As a longtime Starbucks partner (aka a barista), I was confident no new company policy would ever throw me off. I mean, we deal with crazy rushes, buzzing customers, and extensive customization requests. I can make four Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccinos in one minute flat. I’ve made Pink Drinks with just about every customization in the book. I’ve lived in a pre-and-post-Oleato world. Nothing could possibly surprise me.
However, these last few months have made me question that as the company tries to bring back the “small coffeehouse” vibe while refusing to forgo the “fast food” vibe they have been known for. CEO Brian Nikkols has introduced a new “back to basics” plan that is turning out to make things even more complicated. My personal opinion is that they can’t have the best of both worlds — but they sure can try.
Writing On Cups
I don’t personally have an issue with the policy of writing names or kind phrases on cups — I just don’t understand it. I don’t see how writing “Have a good day!” or “Enjoy!” will affect anyone’s experience getting or drinking their coffee, and I also don’t understand how this is somehow “bringing back the old Starbucks.” If they’re that concerned about it, I think they should just start printing cute phrases on the cups. During peak hours, it makes my job that much harder. One person can’t sequence three drinks at a time, write on the cup, and greet every customer that enters the store.
However, in the slow times of the job, the cup-writing policy has allowed me to draw intricate designs, cats, zentangles, and doodle bobs on various cups; so I don’t really have any complaints about it — just confusion.
The Dress Code
I heard rumors of a new dress code for weeks, and after being anxious over having to buy new clothes for work, it’s finally been revealed — and, well, it’s fine.
The dress code previously was pretty easy to conform to. There’s a selection of colors we can choose from, we have to have on a hat or headband, no yoga pants/leggings, no painted nails, and no logos on our shirts.
The only difference now is they’re just being stricter on the colors — black shirt and blue denim jeans, black pants, or khakis. According to the company, the goal is to make the store have a more cohesive color pattern and “the green apron shine.” For me, a black shirt and blue jeans is what I usually wear to work anyway, and I can’t imagine there are many people who don’t have those items in their closet (although I’m sure it poses a problem to some, especially people who work full-time and might only have a few black shirts).
I do think the company should provide work shirts of some sort if they’re so concerned about having a cohesive look.
A Simpler Menu
Now here’s a policy change I can get behind — a simpler menu! CEO Nikkols has removed various frappuccinos, the Oleato, the White Hot Chocolate, the English Breakfast Tea Latte, the Matcha Lemonade, and the Honey Almondmilk Flat White.
These were some of the least popular drinks, so I can’t see too many people being upset. Customers can still get these drinks through customizations (except the Oleato), but they just aren’t listed as separate menu items anymore.
I’m most upset about the Matcha Lemonade’s discontinuation, but customers can easily order a lemonade with as many scoops of matcha inside as they please — though it’s probably now more expensive as an add-on. But still, you are still able to get these items even once they disappear from the menu.
The New Iced Matcha
As a matcha enthusiast, the new iced recipe is an actual atrocity. The official recipe is as follows (for a grande): four pumps of classic syrup with the customer’s milk of choice in the cup to the line, pour it in the blender (yes, the blender), then add the matcha, and then ice. Finally, you blend it like cold foam.
The new recipe is unnecessarily complicated, takes forever to get the right consistency, and takes up the space that the cold bar person needs to make frappuccinos using the blender. My coworkers and I discovered, though, that the drink actually blends much better when you put the matcha in first, then the ice, and then the milk-classic combo. I think that if the baristas have to figure out alternative ways to make the drink because the standard recipe doesn’t work, there’s something seriously wrong.
Has the person who made this recipe ever worked as a barista in their life? The original recipe where the matcha was made in a shaker was better and easier.