Today was my last day at Starbucks.
I worked at a high-volume store near a very popular amusement park (you can probably guess) for six months. I was very happy to get this job but that happiness quickly faded as I was never able to fully memorize the drinks menu and quickly push out drinks due to the heavy traffic of customers. I even asked to be transferred to a low-volume store but was denied. I was constantly stuck on register/warming despite asking for bar time.
One thing that pisses me off is the forced "coffee house" branding. In both of my interviews--one with a SM and one with the district manager--I mentioned that I viewed Starbucks as a "third place" (read Ray Oldenburg's The Great Good Place) where I could study and meet up with friends during my undergrad. They both were impressed that I mentioned it because it was something they were "striving towards". Like most companies, Starbucks overcharges customers and works employees to the point of exhaustion. There is nothing about Starbucks that reminds me of a relaxing third place or proper coffee house, at least there hasn't been for a while. It's a fast-food chain and Starbucks needs to stop pretending. Period.
Thank you to the other baristas at my store who took the time to teach me and protect me from shitty customers. I'm graduating grad school in a few weeks so I hope to get a job in my field of study. Godspeed to those still working at the siren!