Anyone that knows me knows that I am addicted to Starbucks. I start my morning with a Green Tea Latte and a sandwich of some variety. From there, I will revisit my favorite Starbucks location continuously throughout the day for snacks and beverages. On average, I visit Starbucks about three times a day. It is safe to say that I get to know my baristas very well. They learn exactly how I like my drink, and make it perfectly without me even needing to ask. We also engage in small talk about new menu items, their favorite beverage creations, how their day is going etc. Due to my constant communication with my barista, I understand the impact that they have on my morning and my day in general.

From my experience, there is a lot of benefit to befriending your barista. My Starbucks runs are some of the best parts of my day thanks to my baristas.

1. They can make your bad morning better.

People who are not as addicted to Starbucks as I, often underestimate the value of baristas in our lives. While many may not visit Starbucks as frequently throughout the day, the majority of Starbucks drinkers will stop in for their morning coffee on a daily basis. If you are driving to work, or school, annoyed by the traffic or just having a bad morning, start up a conversation with your barista when you stroll into Starbucks. We start our day by talking to the people who make our coffee. Not only are they making us happier by giving us coffee to fuel our morning, If they smile at you or tell you a funny story while they are making your drink, it can instantly change your mood. Your interaction with your barista can set the tone for the remainder of your day.

2. They will make your drink perfect. Every time.

If you get to know a particular barista or frequent a single store at the same time every day, the baristas who work that shift will start to remember how you like your drink down to the most minute detail. For me, I like a minute amount of ice, about an inch of ice at the bottom of my cup, and I like my latte shaken in the shakers rather than simply stirred in my cup. In addition, I ask for my venti latte in a Trenta cup so that additional shaking can occur if necessary. The mobile order app does not allow for me to request these special orders online in as much detail as I would like. Yet, I can order a Venti Green Tea Latte on mobile order, and I will show up to the counter with my beverage exactly how I like it. Often times, my Trenta cup is filled with more beverage just because the Barista was being nice. If you are not nice to your barista or do not bother to engage in cordial conversation with them, you will not experience this luxury. It pays off for your barista to know your beverage.

3. They will share tips and tricks.

While your Barista makes your beverage, engage in casual conversation with them. Often times during these conversations, the topic of what you drink, and how you drink it will often come up. Baristas have seen every possible combination of the beverages on their menu. From sampling and talking to customers, Baristas can give you tips on how to order your beverage to either make it better or to make it more affordable. For example, ordering your iced tea with easy ice and no water will maximize the amount of tea you actually receive, but for the same price as your regular tea. If flavor is what you are after, your barista can also provide advice on the best syrup flavors to add to your usual beverage in order to try something new or make your beverage better than you ever imagined it to be.

Baristas are very smart. They know how to make your current addiction even more delicious and satisfying than it already is. They also always hand you your drink with a smile and can make you feel instantly happier. Start your day off with a visit to Starbucks, and you start your day off right. Do not underestimate the power of your barista, and coffee.