me well don't stress about it. So I don't. I do drop change in from time to time if I happen to have some.
Yes, there is a tip option in the app. It comes up immediately after you pay when you scan. It shows as a green ribbon across the top. If you miss the ribbon, you can still give a tip via the app if you tap that little box that shows your purchase history. The tip option is only available for a couple of hours, so that might be a reason why you haven't seen it.
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I think the pay it forward is stupid. If my order was a 7 dollar order I'll be damned if I'm gonna pay for the $25 dollar order behind me. I live on a budget
Why not both? The pay-it-forward chain isn't really about generosity, it's more about community. My tip is dependent on service received (more accurately, their attitude), not on the server's wage.
Community? That's communism. We're a capitalism, which is about self, not community. Don't like it? Me either, but here we are.
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See here's the thing there are times where I go to my coffee shop and I literally scrounged up change to get it. No we can't always "afford' to pay for our drinks. Mind you I'll only do that if I'm out of coffee at home. And the drink that I get only cost $3.25 & I never go to Starbucks anyways every time I have I've had to deal with snobby baristas.....
SO my problem with Starbucks…Baristas, or most of the ones I have encountered, are such a holier than thou bunch for their little nothing knowledge. You’d think that they’d gone to a MIT- like barista collage for all their smug attitude.
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Starbucks workers make good money. I'll be kind to whomever I wish. That's my choice.
Stop telling people what to do with their money. Tips are not mandatory. It’s not the consumers job to make sure the employer makes a living wage, stop trying to make that the consumers fault cause guess what they’re probably not making what the deserve either.
Shut up. You don't get to decide when I can just be a kind person. Just because the person behind me CAN afford their drink, maybe they're just having a really *****y day and this is a touch of kindness that gives them a small bit of joy?? FFS.
Well, you're being kind to one person (the order behind you) while rejecting kindness towards another (the server) because it doesn't suit you.
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According to zip recruiter Starbucks employees are paid $9.15 to $14.40 depending on location. So maybe it's not just the "pay it forward" the employees are upset about,but maybe they are being like the milk they use,and are becoming a little sour.
Starbucks people make a decent wage and they have benefits as part time workers. Most places only give bennys after 40 week.
If people want to "pay it forward" they can and will. Stop telling people how to live and spend their money. Its awfully arrogant to demand people hand their hard earned money to a specific demographic of workers. Especially when they're paying their wages by buying from them anyway.
I don't tip people that make min wage or higher. I save that for the ones that don't make min wage.
Starbucks likes paying it forward because it drives business and is good for the brand. Therefore, accommodating it is part of the baristas’ job. Every job has things you don’t like.
Don't try to drive my generosity towards your pocket. Join your union and claim a decent salary, instead.
Well said. Sick of people telling you to tip them more. Yes it's bad of employers but this will never change as long as the public are made to make up their salaries
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Maybe it's not like that anymore, but to my knowledge the pay it forward-concept was based on those who could not afford their own coffee, and especially with focus on homeless people. If the employee is basically saying "don't give it to poor people who can't afford their own place to live, let alone a coffee, give it to meeeee", then... No.
Fun fact: tipping became a thing in America after the Civil War because former slave owners wanted "hire" black people without paying them (fairly). And the only way to continue doing that was by saying they had the ability to get tips. Abolish tipping and abolish the tipped minimum wage.
What right does anyone have to tell others not to pay for someone else's purchase??? Apparently, the poster does not fully understand the meaning of generosity. I'm not stating that food service workers should not be paid a fair wage. I simply resent the self-righteous attitude of the person, who posted this.
Not the point! We are sharing our kindness to others. You have no idea if the person deserved it for being kind first. This simply makes me want to NOT tip Starbucks Baristas for this rubbish.
I be tip'n the wait people and some times I'd like to "Pay it Forward or Back", without an out of work HOA jerks comments.
We do both. Once we paid it forward and later an employee said the next 16 customers did the same thing. If you can spread a little joy, why not?
I think this is a shitty take on things. I haven't spent a dime at a Starbucks in over a decade and never will again, but I am generous tipper and if I were to go somewhere and decide I want to anomalously pick up someone else's tab, who are the workers to tell me I should give the $ to them instead?
Typical entitled sentiment. It's all about YOU, now isn't it. How about if you think up another random act of kindness to do for someone else that doesn't have to benefit you in some way? Jeesh.
I worked as a batista in NY back in @2005ish and I was making $10 an hour.....were collected throughout the week and divided up by how many hours you worked. I considered it a nice weekly "bonus". Tips are not mandatory, be grateful ppl!
I do both and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Paying it forward is an act of kindness while proper tipping should be part of doing business (I know some people don't get that).
From what i hear Starbucks pays well. The problem is that the pay it forwards are disruptive. Orders can vary widely and not match up. If you want to donate to charity, then donate to charity. You can also tip. But stop making ppls job harder than it already is.
I like to pay it forward from time to time for other people to show my positive regard to humanity and good people still exist. I'll give the barista a bill and tell them to keep the change. I'm not going to change that. They are paid above minimum wage and get tips. It's not my responsibility to tip them more to match the cost of inflation. That's what good education is for.
Employers are required to ensure their employees are earning at least minimum wage. These employees who are complaining about customers not tipping don't want to put forth the effort required to provide outstanding customer service that tipping rewards. SERVERS: Your boss hired and pays you to perform a job. Tips are not guaranteed and are in no way owed to you by the customer. Tips are the customer's way of thanking you for your service. If you're not getting tipped enough, the problem is YOU.
I'm sorry but do you even know what minimum wage is. Based on your snobby ass attitude you don't. Your being a Karin and nobody likes a Karin.
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People are whole grown individuals. If they want to pay for the person behind them then let them. Who are they to tell someone what to do with their money? People need to mind their own business frfr. Do your job which does not include telling customers what to do with their own money period.
Tip the workers? It's the bosses job to pay the workers not ours and bosses are supposed to only deduct pay from tips if you do group tips that money does not get deducted because it's not money you take home if the boss isn't following the rules by FSLA either quit or sue/ tips are nothing but a way for jobs to make money why pay our employees when the customers can do that for us
It's a $6 cup of coffee. The amount of money put forth for that is plenty. Nobody gets a gargantuan tip for a cup of coffee.
I've tried to tip many times and am always refused, told they can't accept tips.
Sooo sry but good gosh🤦im sooo tired of hearing Starbucks workers(& workers anywhere!) Complaining! "U" picked the job...so do it! & YES this is coming from some1 who has worked w/ the public.u ever hear that motto the customer is always right or do ur job to the fullest! I personally feel Starbucks (& other comp.s) should take the time & send the employees 2 work ethic group functions or something of that nature...folks should be grateful they do have a job! & yes the customer isnt always right but its NOT ur job to post, complain,etc about it.i was always taught do ur job to the fullest if not put that extra foot forward! I love Starbucks...but honestly dread going in a place & ordering because yes i like my drink a certain way & yes depends on what state im in at the time i do tip usually$ 5.00! When my drink is only about $6.00!& 9 times outta 10 they always get it wrong! For gosh sakes PLEASE stop complaining & Starbucks step ur hiring game & expectations of employees up! 💁
what if we tip the barista/associate working the window well, too. I don't agree with this one at alll.
And maybe the car behind you is having a bad day, they are on their way to a funeral, they save up a few bucks so they can treat themselves to Starbucks once a month. You never know what someone else is going through making blanket statements like that only show your own shallowness. But I will say, that tippthe worker a little more can help them have a less sh****y day dealing with inconsiderate customers.
I don't care what you are sick of, you now get paid twice what you deserve, do your friggin job and do it correctly. People pay eight bucks for a coffee it needs to taste right.
While I whole heartedly feel that Starbucks workers especially, deserve to be tipped well for what they deal with, the whole "pay it forward" movement is based on random acts of kindness. In current times, those little gestures like paying the order behind you, can turn someone's whole day or even more around.
I thought Starbucks was a great employer. Apparently I was wrong.
I'm a retail store manager...do you tip me for hearing your complaint or even accommodating you for a problem ...no, because it's my job! ... I go to Starbucks to get a specialty drink, it's why they exist...baristas are hired to make the specialty drinks ..its their job! ... want a tip...thank me by my name and show great customer service , a tone of gratitude for buying Starbucks..the company you represent...Ill tip ya then...tips are for the exceptional experiences...not for you to hand me my drink without a sleeve, without a stopper and definitely not when you tell me your not gonna give you a vent water because you don't know how to charge me for it, so I have to take a water cup...what! Okay🙄 A tip like respect is earned not given.
If the workers want better pay... Get a real job. Tips should be banned. You're asking for handouts because you refuse to get a real job. Quit being a bum
This. Absolutely this. Not to sound judgey but the people who actually participate in this don't seem to care/understand that the employees get totally messed up when people do this dumb s**t.
Tippumg shouldnt be allowed in the first place bec employers should pay them wages. I dont care whether minimum wages are good or bad but if employes are paying then there shouldnt be any question about tipping. I see tipping as begging like beggars on the streets. I see tipping around London and it boils my blood.
People giving other people an incentive for a job done well boils your blood? I'd hate to see how famine and war make you feel
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"but at the same time, the whole "pay it forward" trend is incredibly stupid." Please tell me, what is "incredibly stupid" about wanting to do something nice and possibly brighten someone's day just a little bit? The world needs less people like you, sorry.
Load More Replies...This Would Be A Great Stress Relief Practice
Go watch "Clerks" or "Fight Club".. You're not your job.. Your job doesn't dictate your behavior.. Just know there may be consequences for your actions.. You may get fired or you may gain the respect of people worldwide.. You never know.
According to Starbucks' careers website, baristas are the face of Starbucks. The popular coffeehouse chain states that “They are an important part of our customers’ days, and experts in handcrafting delicious, perfect beverages.” Moreover, “Baristas personally connect and create moments that make a difference and work together to create a welcoming store environment,” says the company’s website. Starbucks argues that baristas are the ones who bring their mission and values to life “while proudly wearing the green apron.”
Pouring One Out
You just need to be polite and reasonable. That works everywhere.
An Inspiration To Us All
If Only All Customers Were Like This
So what exactly is the company looking for in the people who greet customers every day? Well, Starbucks argues that you’d make a great barista if you are a “people person,” and enjoy meeting others, love working as a team and appreciate the chance to collaborate, understand how to create a great customer service experience, have a focus on quality and take pride in your work. So if you press apply for a barista position on their website, you’d be surprised how much importance they put on social and interpersonal skills. No wonder why, when you look at the clients they have to deal with on a daily basis.
*ehem*
“Please Don’t Verbally Assault The Baristas”
"Managers Favorite" Lmao
honestly calling it the "ghost refresher" is pretty cool. Also great that they're giving it for free
On the other hand, working as a barista at Starbucks is still viewed as a first job for college students since the company is flexible with working hours and has many locations to meet your needs. According to Indeed.com, average Starbucks barista hourly pay in the United States is approximately $12.55, which meets the national average.
However, like many companies, Starbucks faced labor shortage in 2021 and announced it was raising their average pay up to $17 an hour starting late January 2022. Around the same time, the company also announced that it was investing in training, as well as redesigning its "Barista Basics" guide and adding more training time.
When They Drive/Walk Past The Tip Jar
Working Thanksgiving Sucks, So I Made All My Baristas Gift Bags! Thank You For Everything You Do
these gift bags honestly look really nice, a card, a cup, and whatever else you put down in there. Definitely made thanksgiving better.
Truth
Somebody Backed Into Our Window On Friday, And This Was Presented To Us Today. Sometimes Work Is Okay
Also This
Starbucks: We Are Forced To Raise Prices Due To Inflation And Supply-Chain Issues. Also Starbucks: Our Profit Just Went Up 31% And We Gave Our CEO A 39% Raise To $20.4 Million
Some People Live In The Purge
Telling Customers We're Out Of Product
Again? What Is This?!
Somebody Literally Set Our Store On Fire Sunday And My Coworkers And I Didn’t Know What To Do So We Just Kept Making Drinks
Walked Into My Store And Burst Into Laughter. Gotta Love These Shortages
Me Watching Karen’s Card Get Declined
*sputters, red in the face* "I have MONEY in there!!!!! Try it again" *still declines* *unintelligible frustration noises* *fishes around in purse for other card to use* *finally clears* Whew.
It’s Happening
Some Whiteout Poetry Dedicated To Being A Partner
This Is Just… A Lot
Good costumer, actually. I would love all my clients having so clear ideas.
Find A Lizard?
These aren't actual orders the baristas just find a mantis and catch it with a cup and think"you know what would be funny"
It’s Starting To Get To Me
I'm more concerned about the fact that the little hovering dog has casts on both of it's front legs.
The Bucks Be Draining Yo
100% - i don't get how people workout, go out to eat, or do anything after work
the motivation and will to live parts really got me also they only have tears
The Life Of An Opener
They do that every where lol At my shop they’ll be knocking at the door *mystified* that they can’t get in at five-to. It’s ok, they’re cute.
I Am So Tired
Dead Inside
60 Frappuccinos With No Tip… $279
Water And Whip No
Note: this post originally had 88 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.
I blame Starbucks management for not setting limits on insane orders
Customers can be hard work, but most of this is an issue with Starbucks as a company. People order complicated drinks and 50 boxes for 5am because they are told by Starbucks that this is reasonable and ok.
I'm not a coffee drinker and I will never understand the assholes who put in such ridiculous orders. If you order coffee like this, you are an a*****e. If you bring your own sticker, you are an a*****e. If you berate people in the service industry, you are an a*****e. Starbucks shouldn't have to set limits, people should just stop being assholes.
So if you bring in a preprinted sticker to make an order easier and quicker to make, you're an ahole?? Foh with that ignorance. They could be hearing impaired, or have another disability, or, in that case, just be a more complex order. Stop being a fn d*ck for no reason.
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I can't ever be mean to my baristas they give me the juice of life and it's the best part of my day. They are the bringers of joy and all things wonderful.
Unless I'm a passenger in someone's vehicle who wants to swing by the Starbucks drive-thru, I never go there. I swear some people put in such pretentious coffee orders just because they can get away with it and they're borderline sadists.
Treat others as you would want to be treated. If you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all. Simple words to live by. People are so entitled that respect for others is impossible you literally have to go out of your way to be so toxic.
This is what we need in the world. Thank you for posting this.
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A coffee is a coffee. When you start to put anything in it is something else.
Pretty much, i only put like 10% of the cup milk, to protect my stomach
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Starbucks coffee is vile. People who drink it have no clue how real coffee tastes.
This article is poorly titled. It's just a bunch of memes you pulled into an article to get views. :(
The biggest problem with Starbucks is that their POS system doesn’t allow you to leave a tip on a card so you have to bring cash. It’s extremely frustrating and inconvenient. Customers and employees have complained about it for years but SB refuses to change or fix it.
Get OUT of this horrible 'tipping' culture. It is like third work countries. Pay the staff a decent wage. We only pay tip her for service above and beyond the call of duty. And when the staff are well paid the service is far better, the staff happier and the customers happier,
I personaly don't see a problem with #26... When you know your order Is complicated, or you have comunication issues, why not print your order upfront and avoid misunderstanding?
Stop writing my name wrong on purpose then. You can't expect people to treat you with kindness and glorifying praise when you purposely write names wrong. That fad is over. No one thinks it's funny or quirky anymore. And no, I'd never treat a person working in this business bad, but this grinds my gears
If you want a complicated drink invest in a coffee maker, and blender to do this yourself.
These seem mostly like a problem with the employees judging the customers... if you want a water with raw cocoa beans and vanilla extract, that's the customer's choice. If the customer is rude to me, you may just be having a bad day and I will let it go once or twice. If I choose to work on a holiday, that's on ME, and it sucks but it pays. If you want to try and make a complicated drink order for your social media clout while filming me, you will get a water or something like your order(but not really)
It's been several years since I've set a foot in a Starbucks, but are there really people who make such orders or is it a big "joke"? There are requests so crazy they could kill you just reading them...
When I first started seeing those, I assumed it was some sort of prank so they can take a picture of it and post it on social. Though it's not that funny and it's now been done over and over. I'd still rather believe these people are astoundingly lacking in creativity than believe someone actually drank one of those, though.
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Someday I wanna be a Starbucks barista JUST so I can call out a Karen’s actual name, then the CUP says “Karen” or “douchebag”
If I’m paying $8 for a cup of coffee I deserve to have it the way I enjoy it. Just don’t be rude and learn how to efficiently order, be nice, and tip generously.
The problem is 'the customer is always right,' policy. I worked at a Starbucks for a few years and a Perkins for ten. Whenever I followed Perkins policy and tried to handle something - the manager above me would go and undo it. Over the years I fed people who came in drunk, stole food, drank in the restaurant, shouted racial slurs at others, came in shirtless, called in and demanded reservations (it said in the book we DIDN'T do this). If you let them run all over you - they fuckn run all over you.
I blame Starbucks management for not setting limits on insane orders
Customers can be hard work, but most of this is an issue with Starbucks as a company. People order complicated drinks and 50 boxes for 5am because they are told by Starbucks that this is reasonable and ok.
I'm not a coffee drinker and I will never understand the assholes who put in such ridiculous orders. If you order coffee like this, you are an a*****e. If you bring your own sticker, you are an a*****e. If you berate people in the service industry, you are an a*****e. Starbucks shouldn't have to set limits, people should just stop being assholes.
So if you bring in a preprinted sticker to make an order easier and quicker to make, you're an ahole?? Foh with that ignorance. They could be hearing impaired, or have another disability, or, in that case, just be a more complex order. Stop being a fn d*ck for no reason.
Load More Replies... I can't ever be mean to my baristas they give me the juice of life and it's the best part of my day. They are the bringers of joy and all things wonderful.
Unless I'm a passenger in someone's vehicle who wants to swing by the Starbucks drive-thru, I never go there. I swear some people put in such pretentious coffee orders just because they can get away with it and they're borderline sadists.
Treat others as you would want to be treated. If you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all. Simple words to live by. People are so entitled that respect for others is impossible you literally have to go out of your way to be so toxic.
This is what we need in the world. Thank you for posting this.
Load More Replies... A coffee is a coffee. When you start to put anything in it is something else.
Pretty much, i only put like 10% of the cup milk, to protect my stomach
Load More Replies... Starbucks coffee is vile. People who drink it have no clue how real coffee tastes.
This article is poorly titled. It's just a bunch of memes you pulled into an article to get views. :(
The biggest problem with Starbucks is that their POS system doesn’t allow you to leave a tip on a card so you have to bring cash. It’s extremely frustrating and inconvenient. Customers and employees have complained about it for years but SB refuses to change or fix it.
Get OUT of this horrible 'tipping' culture. It is like third work countries. Pay the staff a decent wage. We only pay tip her for service above and beyond the call of duty. And when the staff are well paid the service is far better, the staff happier and the customers happier,
I personaly don't see a problem with #26... When you know your order Is complicated, or you have comunication issues, why not print your order upfront and avoid misunderstanding?
Stop writing my name wrong on purpose then. You can't expect people to treat you with kindness and glorifying praise when you purposely write names wrong. That fad is over. No one thinks it's funny or quirky anymore. And no, I'd never treat a person working in this business bad, but this grinds my gears
If you want a complicated drink invest in a coffee maker, and blender to do this yourself.
These seem mostly like a problem with the employees judging the customers... if you want a water with raw cocoa beans and vanilla extract, that's the customer's choice. If the customer is rude to me, you may just be having a bad day and I will let it go once or twice. If I choose to work on a holiday, that's on ME, and it sucks but it pays. If you want to try and make a complicated drink order for your social media clout while filming me, you will get a water or something like your order(but not really)
It's been several years since I've set a foot in a Starbucks, but are there really people who make such orders or is it a big "joke"? There are requests so crazy they could kill you just reading them...
When I first started seeing those, I assumed it was some sort of prank so they can take a picture of it and post it on social. Though it's not that funny and it's now been done over and over. I'd still rather believe these people are astoundingly lacking in creativity than believe someone actually drank one of those, though.
Load More Replies... Someday I wanna be a Starbucks barista JUST so I can call out a Karen’s actual name, then the CUP says “Karen” or “douchebag”
If I’m paying $8 for a cup of coffee I deserve to have it the way I enjoy it. Just don’t be rude and learn how to efficiently order, be nice, and tip generously.
The problem is 'the customer is always right,' policy. I worked at a Starbucks for a few years and a Perkins for ten. Whenever I followed Perkins policy and tried to handle something - the manager above me would go and undo it. Over the years I fed people who came in drunk, stole food, drank in the restaurant, shouted racial slurs at others, came in shirtless, called in and demanded reservations (it said in the book we DIDN'T do this). If you let them run all over you - they fuckn run all over you.
