Ok, a new day has dawned on IHateStarbucks.com.
I no longer want to keep hacking the old, tired php on the site, so this is what I propose. These messages will remain up for all eternity. In addition, there is a new Guest book. So if you want to share your opinons, i.e. post to the site, go here. As always, if wish to rant or rave, send me an email:
| Name: | Tonya 02937 |
| Date: | Jul 11 2004 04:11 PM |
| Melis- What is really going on? 9 shots. After she let her cattle run buck wild in the store, she whould have been asked to leave and never return. I have come to the conclusion that people are stupid wherever they go. McDonalds, Arthur Treacher's, Popeyes....especially driving. It's not just Starbucks. Customers just get to show exactly HOW stupid they are. There should be a ihatepeople.com. Itgoes to show you that even a people person like Melis can get irritated by an ignorant customer. So just imagine how my tongue bled day after day. I know what alot of you are saying," If you're not a people person, you shouldn't work around people" I told myself that time and time again. But like alot baristas I liked my job. Well I liked working on the bar. Cleaning, Closing and making drinks. Besides the 'stupid' customers, one of the reasons that I left was that automated piece of sh!# they call a bar. That just means they don't have to train people as hard. Lasy Bastards. Slavery In a Cup. Hope you choke on the espresso grinds. |
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| Name: | Crema Queen 02936 |
| Date: | Jul 11 2004 04:10 PM |
| I don't work for Buck's, but I do work for a smaller scale competitor in a total yuppie resort area. Love my fellow employees (though they're not perfect), but 75% of the customers are total jerk-offs. |
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| Name: | Melis 02935 |
| Date: | Jul 11 2004 12:31 PM |
| I recently (about a month ago), decided I had had enough. I've worked faithfully for 2 years at one of the many Starbucks in the area, not to mention the only one with a drive thru. Two years. Two years of learning worthless lingo. I have to admit, I used to LOVE the job. Sometimes I even still miss it. The reason I loved it and did so well there was because I am such a people person. Asking the customer how he or she is sincerely, not just as a greeting, was what I always did. Doing so much business, especially because of the drive thru, took it's toll. I have so many stories to tell that it's hard to pick one but let me tell you about one of the worst customers I've ever encountered, who, you would think would discontinue her patronage at my store, but instead continued to come in every day, always complaining.
The first time this woman, who we'll call Jane, came into my store, she was pregnant. A loud, boistrous African American woman, she walked in with her mother, ordered her drink and some Earl Gray for her mom. Five minutes after she walked out, she comes rushing in, screaming at me, saying that the tea was too hot and had spilled on her mother. She demanded a refund, more tea WITH ice this time and a refund for her own drink.
Now, I told you she was pregnant, right? Let me tell you her drink(no exaggeration- I wouldn't lie about something like this):
"Gimme a venti 9(sometimes up to 12) shot, 15 pump vanilla, with whip, extra extra caramel, extra hot, caramel machiotto."
I can't tell you how many times we made that drink, she took a sip, and demanded we remake it. For some reason, this woman took a liking to me and would demand that only I make her drink. No but it gets more ridiculous than that. She was pregnant. I'm the oldest of 5. You don't drink that much caffeine when you're pregnant, if any. So, my comrades and I would either give her decaf or half calf. She never knew. I've since met the baby... one of 6 or 7 of her kids. But the worst thing about this lady was the fact that she would come in, her pack of young ones following NOT close behind, let them run all around the store, bite into the big wrapped, colorful cookies, and not do a thing about it. AND THEN, as soon as we made her drink the incorrect way, she would scream at the barista, usually this specific young girl, tell her how stupid she was, and then proceed to take her cell phone out of her purse, press the speed dial button, and call Corporate demanding some action.
You know the Odwalla orange juices? She would buy those and demand that we blend them in the Frap. blenders with several other things, after we had been directed not to do so. The day I told her I was unable to do that any longer, out came the cell phone and out came the loud cuss words...
It's just ridiculous. Being on bar, seeing the impatient faces on the other side of the little shelf table thing, and wanting to scream at the selfish addicted Americans- IT'S JUST COFFEE. CHILL OUT."
*argh* thanx for letting me get that out... I have much more to say but I'll end it here. |
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| Name: | Ben 02934 |
| Date: | Jul 11 2004 12:31 PM |
| I can certainly understand why people hate Starbucks but I must say I prefer Starbucks to McDonalds and other garbage atleast they actually sell real coffee and the staff are normally nice enough. Still it's shame that where ever you go things are the same. |
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| Name: | earned my money 02933 |
| Date: | Jul 11 2004 12:30 PM |
| Sarah: You're lucky to get that much of a raise. One of my old managers gave me the full 25 cents raise for my reviews and went over them w/me, telling me about specific examples. But the last manager gave 11 cents raises to everyone and I know because we all bitc*** about it. You had to remind her about the review in the 1st place, and then a month later, after constant reminders, she filled out the form and left it for you to sign. She never went over it and gave everyone an average score and the only negative thing she put was that we could initiate more conversations w/customers. The raises are better than some other jobs because I had a job that gave raises once a year and the management had just changed, (it's changed 3x in a year!) and since they didn't know anyone's work habits raises were half of what they should have been. But I also heard that *$ is raising the hiring rate a quarter where I live.
Was your ASM on crack? He told you you didn't have a shift and then he asked you if you refused to come in for your shift?! That doesn't make any sense. Maybe he was doing whip-its when he called you. Or maybe you were put to cover someone else's shift and no one asked you. |
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| Name: | CoffeeSpec 02932 |
| Date: | Jul 10 2004 10:33 PM |
| To: Iced Triple Venti Something....Minus what you said about your SS all else is true...I am the one in my store who keeps up with everything while others will stand and watch me make two tubs of everthing on a sat afternoon to prepare for that night's rush...and I am freak when it comes to cleaning and I get really mad when I have to go on bar and the person hasn't wiped it in two hours or cleaned the wands, or added more beans... |
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| Name: | CoffeeSpec 02931 |
| Date: | Jul 10 2004 10:33 PM |
| My SB went off on me this week because I took a little over 3 and 1/2 hours to do the tips when I should only be paid for you. She then goes and starts talking to the girl that she choose to become a SS over me about how this can't keep happening and how we shouldn't even be paid to do tips since it's not Starbucks......while I was still standing there! If it takes me 5 hours to do them I will be paid 5 hours non-cov to do so! Also what has been said about speaking up about things get you no where. One of my partners decided to take action against another partner who still works there and is a SS about how she smokes before work, during her half and has asked people to go out to "take the trash out" with her and my DM came in and we all had to sit down and fill out these stupid questionaire's and what happened? Nothing. She denied it all and they believed her though my SM knew she was lying and the partner was suspended for lying about it so he walked out. |
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| Name: | donna 02930 |
| Date: | Jul 10 2004 10:32 PM |
| tamugirl, customers who expect you to kiss their asses arent worth worrying about, remember them when you have another job and are behind one in line at a fast food joint and you want to b*ych slap them for being so awkward. long live the happy shopper |
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| Name: | ShiftKing 02929 |
| Date: | Jul 10 2004 10:32 PM |
| WOOHOOO!! Gave my 10 days notice yesterday! Got a real job. Looking forward to escaping hell forever! |
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| Name: | naties 02928 |
| Date: | Jul 10 2004 10:32 PM |
| damn that starbucks.. damn them to hell!.. they chucked us out for beeing too friendly.. hehe.. but i enjoyed :P |
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| Name: | Iced Tripple Venti Something 02927 |
| Date: | Jul 10 2004 02:27 AM |
| My store is GROSS!!!! I went into work today and the store literally smelled like POO!!! 3 customers asked me if somebody got sick in the store, and I had to say I didnt know. So I take all the floor mats outside and POWERWASH them, MOP the floor behind the bar AND the rest of the store...and im completely drenched in sweat...so I take my half, so I can look half-way presentable when I help customers...
Mind you Im the only one in the store who re-stocks Iced Lids or straws...Only one who keeps up with Iced coffee and Iced Teas, Im the only one who puts Frapp Lite, UBB or Decaf Frapp back in the refrigerator...IM the only one who MAKES SURE there is steamed whole milk and steamed skim before I give the bar to anyone...and I NEVER GIVE ANYONE A FILTHY BAR...
So after cleaning up behind 2 other baristas...I was overwhelmed with the disorder and sloppy chaos in the store, my shift Supervisor yells at me to "take a walk"...So I did, right to the bus stop and got on one...I didnt till out, I didnt punch out...I made myself a Black Lemonade Iced Tea and left. I called the manager and he says "we have to talk" NO CRAP !!!!
Oh, yeah I forgot to tell you that the shift that yelled at me came to work late and sat in the back room for 2 hours and fifteen minutes talking ( NOT WORKING )before she went to the bank to do the deposit with ANOTHER SHIFT SUPERVISOR...who by the way is a total slob and ALWAYS gives me a filthy bar and frapp station...
But im really glad to be working here!! NOT. Im trapped by my need for medical benefits...
thats enough outta me....I HATE STARBUCKS dot com |
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| Name: | Sustainable Efforts 02926 |
| Date: | Jul 10 2004 02:26 AM |
| A sigh of relief...if you never need ammunition, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Starbucks is a demon. I am a specialty microroaster in New England and my company services REAL cafes and specialty outlets all over the country. As a wholesaler, I have watched Starbucks "move in" to alot of the territories that I operate in. I have watched 5 local small businesses fall at the hands of one single Starbucks placement. This is an average loss. Sometimes greater and sometimes smaller. I love the posts from those employees of Starbucks that say things like, "you should try working there". Maybe you should try to work there, but you should also understand that for every successful Starbucks employee, 10 - 15 workers will lose their jobs. For every Starbucks constructed at least two small coffee businesses' owners will file for bankruptcy protection. This is a reality where I live and work. In their defense, the beginnings were sweet for Starbucks. Their coffee was great...now its their marketing budget that's great. They have taken a true specialty product and cannabalized it down to generic levels. Starbucks has, in most realist's opinions, the best marketing team in the world. Have you ever had their Central American Blend? Do you know where the varitals come from. It's not in plain sight. On a recent trip to El Salvador on a sustainability mission, I had the opportunity to speak to the farmers that slave over an exceptional product. Not a majority, ALL of the farmers didn't understand why Starbucks didn't ever give credit where it was due. No region branding? Why? I have a few good guesses. How about marketing. Starbucks wants all of the credit for starters. Secondly, if these opressed growing regions were to get recognition for their quality they migh actually be able to leverage the specialty market and get a fair price for their work. That would mean that the corporate machine would have to pay more for the core. What a shame that would be. Imagine a coffee world where all of the people responsible for producing a marketable product were paid fairly. But that just wouldn't make sense to the Starbucks "beancounters" (sorry, I had to). the growers of the product are the core of our existence and Starbucks is destroying the industry that operates in. Do you you want to know why they are not worried about killing off farms or even entire growing regions? because their coffee is a generic now. As a roaster with 12 years experience treating roasting as the craft that it is, I can tell you that with good marketing skills any roaster can do this to their coffees. Most small microroasters CARE about their product and take a tremendous amount of pride in what we do. We start with the best and protect it throughout the entire process until it reaches your cup. Does Starbucks employ these standards? I think not. My company roasts, packages and delivers in the same day. Have ever asked a Starbucks employee if they know when the product was roasted? Try it some time. The answers are humorous at best. The number one killer of good coffee is time and temperature. How long does Starbucks warehouse their product so that it can be distributed worldwide? How old is the bag of Starbucks coffee that you can find in your local Staples, BJ's, Sam's Club or WalMart? I'd rather not know. The truth sucks. It is no secret that coffee is a traded commodity. There are times that the market's influences drive the prices up enough to make producers of the raw product start to feel like there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. Most of the time this is not the case and Starbucks wouldn't have it any other way. Do you think that maybe the purchasing power of Starbuck influences the market? I think so.
I am going to quote a small farmer in Central America that I had the opportunity to speak with about his feelings on Starbucks. My Spanish is weak but I got the basic idea. His name was Gerardo and he was operating a farm that had been in his family for 106 years. I asked him if Starbucks' ability to purchase such large quantities of coffee helped him and his people.
Gerardo: " I do not want them to stop buying." "You don't work for them, do you?"
" I want to tell them my family's story, it is like many other stories that you will hear in our business."
" I want them to buy after I tell them what it costs me to produce." "I lose about 20 dollars per bag that I sell them."
" We have great debt...we owe our lives to the bank." "We produced larger quantities for them because they said they would buy it." " We worked hard for this crop and the price changed halfway through the harvest." "I could not pay my workers."
"The American dollar is our currency could only afford to pay my workers 3 dollars per day."
ME: How many hours per day would a typical working day be?
Gerardo: "12 to 16"
It should be noted for scale that a can of Coke costs about 75 cents here.
Gerardo: "Thing will get better...they have to...coffee is all that I know." "Starbucks and others will recognize our work someday and we will get paid well."
These people have faith because it is all that they have.
To the Starbucks employees that think that all is okay in the world of coffee because of Starbucks' efforts, wake up and smell the coffee!!! When you ready for work and put on your 35 dollar jeans that double as a broom (as well as a covering for your 75 dollar Birkenstocks and 12 dollar Tommy Hilfiger underwear) and slip into the very cool 25 dollar hemp t-shirt and attach another 25 dollars worth of accesories to your trendy ass.........YOU ARE WEARING A MONTH of PAY for the farmers whose sweat and tears you are about to go and bastardize by charging your first customer 4 dollars for a friggin' latte!!! Image is everything, isn't it? Do the world a favor, lose the eco-friendly attitude and your vegan ways because you are a walking contradiction. For every farm that goes out of business because of your employer's influence on the industry the world loses a natural shade canopy that protects wildlife and another layer of protection from global warming dies.
To the consumer that chooses Starbucks over a local cafe or eatery. Support the businesses that supported your community and made it possible for you to "make your entrance" in Starbucks parking lot in you 55 thousand dolar SUV or German Import. 78% of fairly traded, eco-friendly coffees are consumed by the specialty coffee roaster who supplies your local shops. Do everyone a favor and get your head out of your ass long enough to look around and maybe you'll see that the bright lights of the big city are invading your quiet little neighborhoods.
There is so much more that I could add and I intend to. Piece by piece my post will reaffirm why sites like this need to exist.
Back to Business.......... |
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| Name: | vh 02925 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 10:29 PM |
| i can brew better coffee than starbucks. (really)
people think they know coffee because they drink coffee from starbucks. its like people who all off a sudden think they are literary geniuses because they've read the latest harry potter book. |
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| Name: | tamugirl 02924 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 10:29 PM |
| It really irks me whenever I genuinely greet a customer with, "Hi, how are you doing today?"
Their reply, "I want a venti 3.5 pump, light whip, 2 equal, mocha"
Although this happens to me numerous times on any given shift, once I actually had the nerve to tell a woman, "well, lets start over, HOW ARE YOU?" She actually seemed put out that I was concerned with how she was...all she cared about was me producing her beverage. Thats so pathetic.
Just for any customers that may visit this site and really dont know what all the venting and bitching is about, I'd like to share an experience of something that happens almost daily with starbucks employees where we go ABOVE and BEYOND and get NO appreciation what so ever, this alas, is why we end up feeling like its pointless sometimes:
A couple came into my store one day before they set off on a journey to someplace out of state where they were vacationing. They brought in 3 personal tumblers and requested that I make up french presses for them. Okay, no problem. I was more than happy to make up fresh french presses for their journey, however then the man proceeds to complain about how one of his tumblers, which was at LEAST 4 years old was beginning to flake and wanted to exhange it for something else. Well, the problem with this scenerio is the fact that the tumbler was too old. It was normal wear and tear and there was NO way i would be able to find a SKU number to exchange with it something. He then proceeds to tell me about how he was in Seattle and one of the stores he went into replaced a lid for him free of charge because it was leaking. However, this happened to have been on a newer tumbler (xmas slim line) so of course it was possible for them to make such an exchange. So, wanting to go above and beyond and "just say yes" and make this customers experience the most pleasant one possible, I decided to allow him to pick out one of our tumblers off the shelf and I would mark it out for him. So which one does he pick out??? The 30 dollar and some change LEATHER cased thermos. Probably more money than what he spent on the one he was complaining about. I told him since his original one was so old, it was impossible for me to exchange it or give him money back on it since Starbucks does NOT have a lifetime warranty on such things. So, what I was willing to do was mark one out of inventory and basically give it to him for free. The way he treated me was like he EXPECTED nothing less and when they left, his wife was the only one that actually came to me and thanked me for my help, all after giving him a free thermos and having to make two french presses for him....as well as ringing him up personally since there were others in line that the person on POS was taking care of.
So, this goes under an issue of a tip. Let me restate something I've said before to "Paying Customer". A customer tips a person when they feel service has exceeded expectation. When you go to a resteraunt you usually tip a min. of 10% but if the service was really good...it can go up to 15,20, or more. So, having stated this....Did the customers that I bent over backwards for, not to mention took a hit on inventory and a possible sale of an almost 40 dollar thermos actually tip me????
HELL NO. Whats sad, is I've had people tip me for less. Even walking their drinks out to their car I've received more of a tip. Some people just dont have any class. Working for Starbucks has DEFINATELY made me more of a conscience tipper when I go out. I feel for others in food service industries, and I make sure they know it by leaving a good tip. |
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| Name: | CoffeeGirl 02923 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 10:27 PM |
| Siren- I cannot wait for those 5 days. The story about the customer waving you down like he was waving down a ship cracked me up. So I know in 5 more days I will have the box of tissue right next to me. |
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| Name: | b.a.h. 02922 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 10:26 PM |
| starbucks does a lot of aggravating things, but none can compare to this one: relentlessly perpetuating the myth of the 'good corporation.' They flaunt any charity they might do (without mentioning any tax benefits for them) and continually hump the image of themselves as a benevolent uncle to the coffee industry and the world at large. To listen to their mission statement, you'd think they were a non-profit charity organization, existing only serve people. LIES! Corporations, by nature, exist for no other reason than to make money. They serve only the needs of their governing bodies. If they just admitted this,I probably would not find them so offensive. But they shamelessly purvey this hideous false facade, and people actually believe it, even those who see through other creatures like McDonalds. This could go on, but I'll leave off here. |
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| Name: | cold grounds 02921 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 10:26 PM |
| I can appreciate an anti-starbucks website. While I don't hate Starbucks, I can sympathize with some of the issues raised. While I do buy Starbucks coffee now and then, I do try to patronize independent coffee shops. One aspect of Starbucks I wish would improve (besides the issue of fair trade coffee) is their food selection. Many of the baked goods are too dry and too fattening. While you can get a fruit cup if they aren't sold out, it would be nice to get more simple foods like a english muffin, or such or more vegetarian selections.
On the positive side, they revived the coffee shop setting as a meeting place. I like the internet access services. Plus, I hear they treat their employees well. That's more than you can say about a lot of companies. |
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| Name: | bjorn 02920 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 10:25 PM |
| we hate starbucks because it tastes like S**t and it looks like crap |
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| Name: | alice 02919 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 06:34 PM |
| paying customer. yes we all diss customers on this site but hey, you know the answer, bring your own coffee to work. my life was made a litle easier in the last few years cos I received a coffee machine for a wedding present and make my own lattes in the morning thus saving myself a couple of pounds. hale the thermos travel mug! |
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| Name: | kate 02918 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 06:11 PM |
| scott, the girl smiling at you was just doing her job. I bet she's not there now. she probably found something better. I had to be the smiling face behind the KFC counter, it was cr*p! the amount of rude customers I had to serve! I wanted to throw their "nine ninety niner" (a 10 peice bucket in england) in their face! I know Ive never worked for the buck but I sympathise with the employees not the customers. they are mostley rude. the select few who are nice though are a ray of sunshine |
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| Name: | Siren 02917 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 06:09 PM |
| MADellen: I agree with my fellow partners! If you don't like the bitching, check out another website! Better that we vent our frustrations here than let them build up on the job and take it out on customers... Speaking of customers, I have a repeat offender rude customer that really irked me today! We open at 5, so at 4:55, I grab my keys, turn on the lights and head toward the open door. I see him, waving his arms like he's flaggin down a lost friggin' ship. I open the door and the jagoff has the audacity to say, "It's time to wake up and smell the coffee! You've got customers here..." I of course respond with, " I've already been up for an hour and a half thanks." He then proceeds to order a coffee and pastry. the partner ringing him up was grabbing his pastry and he says, "Is he gonna ring me up? TODAY?" OH MY GOD! If he comes in tomorrow I may not be able to hold my tounge. Only 5 more days... |
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| Name: | Jenifer 02916 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 06:09 PM |
| Ohhhh! JESS is ugly don't listen to her! Starbucks is the best thing that ever happend to me! I LOVE what MADellen. |
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| Name: | Jenifer 02915 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 05:24 PM |
| Ohhhh! |
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| Name: | Imran 02914 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 04:07 PM |
| SARAH & SCOTT:
Sarah: No problem Sarah! I will always be shocked! I want to work there just to see stuff like that, if i was that employee I would've either punched him or spilt burnin coffee on him with extra sauces to make it sticky and hot so it would burn the b*****d for ages!!!
Scott:Why didn't you just get a coffee dude? Anyways, it couldn't have been that much of a traumatising and potentially damaging experience, could it? I know i bitch about them, but I still do like their coffee!!!
Imran [United Kingdom - England] :) |
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| Name: | Tonya 02913 |
| Date: | Jul 09 2004 03:56 PM |
| that's right Mallory, you tell him. |
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