Hello :D Can these people really even TASTE those modifiers???

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Hello :D Can these people really even TASTE those modifiers???

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Started 1 year ago by FrappuccinoFairy
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FrappuccinoFairy

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Internets:67

Hey there everyone!!! Just thought I would take the time to properly introduce myself to the group! I am a new barista in northern CA, working at one of the busiest stores on the West Coast. It is pretty insane, especially considering I have ZERO food experience, and we are already obsessing over our looming QASA visit, but I love it so far!!!! Although, I must say there are times when I am definitely frustrated with those so-called "disgustomers". Which brings me to the second portion of this post...DO THESE PEOPLE EVEN TASTE THE MODIFIERS THEY ORDER?!?!! :P

So today, I was on register, dealing with our normal never-ending line, being my normal super perky self, when a boy and a girl about my age approach my till. The girl orders a tall Awake tea in her own thermos, so that part goes fine, although she is a little bit snide. Then the boy begins his order. ""I'll have a grande white mocha frappuccino, but with creme base, 4 pumps white mocha, 1 pump vanilla, 1% milk, with java chips, double blended, 1/2 shot expresso, affagato style, with extra mocha drizzle". Now, mind you, I didn't have a cup in my hand at the time he ordered(insanely fast might I add" so I told him that I was gonna need him to repeat it. At that point he got extremely butthurt, but repeated his order. I then informed him, as I always do, that we didn't have 1% milk, merely two percent or nonfat, to which he sneers, "Well yeah, thats why you mix it. Whenever it is a percentage you always mix them." Anyways, I ring him up(and sadly forgot to charge him for his java chips) and he and his snarky friend leave, and I pass off his cup(which obviously looks like I just scribbled all over it with that amount of modifiers). The barista at cold bar then accidentally forgot to do his 1/2 shot(1/2 shot???? WHY?!?!) affagato-style, and when he sees this he goes, " I ordered this affagato-style. You know what that means don't you? It mean's ON TOP" So she remade it and he proceeded to camp out and drink his heart-attack inducing "low-fat" beverage while surfing the free wifi. What a jerk, I mean, honestly, can one even taste that amount of modifiers? I am tempted to use breve in his drink if he ever comes back, just to find out.

I love Starbucks, and I am honestly new enough to just laugh at the whole situation, but I just find it ridiculous when people order modifiers for the sake of having them, not to actually taste them. Do you guys have this happen a lot as well???

~FrappuccinoFairy :D

Posted 1 year ago #
lobbyslide

Member
Internets:647

I didn't even know that there was creme base/coffee base before I started working at Sbux... Maybe's he an ex-partner? That just makes him even more offensive. I would have messed up that drink BAD. Anyone that orders 1% is an automatic decaf and possibly more depending on how bad of a mood I'm in.

Posted 1 year ago #
Unsweetened

Member
Internets:1,389

Those 1% bastards! I refuse! I refuse to do it! Except when I'm being lazy and re-steam a bit of that non-fat with a bit of that 2%. :) At least, I think that's what it was hehe.

Anyway... no, most people really can't taste these ridiculous modifiers. That venti 3 pump sugar free hazelnut, 1%, 2 1/2 sweet and low, extra hot latte... is actually a deadshot decaf, 2 half*ssed pump sugar free hazelnut, nonfat, 3 sweet and low, 1 equal, standard temperature latte. And I think I dropped that lid on the floor. Havuhniceday!

P.S.

Welcome!

Posted 1 year ago #
BCcoffee

Member
Internets:399

We've had a rash of bad ex-partners lately. Most lately have wanted ventis with caramel sauce and whipped cream blended in, plus their frapps double blended (pointless). Bia, you know how many calories are in that thing and you're STILL gonna drink it?

Posted 1 year ago #
FrappuccinoFairy

Member
Internets:67

Haha me and my ASM were joking that next time he is getting decaffed, with breve, sugar free vanilla, tons of protein powder, frap base(not roast so he won't notice the color, just base), and the like. And I dare him to notice the difference hehe :D

Thanks Unsweetened, your drink description sounds perfect in my opinion. Except I think you may have the sudden uncontrollable urge to cough on that lid hehe. Say it AND spray it ftw!!!! :)

Posted 1 year ago #
Dry Sharpie

Moderator
Internets:82

@FrappucinoFairy: Make your life easier. Add a paper sleeve to his cup completely ignoring his stupid custom order and giving him what he truly deserves:
1. X decaf [affagato]
2. WM syrup
3. W milk
4. +javachips, D.B.
3. SF (syrup creme frapp)

Customers have never been able to tell the taste of decaf. The amount of milk is negligible, and I seriously doubt he'll notice if it's "1%". Bam! Take off the sleeve and serve his frappuccino. Have a nice day!

Posted 1 year ago #
MobilizedPartner

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Internets:1,111

He probably was an ex partner. I went to an SBUX today, of course I was being nice and excited and perky, the partners couldn't be any less excited to even be at work. So I ordered a Trenta iced coffee, but before I could even say, "With.." she calls it out (which she's not even supposed to do, but anyway) and I say, "But you didn't even hear what I wanted?" So she rolls her eyes (in her mind, but you can tell she was doing it in her head lol) and I spieled, "12 pump vanilla, Coffee to the second line, breve to the top no ice and a packet of brown sugar =]"

You have to finagle with partners sometimes. If you try to tell them too slow, they try to cut you off and not take your whole order. If you say it too fast, they skip things, whether on purpose or accident. So I think a lot of SBUX regulars are used to that, because stores rush people. Everytime I walk in, it never fails, I could be staring at the menu, just walked in, and they will bum rush me to get a drink. And subsequently keep asking me, when I am not even at the register! That pxsses me off. And i'm not talking about an expediter doing their job, I mean there's like 2 people, but even with no line, they rush customers like cattle.

Posted 1 year ago #
Dry Sharpie

Moderator
Internets:82

@MobilizedPartner: 12pV AND a sugar in the raw? Damn that gave me diabetes just reading it.

As for when I'm on register, I actually like having lingering/deciding customers. The more time I have to rebrew coffee the better.
The very minimum I need from a customer first is a cup size and hot-or-iced, just so I can start writing on a cup. That's the only time I interrupt a customer. After that, I politely wait for them to finish saying their custom drink, before I start asking for "sweetened or no sugar" ,etc.
I also repeat the order back to them just to see if I left anything out, or if they forgot something themselves.

Posted 1 year ago #
lobbyslide

Member
Internets:647

@Dry Sharpie... If I remember correctly, Mobilized actually takes 12pV and a packet of brown sugar that we use for oatmeal.

Sorry for stalking :[

Posted 1 year ago #
Dry Sharpie

Moderator
Internets:82

Oh right, I keep forgetting that we do have BROWN sugar.

I think that comes up once every few weeks, when a customer asks for brown sugar and I add sugar in the raw instead. I never remember that.

Posted 1 year ago #
MobilizedPartner

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Internets:1,111

LOL And Dry Sharpie, you would get tipped. I actually tip stores with partners that TRY. Before it had to be exceptional service, now, it just has to be good. Actually, as long as you don't have a stank attitude, I will tip. lol

And yeah! Lol, I actually take real brown sugar, and I put in 3 sugar in the raw myself. (I like the texture of drinking and chewing sugar bits lol) I know its really bad for and probably ton of calories, but i've actually been trying to gain weight anyways. Besides, I don't really care lol.

Posted 1 year ago #
Unsweetened

Member
Internets:1,389

I treat the customers the way they act.

Yes... like cattle... like animals!

Hannah: Hi-whatcanIgetforyouttoday??
Customer: I want uh.... vanilla latte... uhhh... with skim milk... and 3 um...
Hannah: Whatsize?!?!
Customer: Oh, the uh... what are your sizes?
Hannah: 12-16-20 ounces!
Customer: uh... um.... moo.... uh.... the middle one...
Hannah: So that was a grande nonfat vanilla latte with 3....? <pen in hand>
Customer: the uh.... vanilla latte with.... skim milk and uh... 3 splenda... moo... but... uh... can you make it iced?
Hannha: NO PROBLEM! Anything else? That'll be $4.11! Haveuhniceday! Nextcustomer! WhatcanIgetforyoutoday??

Next customer: I'm in a hurry, my plane is like, boarding! Can I just get a venti soy latte extra hot no foam??? <throws money>
Hannah: <sigh>

Posted 1 year ago #
FrappuccinoFairy

Member
Internets:67

@MobilizedPartner: To be honest, I have absolutely no problem with super complicated drinks. I mean, mine is pretty simple but even I got the barista eye-rolling "You want whip on a light frappuccino?" thing (I was a long time customer before I realized I needed to work at Starbucks so I could get an employee discount for my *expensive* addiction haha) :D It more just made me frustrated that this boy treated me like a total idiot and was so incredibly rude. I mean, especially as an ex-partner, he should know how hard it is to get drinks like that when the customer is talking a mile a minute. I have never, and in all honestly probably will never decaf someone, but it just made me sad that people think it's ok to talk to others like that.

And let it show for the record that my smile never left my face. I am NOT gonna let customers get me down hehe :DDD

@Dry Sharpie: I think I am in love hahaha. That would be PRECISELY what the doctor ordered for that boy ;)

Posted 1 year ago #
MobilizedPartner

Member
Internets:1,111

Oh, I wasn't excusing him. And its probably good I wasn't on the register, because if he started goin off with his order, I would dead azz interrupt him with, "Why would you order your drink so fast?" and just give him a complete show stopping expression. I would actually sit there and wait for an answer.

Posted 1 year ago #
coffeefairy

Member
Internets:478

I did once tell a customer, "I'm so very sorry, but I'm not Miss Cleo, and I can't tell where your finger is pointing. Can you please just tell me what you'd like?" The customer behind that one almost lost it from giggling. I think there was snorting involved.

Posted 1 year ago #
MobilizedPartner

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Internets:1,111

Lmao, Miss Cleo though??

Posted 1 year ago #
shortcup

Member
Internets:22

A customer was standing at the till, pointing at a cd, and asked me if it was good. I DONT KNOW!!!!!

Posted 1 year ago #
FUsbux

Member
Internets:325

I had a regular who ordered an EIGHTH of a shot! So id just wing it and she'd say there was TOO much in it!! Wtf?

Posted 1 year ago #
mrindieday

Member
Internets:114

I think so, to a certain extent. I'd imagine much of them probably keep any inaccuracies with their drinks quiet so as not to cause trouble. Temperature is one of the more irrelevant things. I had a girl order her VCR at 103 degrees. I stopped the steam wand late and it ended up at 120, with no problems when I handed it off.

Although yesterday I only put 2 =s in a 5 = latte, and she walked out the door seemingly satisfied.

Posted 1 year ago #
Allison

Member
Internets:579

My store has an action plan for Customer Voice (my SM is OBSESSED with the numbers, lol) and one of them is to say hello to ANYONE approaching the register. I feel bad, I don't want people to think I'm rushing them! I even say, "Take your time, it's cool" after I say hello and they are still staring up at the menu.

Posted 1 year ago #
Buxmeister

Moderator
Internets:499

After I took my trip recently, I feel for my airport partners on this site :\

Even though I was slightly ticked that I couldn't use my partner discount, I still tipped $5 because of all of the stress they appeared to be under. I happened to be right behind some miserable hag of a woman who was directing her unwarranted rage at the register partner at the time "I have a plane to catch. I need you to EXPEDITE MY DRINK." I was so put off by that. My plane had already started boarding too, but I made a conscious decision and took a slight risk by coming to SB to get coffee. That's what happens when you're in a hurry. It's not rocket science, Folks.

My heart goes out to you peeps !!!!

Posted 1 year ago #
Unsweetened

Member
Internets:1,389

lol, thank you :P

Posted 1 year ago #
FrappuccinoFairy

Member
Internets:67

@dirtychaigirl: I always say "Hi, welcome to Starbucks!!!" with my biggest smile plastered on my face. My ASM actually makes fun of how perkily I do it!!!! But I'm with you, I always tell them to take their time, I don't want them to freak out and have a panic attack, lest they spray spit or other bodily fluids all over my freshly-windexed pastry case hehe ;P

And unsweetened, I feel soooo bad for you and the other Sbux partners that work in airports. Cranky, stressed, entitled customers 24/7? No thanks...Oh wait, thats unavoidable no matter WHAT store you work at :((((

Posted 1 year ago #
Señor Cardgage

Moderator
Internets:1,049

Yeh, I do the whole 'No probalo, take your time yo' thing too. Some of my other partners greet people with 'HELLOWHATCANWEGETYOUTODAY' or 'CAN I HELP YOU' (the 'can i help you' .. makes me wince .. so much). My usual greeting goes as, in the best kind of situation..:

Senor: Hellooo (creepy singsong voice). How ya doin' thar?
Customer: Oh hai. Um I'm okay how are you.
Senor: Oh, you know. Doin' stuff, seein' things, wearin' aprons. So what can we get for you today, m'friend?
Customer: Buhh.. ..the **** is all this **** up thar.
Line: [BEGINS TO FORM!]
Senor: I have no idea, either. Take your time though, it's cool. (not a single fack given)

Posted 1 year ago #
Señor Cardgage

Moderator
Internets:1,049

And, I too feel sorrow for the licensed store/airport guise. ..well, licensed stores atleast in oases/travel plazas/service plazas/whatnot along major interstates. They have to deal with some of the worst of it. Last time I was hauling **** east on I-80, every Bux I stopped at I slipped each of the untipped baristas two dollar bills. ..because they're weird and cool.

Posted 1 year ago #
Señor Cardgage

Moderator
Internets:1,049

... to add one more post (for moar free internets), the creepy singsong voice I use is a reference to THIS!

Posted 1 year ago #
MobilizedPartner

Member
Internets:1,111

I was thinking this, actually

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNOVsrZZ10A

Posted 1 year ago #
Señor Cardgage

Moderator
Internets:1,049

lololo o courage. Yeah, when I have to put on the happyvoice (which really tears up my throat after an eight+ hour shift, lemme tell ya) it comes out close to that.

Posted 1 year ago #
eightpumpchai

Member
Internets:483

Ex-partners as customers reminds me of what happened today... this girl who used to work at my store came in. The two of us didn't get along when she worked at the store and then she gave her 2 weeks and got an internship or something... now she's still at the store all the time getting drinks. Somehow, her drink order is as annoying as she is. She gets a grande no foam latte with 6 raw sugars stirred in to the bottom (that's exactly how she orders). She gets it in a personal cup which annoys the crap out of me and she has actually sent it back for the foam bubbles. Today she came in and it was super busy and yet she felt the need to chat me up on bar... I'm scooping the foam off her latte and mixing those **** raw sugars in... and then I hand off her drink, she spends like 5 minutes fixing her drink up at the condiment bar, and then I answer the next drive thru call and she's like, "hey, it's *name*, I was just in there and I forgot, can I get a venti glass of ice water?" Maybe I was just having a bad day but that rubbed me the wrong way for sure. I'm like, I'm sorry but it wasn't that long ago that you worked here, have you forgotten all the things that are super annoying... or do you do them on purpose because you enjoy annoying the crap out of us?!

Posted 1 year ago #
eightpumpchai

Member
Internets:483

and @Sharpie, I agree... I greet everyone when they come in but I prefer the people who say they need a second and then I can say, "Let me know when you're ready" to the people who walk straight to the register, blurt half of their order at me, then decide they need a second to decide on a second drink, then ask questions about every. single. pastry, then, "oh yeah and can I have some ice water with that?" and then I tell them their total and they go, "Put $50 on this card first." That right there is 5 minutes of my time that I could have been spending doing other things. Instead I'm standing awkwardly in front of these people because once they start ordering I feel rude walking away to do something else. Ask questions, fine. But really... I feel like some people just take WAY too long to order.

Posted 1 year ago #

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