Starbucks and its partners have one main goal: keep customers satisfied. We want to get every order right, we want you to have a great start to your day, we want to make you smile and we want to help you get to work on time with a perfect drink, or tray of drinks, in your hand. However, baristas are often blamed for silly mistakes that our customers make from time to time. Last Friday, my fellow partners and I came up with quite a few helpful tips and tricks so your order comes out just the way you like it, every time. And if it’s still not perfect, then you have permission to blame the baristas (using your inside voice, of course).
1. To quote my boss, Jenae, “Size first, then temp.”
When you order, say the size first, whether it is hot or iced, and then the name of your drink. This makes the process much easier than ordering like this: “I will have a caramel macchiato, extra-caramel, for Annie, upside-down, iced, grande, in a venti cup.”
2. The “secret” menu (i.e. “secret” frappuccino menu) is not real.
And the baristas do not know these orders by memory, so have the ingredients written down or pulled up on your phone to show the cashier. On a side note: the barista may refuse to blend anything other than what typically goes into a frappuccino or smoothie. So if you ask for a biscotti in a blended drink, you might not be able to have it. It's to protect our blenders!
3. Every Starbucks has a bar with different kinds of milk carafes (soy, nonfat, whole and half & half), sugars and sugar-substitutes, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg to add to your drinks once they are ready for a personal touch! 
Therefore, when the cashier tells you to add your own milk and sugar at the bar, it is not because he/she is too lazy to do it, but because customers usually prefer it that way.
4. If the cashier forgets to ask whether or not you would like room in your hot/ iced coffee or tea, don’t be afraid to ask!
5. You can get almost any food item warmed in the oven, unless it has a glaze or frosting.
Food goes in order sequence by customer like the drinks, but if someone orders a cake pop after your egg sandwich, the cake pop will come out first.
6. If you want to reload your card and order a drink/ food item, it is helpful if you ask to reload the card first, and then place your order.
7. We are not trained specifically to understand the mechanics of Starbucks’ mobile app.
We don’t always know why your stars aren’t adding up or why you couldn’t reload your card, and I promise it’s not our fault if your order was sent to the wrong store. While we are always willing to try our best to help you work these kinds of things out, we (unfortunately) do not have magic iPhone wands. For answers to your particular app and rewards problems if we can't give them to you, you can simply call: 800-Starbuc (800-782-7282).
8. Every drink is supposed to take about 30 seconds to make.
Unless you order a venti extra, extra dry, extra-extra hot, triple-ristretto-shot cappuccino. So, if there are twelve drinks in front of your own, you may have to wait five or more minutes for your name to be called.
9. Make sure to always look at the label of a coffee on the bar!
Shift manager Kaí "Savage" says: “When someone didn't get a mobile order and still grabs mobile order anyway with someone else's name fer fun.”
10. Keep an eye out before asking the barista where your drink disappeared to.
Even when there is nobody in the store, we may be working on a few mobile-order drinks that came in before you placed your order at the register.
11. We ask for your name not to make your life more difficult, but to avoid confusion.
If you have a difficult name, make one up! Here are some great options: Joe, Sue, Mike, Mary, RJ, Tom, Alex, Lisa. A single letter or spelling out your name works, too. We also like your drinks to be personalized!
12. Pleasantries are appreciated.
As co-partner Tasha put it: “We're nice to you, so please be nice back: 'Hi, how are you, sir?' 'Grande iced coffee.'"
13. Have your wallet or mobile app ready!
My partners got really excited about this one. There are so many times when everyone is waiting on their phones in a long line, but when they get up to the register, it takes them several minutes to get their cash out or app pulled up to scan. Take this time to get ready so the transaction is smoother for everyone. You can also place a mobile order while you are waiting in line.
14. "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying." "No, I'M paying."
Kindly don't do this. It's awkward for the barista at the register.
15. Pause your phone conversation.
If you are talking on the phone with someone (please try to wait until your drink is ready), tell whomever you are talking with that you are at Starbucks and to hold on for one moment while you clearly recite your order without a phone at your ear.
16. Ask for plasticware at the register.
Kerry says, “If you are going to need a fork or a bag or something, ask the person at the register, not the person on bar!!” We want our baristas to move their feet as little as possible. Feet do not make drinks.
17. Hot food is not typically handed off at the register or food station.
This creates chaos and confusion in the ordering line.
18. Do not make your own iced lattes at the condiment bar.
A quote by Amy: “If you get espresso shots over ice in a venti cup—just order a latte because we all know what you're doing.” Making iced lattes with the condiment bar milk means that baristas need to change the carafes when they could be doing other things, which sometimes causes a milk shortage.
19. Speak up, not down.
Another quote by Amy: “If I ask you to repeat your order, don't talk down or slow to me—I just didn't hear.”
20. Know that partners range from high school students to parents.
And in large college towns like Boston, Starbucks is always hiring new partners. Please be patient with those who are still learning. We don’t know your story and you don’t know ours, so let’s be kind to each other and try to get through the day with a solid cup of coffee. We’re sorry if a mistake is made. We understand how important your intake of caffeine is.
21. ELE
Let’s end things on a nice odd number with a comment by Ben: “Food first, ELE (everyone love everyone), ask at the register, wallets out, know what you want, don't be on the phone, tip nicely, your ghetto latte is most likely decaf and high fives are always appreciated.”
And, most importantly, have a great day!
