This has been brewing for awhile but thanks to Jess D and Stephen Ley I must blog about this today.

 

My disclaimer is that I do love  my part time job, with benefits, and great, funny as all get out, and diverse coworkers at a company that cares about it’s workers, the community, it’s farmers, and the environment, giving you a quality assured product, made in a clean and sanitary shop, and all the free coffee I could ever dream, that is my disclaimer.

 

I love to serve people – up until I am treated like a servant. (different blog for a diferent day)

 

*clears throat*

 

Dear Starbucks customer,

 

Because of our Starbucks “yes I can” policy, I have not been able to address this with you in person.

 

Please, put your cell phone down while ordering, acknowledge us lowly baristas as at least human enough to do more to than grunt an order at while on your phone, put the money on the counter then walk away. We welcome you with a smile, please at least try to do the same.

 

Learn our names, you see us everyday, we make your customized drink, everyday. Learn our names – we know yours.

 

Coming in however many days later, to whatever Starbucks you want, and asking for your 54 cent refill in a nasty cup – is nasty.  The official refill policy is within an hour, on premises. I worked the drive-tru all morning. You have not been here today.

 

If you want a refill, take your lid off and throw it away. I don’t want to touch it,  again – that’s nasty.

 

Don’t ask my co-worker “What are you stupid?” after she hands you the drink that I myself doubleconfirmed with you that it was the right drink when you were ordering. She is not stupid. She puts up with alot for the $8 or so an hour she gets paid (and that includes the tips that don’t get stolen out of our tip  jars.) And she sure didn’t need for you to come in and talk to our manager. We already talked to him in the back room about it, and we were all wearing a headset when you ordered. She is not stupid.

 

Please don’t order a Quad Espresso, over ice, in a Venti cup and then go to the condiment bar and fill it up with milk and sugar. That is called a latte. And I know you know that. As I read yesterday “Do you go to a restaurant and order noodles and expect them to bring you the marinara sauce and meatballs for free on the side?  No – pay for what you get.”

 

Don’t come in today and say you had a problem with your drink yesterday and always expect a free one today. If you tell us what is wrong with it when it happens, we will gladly figure out what happened and make you another one the right way, sometimes we make mistakes and will most likely give you a coupon for your next drink on us. Coming back an over hour later, with it half gone and still warm because it has been in your car that whole time – is rude and not ok.

 

I know you ordered your drink first, but they got theirs first because it was an iced coffee and just needed poured into a cup. You got a different kind of drink that took more time to make.

 

I love working at Starbucks. I know you love go there. Be thoughtful. Please.