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: | sleeperbold 01185 |
| Date: | Aug 13 2003 09:35 AM |
| This company will never do well when it comes to employee relations. The reason is a simple one. You cannot have a "Full-Profit Company" with "Non-Profit Values" which is what Starbucks has become. It is sad. A good idea, very poorly executed. And the thing about the profit margin is very true. Did you know that a Starbucks that opens at 5:30am can close at 11:00am having turned a profit? Did you also know this about those urns that are constantly being drained and brewed all morning. One short cup (thats 8oz) of coffee sold from one of those urns, pays for the entire remaining urn of of coffee and all of the overhead involved (ie. wages, utilities, etc.)? A Venti frappucinno which sells for about $3 something only costs Starbucks 14 cents? This information comes from confidential marketing research that they performed themsleves that I once had the opportunty to see while my manager was at the bar across the street getting drunk on company time. I was a shift lead at this store for three years, I know what I'm talking about. Oh, and by the way, I really feel bad for all of you baristas working right now with all of those crazy fraps. Whats up with Mocha Coconut and Malt fraps? Jesus of Nazereth, they take like ten steps to make. Stay in school and get the hell out of Starbucks as soon as you can. Be sure to take home an espresso machine on your last day. Peace and Resistance. |
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| Name: | Aleasha 01184 |
| Date: | Aug 13 2003 09:35 AM |
| *For all those current or former Starbucks "partners"....I am just curious if all Starbucks are very inconsistent with scheduled hours???I just put in my 2 weeks notice after working for Starbucks for 3 months, and just being promoted to "shift supervisor." I became very frustrated with the inconsistant hours....one week I'd have 20 hrs...the next 34...the next 26...then once I was promoted, the said I must be available to work 4AM-11PM..I really feel like they want to see how far they can push people...I expressed my concern stating that I am not a 16 year old kid living at home with mom & dad...I am an adult who has bills to pay....Fortunalely or unfortunatly I was forced to quit...I refuse to live my life like that..I am no longer up for playing "the game."...any comments or thoughts?(btw my spelling sucks, so please no low blows)... |
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| Name: | raul 01191 |
| Date: | Aug 12 2003 09:45 PM |
| I hate starbucks too |
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| Name: | Traveller 01183 |
| Date: | Aug 10 2003 05:15 PM |
| You think you have it bad? Starbuck's in countries like China charge the same price as in the west yet pay their workers just a few bucks a day! Talk about exploitation. |
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| Name: | Unhappy employee 01182 |
| Date: | Aug 10 2003 12:01 AM |
| As I read over the comments since I submitted my entry...all I can say it how overwhelmed I am in regards to all the submissions. I would like to respond to a couple and maybe advise others too. I read about how a manager edited punches...it is wrong, very wrong. As they preach in starbuck "Time work is time paid", and regardless of how much money it is (cause it is principle that matters)you should get what you worked for...unfortunately, the pressure recieved from those above the store level mangagement puts the store managers in a comprimising position, because of the subtle threats and misleading directions, so that they themselves are not compimised with their bonuses...is not a fun place to be in. The store level management, I feel, in this company is the worst and hardest position in the company.Actually, I have been in management for over 20 years and spent time in the military, and this was the most hypocritical company I have worked for. I honestly don't think that Howard and Orin truly know what is going on in their company and what they are headed for if this type of behavior and treatment continues. Because the laws suits that will continue to build will comprimise their profitablitity alone. This company made the fortune 100 by imput not given by store managers, but by those in higher corporate position and by baritas going to college.
As far as the comment made "Welcome to corporate america"...yeah I agree you should expect a good portion of what is going on...but...the reason for the anger and the feelings of betrayal, especially from those who have worked for the company...is because of the messages they impound in your head through their training, the classes, the emails, the district meetings, etc. You start to believe and trust yourself and put yourself and invest your own integrity that you start to trust and believe...then when you look for "support and back up" that you would give and expect in return...then dont get it....you feel violated...basically raped....at least that is how I feel at this point. It is true, that once you complain about upper management that you are black balled. It is so amazing. My assistant manager and 6 other barista have quit this company since I left because of what happened at my store and what light was finally shed on the situation and this company. It is amazing. What made my situation worse...is that I went to Human resources (who is supposed to not only be there for the employees and as a non bias partison) but she, due to the beurocracy...stabbed me in the back, by breatching confidentiality and prevented me from transfering 3000 AFTER SHE approved my leave of absence to transfer and relocate. This is a great site to vent and compare notes and I appreciate it very much. I suggest that you were wronged, to file against this company. Spread the word and continue to sway consumers to patron other coffee shops and purchase other ground coffees from elsewhere. There are some great coffee shops out there, especially the little guys...the neighborhood coffee shops.
There are some great corporations out there. You will never get totally away from all the bullshxx, but a corporation that is built on its mission statement and quality....needs to follow through and be responsible.
Just a little info.....look at the stock histories of Starbucks and look who in the past couple of months has sold apx 150,000 shares of Starbucks stocks. It is very curious...is it to profit from his own company...or is there serious movement soon to happen?
The bottom line...if you like abuse, fool yourself into believing lies, are so insecure about yourself that your are taken in and brainwashed my a cult...Starbucks is for you. |
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| Name: | Adam 01181 |
| Date: | Aug 09 2003 09:51 PM |
| Ive been with the company for almost a year long enough to be handled many times. Just last week i talke diwth my manager about a promotion to shift supervisor whisch has been promised me for a logn time. SHe tells me that she doenst want me to be a shift at her store i ask her why and she tells me that the other barristas think your too white and jewish to be a shift tehy dont thinkg ur here to maake money only so u can get it and spend it. In all actruality i am 18 i pay my own car insurance bills my own gas my own repair fees my own food , 3 credit cards plus my cellfone. i need that money and startin in sept i will have ot pay college tuition i need the money i dont want teh money/ |
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| Name: | Just started at Starbucks... 01180 |
| Date: | Aug 09 2003 08:25 PM |
| Hi there! I've been reading your comments... Oh boy! I really hope my store is different! I just started there a month ago... I even got the famous "mug award". Well by a supervisor not the manager himself. The weirest thing is that all I hear is that they are very happy to have me there just 'cause I clean really good... Oh well... |
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| Name: | The fact giver 01179 |
| Date: | Aug 09 2003 04:13 PM |
| Want to know why Starbucks is what it is? It is the rude children that call themselves adults who come into the stores and trash out the baristas (fellow humans)with such foul language and attitude. What kind of moron would come into the store and want an iced 1/4 half cafe (yes you read that right) 2% cappuccio with whole milk foam and a sprinkle of toffee nut sprinkles and a sprinkle of equal on the foam.
Some sick bastard that's who. You, the stupid public make this corporation and all the bullshit it dishes out. Sucks to be you!
Go back to drinking coke from a glass bottle like your grandparents who were nice did. |
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| Name: | Lo 01178 |
| Date: | Aug 09 2003 11:57 AM |
| I came across your site accidentally--admittedly, a very compelling site name!
I am not a coffee drinker, so I can't comment on the quality or flavor of SB's coffee, but I have been in Starbucks on occasion with other people. I used to order the tea there, but stopped. It was rather disgusting; very watery and fruity. It was more like flavored soda than tea.
Many of the comments on here are insightful. I agree that SBs to many people is some sort of status symbol. People think that by ordering and carrying around SBs coffee containers, others will think they are cool. It's really just another label to be advertised so that other people will "like" you, or maybe at least, tolerate you.
As to the comments about employee treatment, my cynical response is, "Welcome to corporate America (let the ass-kissing begin)!" |
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| Name: | kellyjean 01177 |
| Date: | Aug 09 2003 07:39 AM |
| I have recently found out that my manager has been modifying everyone's punches at work. I am so angry that I did not keep a better record in the past of my times as I know this is not a new thing. I confronted her about it and she said she did it to cut back on labour and on this newest paycheck I am missing 2 hours! I know you are thinking thats only like $15, but that really adds up over time and lets face it I am a university student if I am not getting paid to be at work there are better things I could be doing. I just cant understand how my manager can think to herself that you know what I have enough money I really dont need to be paid for the time I spent at work. It says to me that the main "guiding principals" obviously tell managers its better to steal time then it is to be over in labour. Depressing that anyone feel such an allegaince to such a horrible company. |
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| Name: | Shove Your Mug Awards 01176 |
| Date: | Aug 08 2003 08:33 PM |
| So you did a "move of uncommon greatness" big whoop!!! At least that's what this corporation thinks. Baristas and shift leads are the HEART and SOULS of these stores. We are the ones, dealing w/ the everyday crap and drama, giving the customers the satisfaction that they want...and all for a measly $7/hr(plus tips) <--which 1/2 get taxed on your pay checks. The manager, who if you had one like I used too, sits on her ass in the back, on the phone with her boyfriend of the week, while the rest of us (who are mostly students, who don't have the experience necessary to get a real paying job) bust our asses during these 4 hour shifts. The manager gets the bonus, for all of your hard work! My second complaint is this generic, highly advertised when that money could be used to pay employees better, filled with fat, no brain required, sugar on top of sugar, pain in the ass to make frappuccino, OH i'm sorry, FRAPPUCCINO BLENDED BEVERAGE. Starbucks is supposed to be a coffee shop. Not a malt shop, not an ice cream parlor, not the next subway, not a place to shop for the newest cd, not a place to buy dog toys! A coffee shop!!!Last and certainly the least favorite topic are these, stuck up, 2%, too picky, skim, non fat, no whip, 1/2 pump, 1/2 decaf, brew a fresh pot of coffee for me and charge me for a refill, no tipping, bathroom trashing, extra caramel sauce, extra whip cream, disrespectful and rude customers. You see...this "3rd place environment" invites this "baristas are insignificant" attitude. These people who are too lazy to brew a cup of coffee at home and would rather get charged 70x more just because it has a logo on it and they think they will be "in" if they are like everyone else(including the celebs) who drinks this crap, and then bitch and moan because they were dumb enough to want coffee the same time every other robot out there decided to come out for 13 frappuccinos 1/2 filled, inside a venti cup, with caramel sauce covering every inch of the cup and the rest of the cup filled w/ whip cream. |
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| Name: | Liz 01175 |
| Date: | Aug 08 2003 08:33 PM |
| Starbucks has the worst service and coffee ever! I was in a DC Starbucks and thought I was buying a full cup of coffee only to find out I got only two swallows. The rest was foam!!! |
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| Name: | Honey 01174 |
| Date: | Aug 08 2003 04:39 PM |
| I was a partner for Starbucks for four years, and it was the biggest mistake of my life. After finally working up to a decent wage, I moved across country and transferred stores, only to brought back down to almost minimum wage. Our labor was costantly being cut leaving us with two people on the floor and a line out the door. Our store was put under investigation because people were giving out too many free drinks. Each partner was taken into a room with the DM and was brutally interregated by the "investigator". We told him no one was taking money-but he wouldn't take no for an answer. I was yelled at for two hours solid, until he finally gave up. The same was done to everyone else at my store. Three innocent employees were fired, and the rest of us just quit. I now have a new job that I love and pays well. All you partners listen to me-GET OUT OF STARBUCKS WHILE YOU CAN! It is only going to get worse and they will use you, screw you, and discard you like you never did a darn thing for them. I say screw them first! |
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| Name: | Doug 01173 |
| Date: | Aug 07 2003 06:39 PM |
| Once upon a time not so long ago in small town in Oregon were i have family. A lady named Samatha Bucks but eveybody called her Sam, was going to open a little coffee shop Sambucks, here name. Then one day she got letter in the mail from the evil starbucks telling her she could not use her name for her store. Needless to say Sam Bucks was very upset and talked to a lawyer after a long drawn out process our friend Sam Bucks over came the villiness starbucks and was able to use her own name for her store.
The End
a true story
(moral of the story starbucks are jerks) |
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| Name: | bill 01172 |
| Date: | Aug 07 2003 08:32 AM |
| i worked for this company for 3 years. i just recently lost my job over some major bs. my store did a community project and cleaned up a creek nearby. the manager told us that it was mandatory to go. i had worked a nine hour shift the previous night and was supposed to work for another nine houre shift the next day. so there was no way in hell that i was going to go pick up trash for 2 hours in the 100 degree heat and then work the rest of the day. when my manager saw me when it was time for my shift, she was pissed off but didnt say anything. the next day, i came it early to do tips and i happened to find a write-up on the desk. my name was on it and it read this is a termination. i thought to myself what a bunch of horseshit! i got fired for not doing volunteer work. |
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| Name: | Terminated employee 01171 |
| Date: | Aug 06 2003 10:19 PM |
| I'm not sure where I should begin. I was in management for Starbucks when I was injured in an auto accident this year. I was placed on short-term disability and then terminated 2 weeks before I was to return to work without restrictions. Their reasoning....my disability was not "disabiling" enough to have them consider me for further employment. I never had been late, absent or had any write ups...not disabling enough..I was rearended on the freeway by a semi-truck going 60 mph! tell me what you think...I got shafted out of my bonuses, career and benefits. |
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| Name: | TO::: Soon to be former customer 01170 |
| Date: | Aug 06 2003 07:14 PM |
| Stop standing in line like a sheep and make your own coffee. |
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| Name: | ohio barista 01169 |
| Date: | Aug 06 2003 07:12 PM |
| starbucks supposedly had nothing to do with the playboy thing.....sure, anyway everything from there is bitter and nasty.customers ask which is better a mocha or a white mocha and i have to answer with a smile "They are both really yummy" when in fact i can not see a reason to ever drink either of them even if you are in a sweltering desert and thats the only way to survive |
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| Name: | Soon to be former customer 01168 |
| Date: | Aug 06 2003 07:11 PM |
| Starbucks needs to take a good long hard look on why they make their customers stand in these long lines. I spoke with a store manager in my city and she was very sympathetic. She told me she has to meet a labor budget and that currently she is even exceeding that, even with these long lines and minimal staffing. Mind you this is not just the morning but at all times of the day. I am always in that store as well as others watching the staff behind the counter work like crazy. Amazingly they keep smiling but at the end of their shift they often look like they were put thru the coffee grinder. Their spirit is dying fast and you can see it. They need more staff to take care of their customers. Oh and if you have a question about one of their machines on the shelf they will help you but that means they remove themselves from the counter and that is one less person to take care of those of us who are in the line. I even saw one guy get furious with one lady becasue she wanted to by an espresso machine at 7:45 in the morning and the one guy helping her was great but it erupted to quite the scene when he screams get back behind the counter and move this F****** line, no one buys an espresso machine at at 7 f****** 45 in the morning. The lady left immediatly and the guy helping her just sunk his head as though he was the bad guy. Most customers were just not happy and everyone left with a frown and a badly rushed latte.
One thing that is going to kill this company is the attitude it takes of making us wait in these lines. One day there will be no line and then what? Wake up and listen Starbucks and start adding staff!!!!!!! |
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| Name: | DC Store Manager 01166 |
| Date: | Aug 05 2003 10:20 PM |
| I am an external partner, hired as a store manager and yes, Starbucks does suck! I find I am spending the majority of my time, like 90 percent per shift, working the cash register, playing barista, or cleaning the cafe and working the ten minute timer. The labor goals of the ALS system are way too low which results in not enough pepople to handle biz properly, e.g. my store is doing 22,000 per week but yest we are not give enough people to staff the store properly. Snapshots? They hold it up as if the results are life and death, not a learning experience for the staff and a tool for improvement. Cleanliness? Starbucks is the dirtiest restaurant/store i have ever worked in, many stores are filthy, and again, when you can't schedul enough people something will give. Profit? By the way, for those partners who don't see the P&L let me share, the typical starbucks makes 25% bottom line profit, where most business make 2 to 5%. Thats 25 per cent in the bank, clear profit, due to the markup on the coffee. Can you imagine how cheap the coffee must be? Pay all of your bills and still bank 25 cents on the dollar. Amazing........... |
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| Name: | Mark Martinez 01167 |
| Date: | Aug 05 2003 10:19 PM |
| You are right on! I am so proud of the folks who pulled the SF stunt last night. Good for them! |
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| Name: | Competitor 01165 |
| Date: | Aug 04 2003 06:44 PM |
| Hey Phillip, you and I are almost neighbors because I am about 70 miles south of you and Starbucks is across the street from me. They do have a more visual location, but more and more people are finding my shop. The difference in quality is night and day, and many of their former customers tell me how awful the service which includes rudeness. Let's face it, consistency is key, so they should continue to be rude, right? LOL! As far as Corndog in Seattle regarding Peet's. I think they're a good company with a better product than Starbucks, but their coffee is too strong, the drinks are inconsistent as well, that I too have many of their former customers. |
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| Name: | Philip 01164 |
| Date: | Aug 04 2003 03:17 PM |
| I own a small coffee shop in Bakersfield CA and Starbucks likes my location so much that they are going to put a coffee shop and drive thru right across the street!!! Thats ok though because I will put them out of business some day. I will put a large marketing campaign together and with everyones help, Starbucks will be dead!!! At my coffee shop, I use fresh espresso in my ice blended drinks and Starbucks uses a cheap powder coffee base that isn't fresh at all!!! Please spread the word people!!! Espresso coffee loses its flavor soon after it is shot so the best ice blended drinks have real espresso in them, not a "coffee extract" or a "powdered coffee base" Let your friends know that frappuccinos don't contain real shots unless you add it extra. How deceiving is that!!!
And their bottled doubleshot and frappuccino drinks? How fresh do you think the coffee in that is??? |
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| Name: | Corndog 01163 |
| Date: | Aug 04 2003 08:29 AM |
| At last!!! Peets Coffee has openned a location in Seattle. I can actually get GOOD coffee in Starbucks hometown!!! |
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| Name: | Christ in the cult 01162 |
| Date: | Aug 04 2003 08:29 AM |
| I, too, am finding increasing discrepancies between what the company I work for says and what they do. They refuse to take a stand on this whole Playboy issue other than to say if anyone says anything about it they'll get fired. I personally think they need to answer to a higher source of accountablilty. Someone, please, can I get an "amen?" |
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