Frustrated Starbucks Baristas Are Shaming Jerk Customers Who Order Drinks That Are ‘Very Extra’ (30 Pics)
Keep it simple, people—you're ordering a cup of coffee, not a dessert meant for royalty with exotic and rare ingredients from the most secretive corners of the globe. Everyone's going to thank you if your order's simple at the local coffee shop: the barista smiling at you across the counter, the bleary-eyed commuters behind you who just want their cup of morning Joe ASAP, and… your body that wants something even a bit nutritious.
Starbucks barista Josie shared a photo of the monstrous order one of his customers asked for. It's enormous and we have no idea how the customer, Edward, could even function after such a cup of (with so much sugar there, you can't really even call it) ‘coffee.' The baristas and cafe workers of Twitter pitched in with their own photos of weird orders. And you know what? They perfectly embody Josie's desire to quit his job. We feel you, Josie!
Check out some of the most ludicrous (not to mention highly specific) drink orders below, upvote the ones that made you go ‘ugh,' and be sure to vent about your own experiences with customers who can't get a simple venti in the comment section, dear Pandas.
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You can bet your bottom dollar that Josie's thread touched a nerve on Twitter. His photo got more than 331.4k likes and was retweeted a combined total of 51k times at the time of writing. That just goes to show that customers like Edward and their logic-defying orders aren't anything rare—they're out there and they're coming for you (if you're a barista).
This is the drinks equivalent of 8 y/o me putting honey, sprinkles, butter, cheese, jam, and Vegemite on a sandwich only I've added everything else in a jar, most things in tins, my Mom's hot sauce, and a small bag of sugar, for flavour
Coffee means big business in America. According to E-Imports, the United States imports over 4 billion dollars worth of coffee per year. And it's no wonder that the numbers are so high because Americans consume a whopping 400 million cups of coffee per day.
The US' massive consumption of the drink is making me imagine a literal ocean of coffee being gulped down. To say that Americans are coffee lovers would be an understatement. (Though we wish more of those orders were a bit less adventurous. All that syrup in your coffee can't be good for you.)
"Holy sugar, that's a lot of diabetes!" more like
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I bet this is to use at home in their plain coffee, over the course of a week etc (or at least I hope so) as it's cheaper than buying the syrup on line
I agree. This is probably a weeks worth of “homemade” iced lattes for someone. Don’t really see anything wrong with this.
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Unlike all the other stuff here, I can kiiiinda sooorta see the logic here - This can technically be used to make several flavored iced coffees if poured between cups and mixed with milk and ice. Or maybe I'm reading too much into this, and whoever ordered this is just crazy.
Mmmmm... maybe this one takes it home and makes yummy drinks/ice cream or somthin over the week... it is just coffee shots and flavouring...
I actually might try this, just once to understand what others apparently enjoy.
I used to work at Tim Horton's (Canada) and every day this lady would order a TEA with 8 cream and 8 sugar.... first off, who puts cream in sugar? Second. 8 of them? Third, 8 sugar? The cup was literally half full of cream and half hot water, it was so cold with all the cream the tea bag wouldn't steep properly
I just dont understand, why take different types of milk. like how can all of this taste good
They didn't even pick it up? That's shitty behavior, ngl.
Meanwhile, Statista reports that a 2018 survey found that US consumers most commonly use drip coffee makers and single cup brewers. Though the former is slowly but surely going out of style and its future remains uncertain.
On the flip side, cold brew coffee is growing in popularity. The cold brew coffee market had been valued at 321 million dollars in 2017 and is expected to reach 1.37 billion dollars in market value by 2023.
What doesn't change, however, is the ‘customer first' mentality that many cafe owners, franchise workers, and baristas have. Though, should they accommodate each and every whim? Or should they try talking to all the Edwards that show up for their pick-me-ups? We think that it depends on just how monstrous the order really is. Just remember to do things diplomatically and with a smile. We all have our own little vices after all.
In the mood for some more reasons why you should quit your barista job and aim for your dreams despite the pandemic? Check out Bored Panda's article about all the things that Starbucks baristas are just sick of right over here. Would you like a cookie with that?
Note: this post originally had 31 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Frankly, the problem is not that these things get ordered, the problem is that they _can_ be ordered. If you offer something, it will be used, however absurd it is.
Indeed. They can easily introduce a policy of no more than 4 ingredients.
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"To say that Americans are coffee lovers would be an understatement." None of those drinks indicate coffee lovers. They all point at a serious sugar addiction. And a lack of taste buds.
Exactly but on the other hand I don't blame them! From what I've read here, sugar is EVERYWHERE in their products! In big amounts even in bread! And it's really addictive so if you are used to this amount it's really difficult to fix that
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Are these children orders? Obviously if you want real coffee Starbucks is a no go
I doubt these are "proper" orders. They must get asked for a challenge, a joke or to see the barista's reaction. It wouldn't make any sense otherwise. Some people can be this dumb, but not as many as those who think they are hilarious.
Yes. Some of the orders made no sense actually with some lines contradicting others. Plus I would like to add that if stores are going to offer a product, people can order it. That’s what the service is there for. And why are we judging people on their drinks tastes?
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I had an SB coffee once. Just your standard milky coffee. I have IBS and I can handle 1) coffee 2) milk, which is all the ingredients that should be in a milky coffee. It's a safe drink for me to order at any coffee serving establishment. Except apparently in Starbucks, which I found out on my way home on the train while drinking it. I looked up later what was in it and they swear up and down it's just coffee and milk. No, no it isn't, as the ruined train toilet will tell you. At least my fellow passengers were sympathetic on the three hour train ride home.
Different beans maybe? I can have two identical coffees - one from SB and one from Costa - and one will upset my stomach more than the other. I watch them make it - I'm reasonably confident that the milk is the standard stuff from a cow - so the only variant is the bean.
Load More Replies... How would even know this COULD be ordered... I want to be cynical and say that these are just made up by bored employees coz I am too scared to know that its all true and these people are among us....
Hmm reading some of the comments here I don't think the customer meant to piss off the barista. I don't mean to take a side but as unhealthy as it is if that's what the customer felt like having, should he or she have not ordered that for the sake of the barista. Since it is a lot of work, maybe there could offer self service for orders like those
I truly don't understand the problem. I wouldn't want to drink these orders, but the customer does. The employee is being paid no matter what gets ordered. Starbucks decides which extras to charge for. The workers will spend the whole shift making drinks. I really don't understand why making a custom drink, even a very long one, bothers a barista.
Charge people $0.50 for each extra shot and they'll soon stop these ridiculous requests, like we do in the UK.
They do! That one "coffee" was over $30
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I don't go to Starbucks often, but when you order something simple just the way it is supposed to be, you still get like at least 10 questions. "Do you want this or that with it?" So maybe some people try to get back at them with these crazy orders😜.
If people were not actually paying for these messes I would think that SB is being punked!
Most of these I don't understand. The 'normal' drinks at that place look just as ridiculous as these pictures. All I see is they all want to die of diabetes, because it's all 90% sugar that they want.
At this point.... why even bother paying for Starbucks. One could just buy a bag of sugar to mix into water, and it'd be cheaper and more convenient.
I don't get Starbucks often, but I will never again feel like a PITA just for asking for lowfat or sugar free substitutions.
This is a current tik tok trend to order these complicated drinks. Not the typical American order despite what people may think about us
I know a few people right now who would be happy to have a job at all even if it means making crazy drinks
First, just imagine being a bigger part of such a person's life than their barista, like imagine they are your coworker, family member or partner. Chilling notion. Second, I live in Japan and it's totally different at Starbucks here. You order a drink and you get that drink. I'm sure you can customize it but I've never seen anyone attempt. They have many monthly featured drinks and specialty fraps and those don't even come in a size other than tall, let alone other customizing options. It's just efficient!
I think the "fanciest" coffee I've ever ordered was a Mocha Frappe (Starbucks), which was a standard menu item. I haven't gone into a 'Bucks in over a decade, though, so don't really remember. I don't like hyper loaded coffee; I want to taste COFFEE, not all the ooky sugar additions!
To me this is paramount of somebody who’s complaining about traffic while they are sitting in traffic. If it’s company policy to allow people to get whatever drink they want and I don’t see what the problem is. To me this is just whining and b*tching about nothing. Now if a customer is being abusive that’s totally different.
I feel bad asking for extra ice and extra extra strawberries in my pink drink
That's literally the whole point of Starbucks. They have an array of options and the point of being a barista is to know how to make and create these drinks. Anyone calling someone a jerk for doing this is ignorant and should not be bothered by doing that job. That's what baristas are supposed to do. Smh. People cannot be this oblivious.
I used to work at Starbucks in Annapolis, MD back in the Mid-90's. If I got a customer that was rude to me or my coworkers in the morning, I'd give them decaf coffee. If they were rude to us in the evening, I'd give them caffeinated coffee.
I think some of these look delicious, until I remember they are coffees and not milkshakes.
No wonder that the baristas at Starbucks and other coffee places I infrequently visit look at me suspiciously/incredulously when I order a black coffee/americano/cafe solo/espresso with hot water or whatever name they have for it... Me: "No, really, just coffee without anything else in it..."
To the people that actually read every item on the long orders, I respect you
To be fair some of these do sound delicious. But I'm nit douchey enough to order something like that. I would be like. Could you make me something white chocolate raspberry thats morally questionable. See. Undouched it.
Do they really drink those? Why? How? I have so many questions.
This is why I take a thermos with me. Forget saving money. Saving SANITY!
I have the strangest urge to try all of these...once. After which I will probably die from all the sugar.
You should. Just get the smallest size possible
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This makes me want to drink nothing but gas station coffee for the rest of my life.
This article makes me want to only drink gas station coffee for the rest of my life.
I go to Starbucks once a year at Christmas time to get a peppermint mocha. It never even dawns on me to ask for anything extra in it. Those poor baristas already look super stressed. I don't want to add to that. Plus the drinks already taste good when they're made as intended. I see no reason to mess with that. These orders are the work of sadistic narcissists in my mind. Just selfish people who enjoy exerting power over others.
Why is everyone believing these? Obviously it's either kids messing around, or employees. I don't believe these for a second
Just because you wouldn't order it doesn't mean nobody else would. I personally know someone who orders bullshit drinks like these.
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Maybe I should start ordering smaller drinks..... My order is very very compilcated
It sounds like you are considerate. Are you polite when you order it? Do you pay for it? Do you wait patiently? Are you understanding if there is an error on your complicated drink? Then you are good. Changing your drink doesn't make the baristas job easier, they make your drink or someone else's all shift.
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Uhhh, imma just stick with my venti pink drink w extra strawberries. The craziest order I’ve ever made was at a Dunkin’ Donuts where I asked for a decaf coffee with vanilla and hazelnut. That was it. These bitches be crazy
This is what happens when you have that idiotic "customer is king" crap. In my country, no one would prepare a ridiculous order like these. Actually, I don't think anyone would be stupid enough to order something like these, though.
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Frankly, the problem is not that these things get ordered, the problem is that they _can_ be ordered. If you offer something, it will be used, however absurd it is.
Indeed. They can easily introduce a policy of no more than 4 ingredients.
Load More Replies... "To say that Americans are coffee lovers would be an understatement." None of those drinks indicate coffee lovers. They all point at a serious sugar addiction. And a lack of taste buds.
Exactly but on the other hand I don't blame them! From what I've read here, sugar is EVERYWHERE in their products! In big amounts even in bread! And it's really addictive so if you are used to this amount it's really difficult to fix that
Load More Replies... Are these children orders? Obviously if you want real coffee Starbucks is a no go
I doubt these are "proper" orders. They must get asked for a challenge, a joke or to see the barista's reaction. It wouldn't make any sense otherwise. Some people can be this dumb, but not as many as those who think they are hilarious.
Yes. Some of the orders made no sense actually with some lines contradicting others. Plus I would like to add that if stores are going to offer a product, people can order it. That’s what the service is there for. And why are we judging people on their drinks tastes?
Load More Replies... I had an SB coffee once. Just your standard milky coffee. I have IBS and I can handle 1) coffee 2) milk, which is all the ingredients that should be in a milky coffee. It's a safe drink for me to order at any coffee serving establishment. Except apparently in Starbucks, which I found out on my way home on the train while drinking it. I looked up later what was in it and they swear up and down it's just coffee and milk. No, no it isn't, as the ruined train toilet will tell you. At least my fellow passengers were sympathetic on the three hour train ride home.
Different beans maybe? I can have two identical coffees - one from SB and one from Costa - and one will upset my stomach more than the other. I watch them make it - I'm reasonably confident that the milk is the standard stuff from a cow - so the only variant is the bean.
Load More Replies... How would even know this COULD be ordered... I want to be cynical and say that these are just made up by bored employees coz I am too scared to know that its all true and these people are among us....
Hmm reading some of the comments here I don't think the customer meant to piss off the barista. I don't mean to take a side but as unhealthy as it is if that's what the customer felt like having, should he or she have not ordered that for the sake of the barista. Since it is a lot of work, maybe there could offer self service for orders like those
I truly don't understand the problem. I wouldn't want to drink these orders, but the customer does. The employee is being paid no matter what gets ordered. Starbucks decides which extras to charge for. The workers will spend the whole shift making drinks. I really don't understand why making a custom drink, even a very long one, bothers a barista.
Charge people $0.50 for each extra shot and they'll soon stop these ridiculous requests, like we do in the UK.
They do! That one "coffee" was over $30
Load More Replies... I don't go to Starbucks often, but when you order something simple just the way it is supposed to be, you still get like at least 10 questions. "Do you want this or that with it?" So maybe some people try to get back at them with these crazy orders😜.
If people were not actually paying for these messes I would think that SB is being punked!
Most of these I don't understand. The 'normal' drinks at that place look just as ridiculous as these pictures. All I see is they all want to die of diabetes, because it's all 90% sugar that they want.
At this point.... why even bother paying for Starbucks. One could just buy a bag of sugar to mix into water, and it'd be cheaper and more convenient.
I don't get Starbucks often, but I will never again feel like a PITA just for asking for lowfat or sugar free substitutions.
This is a current tik tok trend to order these complicated drinks. Not the typical American order despite what people may think about us
I know a few people right now who would be happy to have a job at all even if it means making crazy drinks
First, just imagine being a bigger part of such a person's life than their barista, like imagine they are your coworker, family member or partner. Chilling notion. Second, I live in Japan and it's totally different at Starbucks here. You order a drink and you get that drink. I'm sure you can customize it but I've never seen anyone attempt. They have many monthly featured drinks and specialty fraps and those don't even come in a size other than tall, let alone other customizing options. It's just efficient!
I think the "fanciest" coffee I've ever ordered was a Mocha Frappe (Starbucks), which was a standard menu item. I haven't gone into a 'Bucks in over a decade, though, so don't really remember. I don't like hyper loaded coffee; I want to taste COFFEE, not all the ooky sugar additions!
To me this is paramount of somebody who’s complaining about traffic while they are sitting in traffic. If it’s company policy to allow people to get whatever drink they want and I don’t see what the problem is. To me this is just whining and b*tching about nothing. Now if a customer is being abusive that’s totally different.
I feel bad asking for extra ice and extra extra strawberries in my pink drink
That's literally the whole point of Starbucks. They have an array of options and the point of being a barista is to know how to make and create these drinks. Anyone calling someone a jerk for doing this is ignorant and should not be bothered by doing that job. That's what baristas are supposed to do. Smh. People cannot be this oblivious.
I used to work at Starbucks in Annapolis, MD back in the Mid-90's. If I got a customer that was rude to me or my coworkers in the morning, I'd give them decaf coffee. If they were rude to us in the evening, I'd give them caffeinated coffee.
I think some of these look delicious, until I remember they are coffees and not milkshakes.
No wonder that the baristas at Starbucks and other coffee places I infrequently visit look at me suspiciously/incredulously when I order a black coffee/americano/cafe solo/espresso with hot water or whatever name they have for it... Me: "No, really, just coffee without anything else in it..."
To the people that actually read every item on the long orders, I respect you
To be fair some of these do sound delicious. But I'm nit douchey enough to order something like that. I would be like. Could you make me something white chocolate raspberry thats morally questionable. See. Undouched it.
Do they really drink those? Why? How? I have so many questions.
This is why I take a thermos with me. Forget saving money. Saving SANITY!
I have the strangest urge to try all of these...once. After which I will probably die from all the sugar.
You should. Just get the smallest size possible
Load More Replies... This makes me want to drink nothing but gas station coffee for the rest of my life.
This article makes me want to only drink gas station coffee for the rest of my life.
I go to Starbucks once a year at Christmas time to get a peppermint mocha. It never even dawns on me to ask for anything extra in it. Those poor baristas already look super stressed. I don't want to add to that. Plus the drinks already taste good when they're made as intended. I see no reason to mess with that. These orders are the work of sadistic narcissists in my mind. Just selfish people who enjoy exerting power over others.
Why is everyone believing these? Obviously it's either kids messing around, or employees. I don't believe these for a second
Just because you wouldn't order it doesn't mean nobody else would. I personally know someone who orders bullshit drinks like these.
Load More Replies... Maybe I should start ordering smaller drinks..... My order is very very compilcated
It sounds like you are considerate. Are you polite when you order it? Do you pay for it? Do you wait patiently? Are you understanding if there is an error on your complicated drink? Then you are good. Changing your drink doesn't make the baristas job easier, they make your drink or someone else's all shift.
Load More Replies... Uhhh, imma just stick with my venti pink drink w extra strawberries. The craziest order I’ve ever made was at a Dunkin’ Donuts where I asked for a decaf coffee with vanilla and hazelnut. That was it. These bitches be crazy
This is what happens when you have that idiotic "customer is king" crap. In my country, no one would prepare a ridiculous order like these. Actually, I don't think anyone would be stupid enough to order something like these, though.
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