I’m embarrassed to tell you how often I go to Starbucks, and how much it feels like a treat every time. I don’t even really like coffee (unless it has lots of chocolate and whipped cream!), but I love hanging out, reading the paper, seeing folks I know as they come in.
So it took me a while to realize that my usual Starbucks has really changed. Most of the baristas are new, and they can’t remember my drink order, even after I’ve repeated it twice. They always ask my name, even though I come in frequently. And this morning at 8:10, the usually bustling parking lot was nearly deserted. Looks like caffeine addicts and Midtowners have noticed the change. And to top it off, they got my order wrong. Again.
Some things in life should stay the same. Bring back the best morning barista crew!
Responses to “When your Starbucks goes bad.”
November 19th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Starbucks likes swapping people around. My favorite baristas are all scattered around Memphis now. If someone is bright and well-liked, chances are high that person will be asked to train as a manager at a different location, then asked to move to yet a third location, to prove that they’re serious. My favorite barista was making a two-hour commute across town at one point.
Try asking where your people ended up. That’s what I did. It turned out to be about the same distance for me to go to the new location with some of my old people. The closest one to me I didn’t like for a long time; the people were sullen and snarky, and the seating is bad. Then Manager “Has an opinion on everything and talks about it loudly” got transferred, and since then the people have greatly improved, although the seating is still bad. Funny how one manager can set the tone of all the employees.
November 26th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I think I must be the only one on the planet who has never had a single drink from Starbuck’s.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
It might not just be the changes in staff. I saw a story on TV the other day that said some financial people are using Starbuck’s as a barometer of how the economy is doing. Starbuck’s has told analysts that they are going to lower their profit expectations, so it may be that more people are having to skip buying expensive coffee to pay for expensive gas! The middle class is starting to feel the pinch, and something has to go — looks like it is latte!