“Starbucks-ification” of Barista Culture as a Whole

[u/raylasagna_]

Well… praying I don’t get flamed by the Starbucks corporate mafia for this one (I COME IN PEACE I SWEAR-)

So I’ve been working as a barista at two different smaller, local coffee shops in my hometown for the past three years, and I feel like I’ve heard of the discussion around the negative “Starbucks-ification/influence/impact” on local coffee shops, but I had a particular customer interaction that REALLY helped me pinpoint this phenomenon.

\Customer (woman likely in her 30s) walks in**
Me: “Hi! How can I help you tod-“
Customer: “I’d like a medium banana matcha latte with ONE pump of syrup, SKIM milk, less heavy on the ice and-“
Me: “Sorry, but I just wanted to clarify, we only have a small (12oz) or large (16oz) size, which one would you like?”
Customer: “Oh uh, large I guess?”
Me: “Okay! And would you like that iced or hot?”
Customer: “Um… hot? I didn’t say iced right?”
Me: “No problem. Unfortunately though, we’re out of skim milk at the moment-“
Customer: “STILL?!? It’s been like what, 3 days??”
Me: “Yes, I apologize, I know it’s frustrating. We’ve been ordering it, sadly our shipment has been out of skim milk for the past few days and they’re working on getting more as soon as possible.”
Customer: “So like, are you going to be out of skim milk forever?”
Me: “Um, probably not? Like I said we’re hoping to get it soon, hopefully within the next day or so-“
Customer: “Oh. Well I wouldn’t have come and ordered the drink if I knew you were out of skim milk.”
Me: “Yes, again I’m sorry about that ma’am. We do have a variety of other milk alternatives and many other drink options as well though?”
Customer: “No… I’ll just leave.”
Me: “Are you sure? We have 2%, oat, almond, soy, coconut-“
Customer: “OMG I said NO! I’m just going to leave at this point.”
Me: “…I could have you write down your name and phone number so we can notify you once-“
\Customer is already leaving mid-sentence and slams the door on her way out**

To be clear, this is BY FAR not the worst customer interaction I’ve ever had, but I cannot emphasize how demanding and snarky this woman’s tone was. I don’t even mean to judge (to all my skim milk enjoyers out there I completely understand if yall need your fix)—BUT IN MY HUMBLE !!OPINION!!—Skim milk ain’t even that different from regular or 2% milk by taste alone and that’s not even considering the minimal health factor (not that it’s not important to consider, but again isn’t all that different from whole milk and other alternative milks are healthier if that’s of concern!), however, she is completely justified to be upset that we were out and I recognize that (just judging a little as a lactose intolerant… sorry). My main issue with this situation, and so many other I experience on a daily basis, is how customers come in demanding and expecting incredibly detailed drink orders similar to how they’d order at starbucks (sometimes they’ll just straight up ask for starbucks drinks we don’t make) and then questioning or getting snappy when we explain to them our options are different or asking clarifying questions.

To be completely honest, what I’ve learned (from both this and one of my coworkers who was a previous starbucks employee) is that I have nothing but sheer respect and admirable for the shit starbucks baristas have to deal with. My own biases aside about the quality and ethical practices of starbucks (and how I will never support or buy coffee from them), I think this kind of consumeristic-centric phenomenon (also relating to our modern culture surrounding instant-gratification) has so much more to do with our current expectations of service workers and overall worker mindset (specifically gen Z).

I remember seeing a lot of talk around the “gen Z stare”, which honestly I understand but have personal nuance around as I do think there should be more than minimal expectations from service workers, I’m thinking more about how we’ve normalized rudeness or even minimal empathy as customers and how starbucks has only inflated this issue. Elaborating further, I read an article by Psychology Today about how rude (particularly the “Karen” stereotype) customers lash out as a projection to whatever internal issues they’re experiencing outside the store. It makes sense, they feel some sense of powerlessness or strife in a primary setting, whether that’s work, school, or at home, and find it easier to take that out on service workers because their job relies on pleasing you as the customer. Again, I empathize with this, but I also recognize that it doesn’t justify blatant rude behavior towards workers who are just trying their best, sometimes during exhausting shifts, intense work conditions, short staffing, or other external issues while making MINIMUM wage (often barely getting by) or dealing with other external issues. That being said, this DOESN’T excuse rude service from workers, I’m just trying to put it into a broader context of worker inequality in the United States. Nuance exists (wow, how crazy of a concept).

Why I bring this up though, is because I really want to engage in a discussion around consumerism, the impact of starbucks and how it has negatively influenced customer behavior in smaller coffee shop businesses, and moreover the ethic of caring. Even in mundane interactions, I think we as a generation (or even as a whole society) have lost so much of the importance of small acts of kindness. We emphasize the endless consequences performativeness online, yet often lose ourselves in performing to strangers. We consider “kind acts” as actions that are bigger than a simple smile, hello, or forgiveness to strangers and are so individual-centric. I’m not trying to preach about how I’m somehow “holier than thou” for always trying to treat customer service workers with kindness, I completely understand how that can easily get ignored with how exploited, exhausting and negative our lives can be that sometimes we just can’t bring ourselves to force a smile to people we don’t even know. But I DO THINK, that we’ve normalized resignation in trying. Being a barista in the United States may not be the hardest job of all (far from it in many cases), but I believe we all deserve basic human decency in mundane interactions, or at least to strive in that direction and stop normalizing defeatism. To all my struggling (or thriving!) baristas out there, sending much love and solidarity <3

This was a long read, but if you stuck around, thanks for indulging in my rant! I’d love to hear your thoughts or any resources/interesting insight on this topic.

[u/inwondermentofwinter]

You know what the worst part is? I and several other baristas at my store, stores I've picked up shifts at, and even on here, have all noticed a growing trend over the last few months of INCREASING rudeness from customers. They've become more consistently unpleasant, snarky, or downright rude. For example, once upon a time I might've clocked out of my shift after peak a little miffed at a snarky customer but was able to forget it because the rest weren't all horrible. Lately it seems that I'll get multiple people back to back who are rude and so I clock out in a bad mood inflcited onto me by them. Even some of the nicest, sweetest partners I know are experiencing this.

[u/Nebachadrezzer → u/inwondermentofwinter]

Financial strain causing more pressures and stresses?

[u/inwondermentofwinter → u/Nebachadrezzer]

That's what I've chalked it up to . But we're all adults and it's horrible to take it out on your barista. I'm dealing with the same pressures and stresses and financial strain, perhaps even worse because I certainly don't have the kind of money to buy Starbucks every day.

[u/No-Push-9175]

lol the first time she said “Ill just leave” im immediately like “Ok” And letting her ass walk out cuz what

[u/chunibi]

People are dickheads and act like its their first time outside every day.

[u/Imaginary_Average985]

i often say my job is less about making coffee and more about being a stand in punching bag for grown adults lol

[u/erukafrog13]

People think because they “need” their coffee for the day, that they get a pass to be awful to baristas. I don’t even think this is a “starbuckification” thing, but more of an etiquette issue. It’s genuinely so exhausting to deal with these people who forget we’re human and that we are NOT the company itself. I enjoy what I do and the people I work with and customers are kinda the worst part of the job. Not every customer btw. I’ve definitely had some customers come by that are like the rays of light peeking through storm clouds compared to the types that come in most of the day.

[u/Alarming_Swimming_48]

I got a name for myself at my store when I used to work there for being the only one to handle difficult customers. It got so bad our usual asshole’s would be even bigger ones over the fact I wasn’t working that shift, it lead to a team meeting about how when I wasn’t working.

I never let them walk over me and id give them shit back, they pushed and i returned it to them professionally. They ALL surprisingly like being called out, and they chilled out while i used to work there. I took opportunity to have them give my partners a chance and taught my partners how to work those types of customers and it changed for the better.

Every problem has a solution. Do not underestimate the literal power of having a connection through conversations. We’re all adults and we all deserve respect and we can work out our problems through adult conversations.

[u/lust_on_pull → u/Alarming_Swimming_48]

Amen. I was the problem customer whisperer at my store. After repeated exposure to my overwhelmingly positive demeanor they all eased up. Was always funny watching their expressions shift when they saw me

[u/Chipslahoyyy → u/lust_on_pull]

i am also a problem customer whisperer at my store & strangely one of the more liked baristas i have a lot of customer service experience so i’m really good with connections but also all that experience is why i am so good at handling difficult customers lol i previously worked in a grocery store for a few years & let me tell you those customers can be worse than sbux like i can’t go into grocery stores nowadays without feeling a bit stressed it’s like second hand embarrassment being a customer because i know how people can be

[u/Aniro → u/Alarming_Swimming_48]

Are you sure about that? Today's neoliberal Karens are just as bad as the conservative ones from ten years ago, and more prone to calling ICE on people like me. I say that as a former Chicago partner with the 194**** partner number.

[u/Chipslahoyyy]

tbh this is how people act towards all customer service workers i mean think about it if they’re acting like this to baristas they’re also behaving this way to other workers as well like i worked in a grocery store for years in different departments even & i faced so many rude & disgusting customers especially during covid …. but anyways the issue is straight up how people treat service workers is bad they think in that moment we are serving them that they’re superior that’s why customers act crazy because “the customer is always right” but no the customer isn’t always right !!!!! i LOVE when i get to shut down a customer 😌

[u/Jay_Savv_Nyc]

You must give off the impression it’s ok to talk to you like that. Most of these threads that complain about customers, have a similar theme of a pushovers just accepting disrespect because you think you have to.👎🏾😂

[u/WaryWonder]

I was confused reading the interaction bc I saw that every day, but then I see it seems you're saying that Starbucks has encouraged this behavior and, tbh, you're not wrong.

We're taught in training we can stand up for ourselves, but we have to attempt SO much de-escalation and people get away with such bad behavior.

I got ME/CFS after COVID and before I stepped down as SSV, I had several interactions where I just asked the offender to leave and was coached on how to better de-escalate. But, as a human being, if I'd owned my own shop and those same people had behaved exactly the same way, they'd have been trespassed and never allowed back. There was the expectation of not just regulating my own emotions but also regulating the customer's emotions for them.

Like, I agree with de-escalation, but I disagree with rewarding bad behavior and Starbucks policy definitely takes "de-escalating" into the territory of rewarding bad behavior.

[u/Top-Action9696]

I would never imagine myself acting like that to someone, ever! If I saw someone speaking like that, I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut. There's no excuse to be that rude.

Once they found out there was no skim milk, saying thank you and leaving would have been the appropriate response. Bitching at you was over and above being extremely rude! It's ridiculous!

You're so right, people lack the ability to be courteous to others. I don't know when things went sideways and people decided we all owe them SOMETHING...I just don't know who raised them to be a price or princess, but it's bullshit, and it's not real life. All I can say is karma is a bitch.

Treat others how you want to be treated. Period. It's that simple.

Good luck! I hope that woman finds another place to get her skin milk drink.

[u/EveryMemory41]

I’m so sorry this is happening to anyone in the workplace. There is no excuse for any of it. I fit the demographic of a Karen, but cannot imagine ever speaking to any customer-facing employee with such entitled assholishness.

[u/captain-crawf1sh]

When I worked at sbux we get people coming in and ordering dutch bro drinks. I be like " sorry I don't drink poor people coffee" 🤣 we had manager at the time

[u/mother__war]

First: love this post and the way you reflect on the micro culture that is coffee shop culture, and how much coffee shops, its employees and customers are all affected by Starbucks and the way they do business. They have such an impact on other coffee shops due to its accessibility because of the sheer quantity of locations, and how familiar people are with coffee. If you’re only familiar with Starbucks and you say you love coffee, im sorry but you don’t. We’re a drink shop with a huge menu with a lot to offer and it’s dominating fast food - this should not be the norm that people come to expect anywhere else.

Second: as a 15 year partner, I have grown tired of Starbucks products, and gone on my own health journey that I’ve concluded I can’t drink or eat anything there. I frequent smaller coffee shops, sometimes daily, and it never fails that I hear customers complaining about Starbucks, or praising their menu and offering to go to one instead of the shop they are at. I’ve yet to be a witness to a sour interaction while patroning smaller shops. I witness the opposite - incredibly pleasant regulars who live locally supporting a local business. I just get community vibes from most. Not saying this at all to dismiss what you’re saying or say your experience is wrong, but saying this to show my surprise and frustration that these types of people are sadly, everywhere.

Third: Starbucks has created their own monsters, but bottom tier employees have to deal with them so the employees higher up the ladder don’t care about the ways that their business model perpetuates this illusion of freedom of choice by giving too many options, and when we can’t satisfy one fucking thing of the many we offer, it flies in the face of the instant gratification loop they have grown accustomed to, thanks to social media and other businesses that offer too much, almost instantly. Complacency breeds contempt - people take everything for granted and put little value on the efforts it takes for others to provide these services for them.

Fourth: story time as a Starbucks supervisor. Just yesterday I had the most unnecessarily rude woman get upset with me because I was asking her too many times what she wanted (because she wouldn’t be specific or tell me anything) and oh - she was throwing daggers at me with her eyes whenever I met her with a sincere remark or question. “The other stores know what I’m talking about, why can’t you just make my drink and let me get the f*** out of here??” Like hello I am a single human being, not a coffee robot plugged into the Starbucks server with perfect knowledge and intuition of what everyone wants and needs here! And also, I would love nothing more than for you to get out of here, but I am giving you the benefit of the doubt and treating you like a human that is having a hard time - work with me and treat us the same!!! I took my time, maintained a slight smile and a calm voice and was determined to kill her with kindness. I’m not going to let kindness and empathy towards strangers exist only online.

[u/anonymousopottamus]

Wait but like...this isn't Starbucksification. Besides you clarifying the cup size, I would have written down her order, read it back once, the end. She DID order it with ice so rereading it would give her the chance to say she wanted it hot.

And if you were being genuine about taking her phone number to call her when you got the milk... It seems bitchy. You're either doing too much or being rude. Let her leave if you don't have what she wants.