baristas: So where do we draw the line?

Gabi (

giggles87) wrote in

baristas,
@ 2008-03-28 08:24:00

Current mood:

sleepy

So where do we draw the line?
Theres this lady that comes through drive thru, and orders one of the most disgusting drinks I've ever made, and I've made some pretty gross drinks. It's a venti, 10-pump extra extra extra extra (x100) caramel frappuccino. It's so gross, I can't even imagine taking one sip of it, but I have to literally take the top off of the caramel bottle and just pour a whole bottle of caramel in the cup and coat the sides and and theres a bunch on the bottom, and then coat the whipped cream, not to mention it's 10-pumps. So my question is, is there a point at which I should charge her for the obscene amounts of caramel we're giving her? I was told so many things, I've been told we need to charge her, I've been told that since caramel already comes with the drinks we don't charge her, I really want to charge her just to discourage her from buying it, because not only is it deadly, but it's disgusting to make and it's hard to hide my disgust.

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mothinflight
2008-03-28 01:00 pm UTC (link)

i've been told that if THEIR recipe calls for DOUBLE the amount of syrup/product (like if she wanted extra chips) then we can charge. but if they wanted like one pump more, no big deal. the fact she wants 10 pumps would give me reason to charge her.
that being said, why do you care if she orders it/drinks it? who are you/we to judge what they get? i'm sure there are many things you eat/drink that would turn the stomachs of other people ... our job is just to make the stupid drink, not place judgement. so charging her should just be a way to take control of product/variance in your store - not your sneaky, underhanded way to discourage people from ordering drinks.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	giggles87 2008-03-28 01:24 pm UTC (link)
	It hurts my hand too, which is why i stopped bothering and dump the bottle in there. I suppose it's not my place to judge, but the other thing is if someone charges her, she throws a fit since no one else charges her, and I wanted to know what exactly was the policy on so much extra caramel. (Reply to this)(Parent)

bicycleface
2008-03-28 01:09 pm UTC (link)

YIkes! If you are truly using an entire bottle or the better part of a bottle of caramel on her drink, I would discuss this with your SM to help with inventory and charges. I wouldn't charge for the pumps, but I would try to charge at least for the extra syrup.

That being said, I do think Starbucks needs to help set a standard/guidelines regarding the caramel. It seems the crazy people always want OMGXTRACARAMEL DUMP THE WHOLE BOTTLE ON, and it pains me that we don't charge them for it.

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	giggles87 2008-03-28 01:28 pm UTC (link)
	My sm is useless, I wouldnt ask him advice on anything, particularly if it has to do with any kind of standard, including pricing or inventory. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	bicycleface 2008-03-28 01:50 pm UTC (link)
	Well, then you can be a proactive partner and call the hotline for those kinds of questions about standards and charging. All the tools are there for you to find the answer yourself if your SM is not helpful. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	giggles87 2008-03-28 01:55 pm UTC (link)
	I'll probably do that, thanks:) It sucks when a 3-month barista knows more than the manager:-P (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	bowiechaser 2008-03-30 12:01 am UTC (link)
	I would bet that you care more, not necessarily know more. With the caring comes a definite retention of minute details....when one doesn't give a crap, the minutae (sp?) slips ones notice. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	giggles87 2008-03-30 05:06 pm UTC (link)
	Sorry I worded it weird, I've been with starbucks for two years, and I do know that i know more about doing bar and deployment and most things than my manager and so would a 3-month experienced barista. (Reply to this)(Parent)

starloree
2008-03-28 01:14 pm UTC (link)

yeah, we charge if they get triple the amount or more....it really depends on which barista is at the register at the time though....i know if they do get triple the amount, i charge.
and along with what the first commenter said, it's not our place to judge what customers drink. i myself don't understand how people can stomach the honey latte, or green tea latte, but i don't discourage customers from getting them. different strokes for different folks.

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	giggles87 2008-03-28 01:25 pm UTC (link)
	I don't discourage anyone from getting anything unless they ask my honest opinion of certain drinks like the honey latte, and I let them smell the syrup before they pay $4 for a latte that I'm fairly certain they won't like, or I'll give them a sample. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	giggles87 2008-03-28 01:58 pm UTC (link)
	And I can judge them all I want as long as I don't let them know that I am, isn't that one of the reasons we have this community, so we can bitch about stupid customers? I would never tell a customer that their drink is disgusting or make faces within their sight, but I can think whatever I want about it. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	a horse of a different color mothinflight 2008-03-28 05:12 pm UTC (link)
	but you charging them more in the hopes of discouraging them from buying the drink is a different story... as per the comment in your post. that's more than just "judging" them and bitching about them in this community. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: a horse of a different color giggles87 2008-03-28 05:40 pm UTC (link)
	Mostly why i want to do it is because I don't want myself or any other partner who does charge her for what she's getting to get bitched at. (Reply to this)(Parent)

Re: a horse of a different color

glassrenata
2008-03-29 09:14 am UTC (link)

I dunno, man. The person sounds like an unashamed glutton and I feel that she's taking advantage of "just say yes". I'm sure any logical person would know just how hard that would have to be to make; but like a lot of people I see come into starbucks, she doesn't consider the barista to be a human being. To her, Giggles is just a mindless wage-slave whom she can abuse. And furthermore, caramel sauce is EXPENSIVE. Someone should explain that to her, and start charging it.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: a horse of a different color mothinflight 2008-03-29 12:35 pm UTC (link)
	i agree with that - product should be charged for. that's not the issue in my eyes. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	x_lysistrata_x 2008-03-28 05:50 pm UTC (link)
	She should at least be paying for the caramel drizzle. That stuff is expensive. (Reply to this)

anglyn
2008-03-28 06:23 pm UTC (link)

When I went through training, we were told over and over that we had to just look the other way when people did stuff that was obviously cheating.

Like I'll have a 50 pump chai latte, hold the water and milk. (basically chai concentrate for super cheap).. same thing for any of the syrups. The same thing for all the ghetto-we'll-make-our-own-lattes at the condiment bar types...

Its that whole just say yes, same-recipe-no-charge policy that starbucks has.

Also why people don't charge for 1 pumps of syrup, less than half steamed milk etc..etc.

I wonder what would happen if someone came in and just wanted a venti cup of just the caramel sauce.

I'm sure we'd have to do it, without a word... and probably charge them for something like a venti caramel frappuccino or something. I'd probably find the most expensive caramel drink we offer..

I just feel bad doing it for them. Its one thing if they go over to the bar and cheat on their own. I just feel like an accomplice to their cheating and theivery.

I think you should go to www.mystarbucksidea.com and put it on the baristas idea page... I think people have already made comments like that.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	therachael 2008-03-28 08:56 pm UTC (link)
	50 pump chai latte, hold the water and milk. (basically chai concentrate for super cheap) that is unbelievable. fuck JSY, i say no and they can call 1800latte and complain. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	kalelian 2008-03-28 06:38 pm UTC (link)
	I don't give a damn if we're "not supposed to judge." That is so incredibly disgusting. Oh my god. :( I like caramel, but there's a point where it stops being tasty and starts being NASTY. (Reply to this)

	tanwen 2008-03-28 06:42 pm UTC (link)
	Our store will charge for extras after a point. If someone orders a caramel frap with extra caramel, we don't charge extra, but if they say, extra, extra, extra, extra caramel (and they have) then we charge for it. We have ones that want the sides coated & then so much on top that it looks like a little caramel mountain. (Reply to this)

kittiethedragon
2008-03-29 12:13 am UTC (link)

Just as a note, Carmel is kinda expensive. It's a bit of a pain to make (Try doing it at home some time), so that's understandable. If you're using that much, then, yeah. It'll be an issue. Your partners need to be alerted to the idea of charging for extra, especially that much more, and let her know that, we're doing it as usual this time, but next time we've got to start charging more 'cause it's expensive and you might actually be hurting the profit of that drink quite a bit.

(Reply to this)

	hime_lina 2008-03-29 05:02 am UTC (link)
	We charge for more than twice the usual amount. Or if the amount of syrup equals half in a drink that doesn't usually get it. (ie, grande coffee with 3 pumps of vanilla, w charge for the vanilla) (Reply to this)

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