How to Order at Starbucks so the Barista Will Hate You Less

Summary

The article provides guidance on how to order at Starbucks in a way that is efficient and courteous to baristas.

Abstract

The article titled "How to Order at Starbucks so the Barista Will Hate You Less" offers advice on navigating the coffee chain's ordering process to ensure a smooth transaction and a positive experience for both customers and baristas. It suggests starting with a friendly greeting, specifying the size and temperature of the drink first, then selecting the type of beverage, having payment ready, moving to the bar area to wait for the order, and expressing gratitude to the barista. The article also recommends using the Starbucks app for mobile ordering and taking advantage of the rewards program. It emphasizes the importance of treating baristas with respect and understanding, as they are often busy and are essential to the coffee-buying experience.

Opinions

The author believes that a simple greeting can go a long way in making the barista's day better.
The article implies that knowing Starbucks' unique drink sizes (tall, grande, venti, trenta) and specifying them upfront is crucial for an efficient ordering process.
The author suggests that customers should have their payment method ready to avoid holding up the line.
There is an opinion that customers should use the "bar" area to wait for their drinks rather than lingering at the register.
The author expresses that saying "thank you" to baristas is a sign of respect and acknowledgment of their hard work.
The article encourages the use of the Starbucks app for a more streamlined ordering experience and to benefit from the rewards program.
The author advises that if there is a mistake with an order, it should be addressed politely with the barista for a resolution, rather than resorting to leaving a bad review.

How to Order at Starbucks so the Barista Will Hate You Less

“Humanity runs on coffee.” — Unknown

Photo courtesy of TR on Unsplash

If you are like most of humanity, coffee is a very critical part of your day. Not surprisingly, coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world.

I am firmly planted in the United States of America and here, Starbucks is one of the most recognizable chains selling the black elixir of God across the country. Truth be told, even just walking into the store filled with stressed college students trying to cram before midterms or seeing business professionals discuss hitting numbers can be quite intimidating. Then you walk you up the baristas in the famous green aprons and there is an endless list of macchiatos, cold brews, and egg bites, so how can you better prepare to order your coffee to make that social interaction as casual as possible?

Photo courtesy of Asael Pena on Unsplash

#1: Share a quick greeting! There is no need to get into a soliloquy about the odd dream you had last night or have a full-on conversation about what their dreams and aspirations are. A solid “Hi, how’s it going?” will more than suffice. Please remember these baristas are quite busy, but they are also people too.

#2: Start with the size and temperature of the drink you would like. Perhaps one of the most unique parts of Starbucks is their drink sizing. As most establishments simply use small, medium, large, extra large, etc, the mermaid coffee chain uses tall, grande, venti, and trenta. These correspond from smallest to largest and contain 12, 16, 20, and 31 fl. oz., respectively. The temperature of the drink is simply whether you would like to have it hot or iced. It is important to start here because the system does not allow the barista to enter the type of drink until the size and temperature has been assigned. By just starting with what beverage you would like, you are essentially wasting your and their time.

#3: Continue with the type of drink you desire. Now, time to choose what you will be drinking that day. The most economical items would be either brewed coffee or iced coffee. However, please note you will have to add the sugar, cream, etc from the bar on the side. It is great to be able to customize it to your liking, but the process does add additional time, if you are in a hurry. Lattes are pretty popular because it is flavoring, milk, and espresso shots (which is a condensed, richer form of coffee), which make for an easy drinking experience. There is no shame in researching the drinks beforehand and finding your go-to.

#4: Have your form of payment ready to go. You are at a place of business, so you should expect to be paying for the good or service. When there is a line of people that have places to be and things to do, it would be in everyone’s best interest for you to just have your cash, credit card, gift card, etc in hand.

#5: Promptly, move to the “bar” area. Every drink, beside brewed coffee and certain pastries, are served to you in that place. You will most likely see others waiting there, as well. Please do not awkwardly wait at the register.

#6: Say thank you! Pretty self-explanatory, but again, baristas are people too. Treat them like it.

Bonus Tips: Starbucks does have a solid phone app with a rewards program. Be sure to to sign up and take advantage of mobile ordering to avoid this whole process and receive free drinks on occasion. Also, if they did accidentally mess up your order, feel free to let them know. If you bring this up politely and have a legitimate claim (For example, you asked for hot, but got an iced drink), they will more than likely be happy to assist. No need to leave a bad review or make a complaint for something that small.

Photo courtesy of Gema Saputera on Unsplash

Thanks for following along and get that coffee. You earned it!