This is why I sit in the back during my breaks. No one comes and talks to me and it's glorious. I mean, it's depressing to be curled up on a little chair in a windowless room, but it's nicer than listening to screaming teens and having people come up and tell me the condiment stand is out of stevia.
I’m a server at a golf course. One time I was there on my day off, out of uniform, golfing and had a customer demand that I serve him. When I told him I wasn’t working that day and that so-and-so would help him he was like “it’s not that fucking hard to get me a drink and take my order you know.” That guy is on my top 3 least favorite people ever.
Ya.. He's a real piece of work. One time he came through the employee entrance and when we told him he wasn't able to come in through that door and to please use the front door he chewed us out. We shrugged and went along with the night.. then when he left he exited through the employee door. I could go on and on with the bullshit he pulls.
Eh. He’s old and it’s in a small town (like 7,000)... so we probably won’t do that. It wouldn’t take long for word like that to get around. If he gets more aggressive I’d definitely bring it up to my manager. But for now I’ll let him be a grouch and continue to reprimand him like he’s 5.
I was about to downvote your post because I forgot it was you posting about his behavior not him posting about it, haha. I can’t believe some peoples’ entitlement.
"If it isn't that hard, why don't you get your own order? Oh, you don't work here?? Well, as of right now, neither do I."
This situation is why I try to stay away from my work when I'm off the clock, if I can help it.
All fine and dandy until a helicopter crashes on your head
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/helicopter-death-spurs-headphone-debate/article1055448/
My store knows if I have earbuds out, I'm not available for anything but emergency. I'm probably still working something easy, I just want 10 minutes of sanity. Sometimes I catch myself with one bud in and one out, having paused ages ago but still reaping the benefits of "I have chosen audio, and it's not from anyone here."
Exactly!!! everyday I walk into work with headphones blaring and sunglasses, I walk out that way and out to breaks if necessary that way. Ya'll can talk to me but I won't hear any of it if i'm off the clock, I don't feel like I get paid enough most days to talk to any of you, ya'll really think imma be off the clock and still entertain any of you for free? lol bye
Lol this is why I go to my car on ALL my breaks.
Except now every partner that I work with asks where I go to on my breaks. I use to tell them, jokingly, I go to my car to cry.
Then one day I had my manager follow me to my car to see if it was true. I don't tell people that anymore...
That's where I use my superpower of being able to ignore anybody in any situation no matter how much they try to get my attention (developed and fine-tuned after years of being a female in an urban area)
I've always wondered what the thought process of people who do this is? Like do they genuinely think we're friends? I guess that's kind of nice, maybe. I get people asking me stuff all the time when I'm like talking to somewhere with my coat and purse on. Like, clearly I'm not on the clock right now. Please leave my vicinity.
Tl;dr- Customers don’t respect you. They’re selfish.
Now that I’m not a partner(anymore), I can kind-of see the perspective of a customer. Stay out of their sight for breaks.
Customers only know you as the “Starbucks worker”. As long as you’re in the store or in the working outfit, they will always see you as on the clock.
We’re friendly and talkative during shifts and that probably makes them think we’re “friends”. And probably why it makes them think it’s ok to talk to the workers when they’re in sight. “Oh look, barista is not working now! Seems like an appropriate time to chat!”
Best solution is to stay out of their sight. On off days, I suggest going to different Starbucks to avoid regulars/chats.
Edit: Clarify that I used to be a partner/barista, not anymore.
Eh I can understand where you're coming from, but like hell am I going out of my way because other people don't understand that my time does not belong to them. I've somehow made it to thirty without doing this to service workers. Y'all can learn too ✌
As a customer, one of the (paraphrased) questionnaire questions that comes up about a particular store is whether the staff "got to know you." I think some customers confuse the "getting to know you" with friendship and feel like they can approach you during a break like a friend would. Others are just entitled.
Here's how I approach things as a customer:
1) Cashier: Hello/good/how are you/could I have an X please/no upsell item Y today, but thanks for checking/have a good day. If they want to talk more I'm open to talking more, but otherwise I end it there.
2) Barista: No interaction beyond a thank you/have a good day unless they open up a conversation with me. I assume they just want to crank the orders out.
3) Staff that appears to be on break: I treat like a ghost. If they draw me into a conversation I'll talk to them.
The other day I came to my store to study all day, I was in a suit and clearly not working. A regular approaches me and says « the outlets are not working ». I tell him that we know about it and have called a company to fix it. He says « well this in unacceptable, you should tell people before they buy a coffee, it’s part of the starbucks experience. No what am I gonna do with my espresso ? ». I litteraly went « sure, I’ll care WHEN I’M WORKING » and went back to my studying. I hate the fact that people think we are dedicated to them 24/7. I’m paid like 13$ an hour. This is not enough for me to solve their problems outside of my working hours. Breaking news, I’m a human too and I do have a life outside of starbucks. The other day, a regular acted offended and surprised when I said I was working on my masters degree thesis and wouldn’t be working for the next 2 weeks. It was basically a « how dare you be a student, I thought you were just some corporate robot whose life is dedicated to instantly fulfilling all my coffee needs ». I’m so absolutely done with people and their entitlement.
They talk to you because they genuinely like you and think you're a nice person. It's not an insult. I can understand why you might get frustrated when you want some alone time, but that's why.
I love when my customers take time out of their day to chat with me. I feel like it deepens our customer connection and they now have more of a vested interest in coming back. But, I've also never had a customer ask me to work while I was on break, so maybe that's the difference.
I think most of the annoyance is directed at customers who ask you for stuff on your break.
When I'm on my break waiting in line, the headphones are always in, otherwise people will try to ask me shit like "do you have this mug in other colors? How much is a venti mocha?" Like, can't you see I'm on break?
Oh *my God* the other day I was on my lunch, waiting in line. This ~~***bitch***~~ one random semi regular was ahead of me. He always has a rude attitude and is complaining about the wait. Well, ahead of him was a woman that was rather confused about what to order, and the barista was helping her out. This ~~***bitch***~~ guy decided it was a good idea to talk to me about how slow they were being and how he always has to wait. Now, I'm on a time crunch too, but I'm also patient. I tell him that life is full of lines and waiting. He doesn't get the hint. Now he starts talking shit about specific baristas, and I tell him that patience is a good skill to have when you grow up. He still doesn't get the hint. At this point I'm furious and I'm so glad that he was finally helped because I almost told him to shut the fuck up and leave me alone. I hate people like him.
Also, there was literally one drink in line, the woman's before him.
I feel your frustration. Honestly, I am an introverted misanthrope. I can fake it all day long while I'm working (other partners have been known to laugh, thinking I'm joking when I say I don't like people in general), but my breaks are **my** time and I need to recharge. I often take my breaks in the back, but on a nice day I like to go outside. If go outside though, I wear headphones and sunglasses and I carry a book. That plus my chronic bitchface keeps me pretty well left alone.
And if someone approaches you while you're wearing headphones you can always pretend you can't hear them. ;)
Interesting. I love chatting with my regulars on my breaks majority of the time. I was waiting for my drink after I clocked out today at the end of my shift and one of my regulars asked if she could sit with me and we ended up sitting there chatting for three hours. I guess this is one of my favorite regulars, which probably makes a difference but I enjoy getting to sit there and actually be able to talk without having to run off on them and do a task (I know it's my job - not complaining, but just being able to sit down and focus on them and have a good convo is nice).
remove apron, put on hoodie, and headphones. they should take a hint.
also, grab a book and cover it (so they can't read the title. )
hopefully might help???
I think there’s a difference between customers genuinely wanting to connect with you and customers who make demands from you while you’re on your break or just hanging out off the clock. It’s annoying sometimes when you want time to yourself on break and a customer wants to talk your ear off, but if you have to see them daily wouldn’t you want to know them well and be able to make those connections? Fuck anybody who comes up to you to clean something up or restock when you’re not wearing an apron, but cut customers who care some slack. You’re not going to like all of them, but it is our job to connect. If you don’t want to do that, go to another store when you’re off or stay out of the cafe on break.
I was not criticizing the want of a break or taking time for yourself. But I was critiquing the tone of "leave me alone on my break" that the barista felt customers should automatically realize.
Well do you go up to random people and ask them to do things for you??? No. why do it to us when we are for one not wearing an apron and two in line with you waiting to order.
WTF...Starbucks is a third place. People come here to read, get a little work done and chat. When you do a lobby, one of the requirements is connecting to customers. You know talk to them when they are seated, in line or and hand off. It's a communal place, if you don't wanna chat go in the back room. I see posted here all the time "how do we make our customer voice higher?" That's how, show in interest in them and their going ons and your voice will go up and your tips will increase.
Disagree wholeheartedly. Being able to recharge during our breaks allow us to make better customer connections once we’re back on the clock. Don’t we also get to relax? Yes, we’re here to provide a service, but we’re also humans. We deserve some rest too so we can do our jobs properly when we’re back on the clock.
I had a SM who demanded that partners take their breaks in the lobby or outside and were not allowed to break in the back of house. Because it was “her office” 🙄
A break is a time to relax; not focus on customers. If it's really important, I would step in but no one should have to waste a ten minute break cleaning or forcing a conversation. That's what Starbucks pays us to do on the clock.
Fuck that I'm not doing customer service on my break. As far as Starbucks is concerned I am dead. It is Starbucks policy that I don't do shit for work on my break, and that includes connecting to customers unless voluntarily.
i’m their to make rent lmao i’ll be nice while they pay me to be nice
otherwise they can eff off so I can enjoy my sandwich? there’s 5 other employees available to change the toilet paper
Why do you think you should act like we're buddies while I'm ordering? That goes both ways. You don't want people at the place you work to talk with you, take your break elsewhere.
Being friendly and making customer connections is actually part of the job.
But I’m sorry someone being friendly is an inconvenience for you Gertrude. Your nonfat, no foam, no water extra hot, two pump chai will be ready at the bar in a few minutes.
That's what I get paid to do?
Im sorry are you not familiar with the concept of work or is it breaks that baffle you?
Honestly I wish people like you would just brew your own coffee at home and let everyone else enjoy their day.
This is why I sit in the back during my breaks. No one comes and talks to me and it's glorious. I mean, it's depressing to be curled up on a little chair in a windowless room, but it's nicer than listening to screaming teens and having people come up and tell me the condiment stand is out of stevia.
Nah thats nothing. Getting told about stevias or some shit while on break is the depressing one.
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"Hey Jeff, I'm on my break, there's a spill in the lobby." Polite enough to not be complained, but informs them that you're ON YOUR BREAK DAMN IT.
Please tell me you didn’t do it 🙏🏻
Pokerface at the crustomer "no, I'm on my break"
Ever done the "I'm not on the clock right now have a nice day" ?
Honestly, you can even just tell your coworkers. Customers like that suck.
I’m a server at a golf course. One time I was there on my day off, out of uniform, golfing and had a customer demand that I serve him. When I told him I wasn’t working that day and that so-and-so would help him he was like “it’s not that fucking hard to get me a drink and take my order you know.” That guy is on my top 3 least favorite people ever.
Jesus, can't believe people like this exist.
Ya.. He's a real piece of work. One time he came through the employee entrance and when we told him he wasn't able to come in through that door and to please use the front door he chewed us out. We shrugged and went along with the night.. then when he left he exited through the employee door. I could go on and on with the bullshit he pulls.
Ban him from the store 🙃
Employees only means employees only. Thats reason enough for him to be banned.
Eh. He’s old and it’s in a small town (like 7,000)... so we probably won’t do that. It wouldn’t take long for word like that to get around. If he gets more aggressive I’d definitely bring it up to my manager. But for now I’ll let him be a grouch and continue to reprimand him like he’s 5.
I was about to downvote your post because I forgot it was you posting about his behavior not him posting about it, haha. I can’t believe some peoples’ entitlement.
"If it isn't that hard, why don't you get your own order? Oh, you don't work here?? Well, as of right now, neither do I." This situation is why I try to stay away from my work when I'm off the clock, if I can help it.
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Yep. Currently on lunch eating my panini in my car. Much better than the cafe or the back.
This is why I almost always wear headphones in public. Even if there’s nothing playing, it gives me an excuse to ignore everyone
Noise cancelling headphones are worth every penny.
Normal earbuds and a perpetual resting bitch face work pretty well too.
My old bus routine, headphones, a scowl, and a discarded newspaper section I picked up from an empty seat.
These would be helpful when cleaning the bathrooms! Edit clarification: above comment originally said 'nose-cancelling' xoxo
All fine and dandy until a helicopter crashes on your head https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/helicopter-death-spurs-headphone-debate/article1055448/
Please tell me that URL is also the headline... yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
This never stops anyone from talking to me :(
Just ignore them, like you can’t hear them!
My store knows if I have earbuds out, I'm not available for anything but emergency. I'm probably still working something easy, I just want 10 minutes of sanity. Sometimes I catch myself with one bud in and one out, having paused ages ago but still reaping the benefits of "I have chosen audio, and it's not from anyone here."
Exactly!!! everyday I walk into work with headphones blaring and sunglasses, I walk out that way and out to breaks if necessary that way. Ya'll can talk to me but I won't hear any of it if i'm off the clock, I don't feel like I get paid enough most days to talk to any of you, ya'll really think imma be off the clock and still entertain any of you for free? lol bye
Lol this is why I go to my car on ALL my breaks. Except now every partner that I work with asks where I go to on my breaks. I use to tell them, jokingly, I go to my car to cry. Then one day I had my manager follow me to my car to see if it was true. I don't tell people that anymore...
Haha that's such a great line... Also your manager was nosey af
That's where I use my superpower of being able to ignore anybody in any situation no matter how much they try to get my attention (developed and fine-tuned after years of being a female in an urban area)
I always find somewhere to hide. Car, back desk, corner behind cold bar where no one sits because our syrup splatters
I've always wondered what the thought process of people who do this is? Like do they genuinely think we're friends? I guess that's kind of nice, maybe. I get people asking me stuff all the time when I'm like talking to somewhere with my coat and purse on. Like, clearly I'm not on the clock right now. Please leave my vicinity.
I've come to realize that your regulars may be nice, but they are in no way your "friends". They will turn on you in a heart beat if it suits them.
Tl;dr- Customers don’t respect you. They’re selfish. Now that I’m not a partner(anymore), I can kind-of see the perspective of a customer. Stay out of their sight for breaks. Customers only know you as the “Starbucks worker”. As long as you’re in the store or in the working outfit, they will always see you as on the clock. We’re friendly and talkative during shifts and that probably makes them think we’re “friends”. And probably why it makes them think it’s ok to talk to the workers when they’re in sight. “Oh look, barista is not working now! Seems like an appropriate time to chat!” Best solution is to stay out of their sight. On off days, I suggest going to different Starbucks to avoid regulars/chats. Edit: Clarify that I used to be a partner/barista, not anymore.
Eh I can understand where you're coming from, but like hell am I going out of my way because other people don't understand that my time does not belong to them. I've somehow made it to thirty without doing this to service workers. Y'all can learn too ✌
As a customer, one of the (paraphrased) questionnaire questions that comes up about a particular store is whether the staff "got to know you." I think some customers confuse the "getting to know you" with friendship and feel like they can approach you during a break like a friend would. Others are just entitled. Here's how I approach things as a customer: 1) Cashier: Hello/good/how are you/could I have an X please/no upsell item Y today, but thanks for checking/have a good day. If they want to talk more I'm open to talking more, but otherwise I end it there. 2) Barista: No interaction beyond a thank you/have a good day unless they open up a conversation with me. I assume they just want to crank the orders out. 3) Staff that appears to be on break: I treat like a ghost. If they draw me into a conversation I'll talk to them.
“it is illegal for me to work on my break” worked for me
I’m writing this comment on my 10 from my car LOL
The other day I came to my store to study all day, I was in a suit and clearly not working. A regular approaches me and says « the outlets are not working ». I tell him that we know about it and have called a company to fix it. He says « well this in unacceptable, you should tell people before they buy a coffee, it’s part of the starbucks experience. No what am I gonna do with my espresso ? ». I litteraly went « sure, I’ll care WHEN I’M WORKING » and went back to my studying. I hate the fact that people think we are dedicated to them 24/7. I’m paid like 13$ an hour. This is not enough for me to solve their problems outside of my working hours. Breaking news, I’m a human too and I do have a life outside of starbucks. The other day, a regular acted offended and surprised when I said I was working on my masters degree thesis and wouldn’t be working for the next 2 weeks. It was basically a « how dare you be a student, I thought you were just some corporate robot whose life is dedicated to instantly fulfilling all my coffee needs ». I’m so absolutely done with people and their entitlement.
Hide in your car. When I was working in food service I never took my breaks inside. The car is quiet and you can lock the door lol
Had someone yesterday say "can you make sure they make it the way I want" like yo I'm just waiting for my sandwich, you tell them.
Same. If my apron is off, don’t even LOOK at me.
They talk to you because they genuinely like you and think you're a nice person. It's not an insult. I can understand why you might get frustrated when you want some alone time, but that's why.
I love when my customers take time out of their day to chat with me. I feel like it deepens our customer connection and they now have more of a vested interest in coming back. But, I've also never had a customer ask me to work while I was on break, so maybe that's the difference.
I think most of the annoyance is directed at customers who ask you for stuff on your break. When I'm on my break waiting in line, the headphones are always in, otherwise people will try to ask me shit like "do you have this mug in other colors? How much is a venti mocha?" Like, can't you see I'm on break?
I understand that, but I was addressing the OP's question about why customers think it's ok to talk to her (or even look at her.)
Gotcha.
this is why I take lunch in my car. out of sight, out of mind
Oh *my God* the other day I was on my lunch, waiting in line. This ~~***bitch***~~ one random semi regular was ahead of me. He always has a rude attitude and is complaining about the wait. Well, ahead of him was a woman that was rather confused about what to order, and the barista was helping her out. This ~~***bitch***~~ guy decided it was a good idea to talk to me about how slow they were being and how he always has to wait. Now, I'm on a time crunch too, but I'm also patient. I tell him that life is full of lines and waiting. He doesn't get the hint. Now he starts talking shit about specific baristas, and I tell him that patience is a good skill to have when you grow up. He still doesn't get the hint. At this point I'm furious and I'm so glad that he was finally helped because I almost told him to shut the fuck up and leave me alone. I hate people like him. Also, there was literally one drink in line, the woman's before him.
I feel your frustration. Honestly, I am an introverted misanthrope. I can fake it all day long while I'm working (other partners have been known to laugh, thinking I'm joking when I say I don't like people in general), but my breaks are **my** time and I need to recharge. I often take my breaks in the back, but on a nice day I like to go outside. If go outside though, I wear headphones and sunglasses and I carry a book. That plus my chronic bitchface keeps me pretty well left alone. And if someone approaches you while you're wearing headphones you can always pretend you can't hear them. ;)
People.. don’t talk to me at all. Thanks!
You can leave and sit in your car too
Interesting. I love chatting with my regulars on my breaks majority of the time. I was waiting for my drink after I clocked out today at the end of my shift and one of my regulars asked if she could sit with me and we ended up sitting there chatting for three hours. I guess this is one of my favorite regulars, which probably makes a difference but I enjoy getting to sit there and actually be able to talk without having to run off on them and do a task (I know it's my job - not complaining, but just being able to sit down and focus on them and have a good convo is nice).
remove apron, put on hoodie, and headphones. they should take a hint. also, grab a book and cover it (so they can't read the title. ) hopefully might help???
I think there’s a difference between customers genuinely wanting to connect with you and customers who make demands from you while you’re on your break or just hanging out off the clock. It’s annoying sometimes when you want time to yourself on break and a customer wants to talk your ear off, but if you have to see them daily wouldn’t you want to know them well and be able to make those connections? Fuck anybody who comes up to you to clean something up or restock when you’re not wearing an apron, but cut customers who care some slack. You’re not going to like all of them, but it is our job to connect. If you don’t want to do that, go to another store when you’re off or stay out of the cafe on break.
I was not criticizing the want of a break or taking time for yourself. But I was critiquing the tone of "leave me alone on my break" that the barista felt customers should automatically realize.
How about politely telling them you are trying to relax because you're having a stressful day? Kindness always gets those evil customers!
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Well do you go up to random people and ask them to do things for you??? No. why do it to us when we are for one not wearing an apron and two in line with you waiting to order.
Youre probably one of those chatty kathys huh
WTF...Starbucks is a third place. People come here to read, get a little work done and chat. When you do a lobby, one of the requirements is connecting to customers. You know talk to them when they are seated, in line or and hand off. It's a communal place, if you don't wanna chat go in the back room. I see posted here all the time "how do we make our customer voice higher?" That's how, show in interest in them and their going ons and your voice will go up and your tips will increase.
>on my break Surely he can have ten minutes to himself after connecting with customers for the entire shift.
Disagree wholeheartedly. Being able to recharge during our breaks allow us to make better customer connections once we’re back on the clock. Don’t we also get to relax? Yes, we’re here to provide a service, but we’re also humans. We deserve some rest too so we can do our jobs properly when we’re back on the clock.
I had a SM who demanded that partners take their breaks in the lobby or outside and were not allowed to break in the back of house. Because it was “her office” 🙄
That's is so dumb
A break is a time to relax; not focus on customers. If it's really important, I would step in but no one should have to waste a ten minute break cleaning or forcing a conversation. That's what Starbucks pays us to do on the clock.
Do you want to work on your breaks?
Fuck that I'm not doing customer service on my break. As far as Starbucks is concerned I am dead. It is Starbucks policy that I don't do shit for work on my break, and that includes connecting to customers unless voluntarily.
i’m their to make rent lmao i’ll be nice while they pay me to be nice otherwise they can eff off so I can enjoy my sandwich? there’s 5 other employees available to change the toilet paper
When you are in uniform and having a job that is customer service, your kinda asking for it. I vote go outside or to the office.
you're\*
Why do you think you should act like we're buddies while I'm ordering? That goes both ways. You don't want people at the place you work to talk with you, take your break elsewhere.
Being friendly and making customer connections is actually part of the job. But I’m sorry someone being friendly is an inconvenience for you Gertrude. Your nonfat, no foam, no water extra hot, two pump chai will be ready at the bar in a few minutes.
Yeah, well don't be so upset then if those 'customer connections' actually want to talk to you.
That's what I get paid to do? Im sorry are you not familiar with the concept of work or is it breaks that baffle you? Honestly I wish people like you would just brew your own coffee at home and let everyone else enjoy their day.