The second job I ever had was working as a Starbucks barista while I was in high school, and at the time, I absolutely loved it. Having friendly interactions with customers, coming up with creative, new drink ideas, and having unlimited access to cold brew was pretty great. (Although, it probably wasn’t beneficial for my burgeoning caffeine addiction…)
As with any job, though, working as a barista has its pros and cons. For every regular who knows your name, is thrilled about their beverage and tips generously, there’s another customer who will demand they get a refund and their drink remade because they accidentally ordered it incorrectly.
One barista who knows the struggles of working at Starbucks all too well is Keicha Halsell, so she recently shared a video on TikTok breaking down some of her top pet peeves that customers are guilty of committing. Below, you’ll find her full video, as well as some of the responses she’s received from viewers, so you can decide whether customers should get their act together or if it’s all just a part of the job. Let us know in the comments what you think of Keicha’s video, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring things Starbucks employees are tired of, you can find that right here!
Starbucks barista Keicha Halsell hopped on TikTok to share some of the most annoying habits customers have
Image credits: _Keicha_
You can hear Keicha's full explanation of what gives her the "ick" at work right here
Image credits: _Keicha_
Image credits: _Keicha_
Keicha notes that she loves her job, but sometimes customers are just frustrating
With over 35k Starbucks shops around the world, working as a ‘Bucks barista is a pretty common job. But that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one. It can be quite stressful, especially during the morning rush, and baristas are required to be on their feet during most, if not all, of their shifts. There are some pros of working for the coffee giant, though. As of 2021, Starbucks announced that all employees in the US will make an hourly average of $17, with $15 an hour being the company's new minimum wage. This may not seem like an incredibly high salary, but with the federal minimum wage sitting at $7.25 an hour in the United States, Starbucks can certainly be a great option for many people.
Some of the other perks of working for Starbucks are receiving one free pound of coffee each week, meeting many different people, being offered free online studies through Arizona State University, receiving food and drink discounts, getting a 401K and discounts on company stocks, receiving benefits for working over 20 hours a week, free Spotify subscriptions, and receiving discounts on phone bills, insurance and products from various other affiliate partners. If you love making drinks, socializing with customers, and drinking lots of coffee, Starbucks might be the perfect place for you.
One of the biggest aspects of working at Starbucks, however, is dealing with the customers. Patience is definitely a skill that all baristas need, as customers may have questions, be unsure of what they want to order, or make complaints once they’ve received their drinks if their expectations were a bit off. It also helps to stay calm under pressure if you want to be a successful barista. Seeing a long line cannot stress you out. You can only make drinks so quickly, so some people will always have to wait. Move efficiently, but don’t let customers pressure you into going so fast that you make mistakes or risk anyone’s safety. Dropping a drink on the floor or burning yourself won’t help anyone out.
If you’re a customer at Starbucks, there are certain things that you can do to make your baristas’ jobs easier. As Keicha mentioned, knowing what you want before you order makes the process run more smoothly, and using common sense and good manners goes a long way. If you need help, be honest with your barista and ask them the questions you have. If you receive excellent service, be sure to tip! And if the stress of ordering in person is just too much, you can always order your drink and food ahead of time on the app. It will be paid for and waiting for you when you arrive, so there’s no need to worry about long lines or fumbling your words.
Keicha’s video has received a mix of responses. Some people defended their orders, as they might simply prefer the taste of non-dairy milk but still enjoy sweet cream, and others noted that these little annoyances are things that just come along with working as a barista. We would love to hear your thoughts on this video in the comments below, pandas, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring things that drive Starbucks baristas crazy, look no further than right here!
The video has received mixed responses, with some viewers defending their Starbucks orders and noting that dealing with customers is just part of being a barista
