See what habits customers think are OK—but Starbucks baristas secretly wish we'd all stop doing.
10 Friendly Habits Starbucks Employees Secretly Dislike
Updated on Jan. 11, 2023
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Expecting the Barista to Know Your Order
Your local Starbucks baristas might have a lighthearted, friendly banter with you each time you pick up your coffee. But that doesn’t mean they’ll remember your go-to coffee order every single time. It may be a nice gesture, but nice gestures like Starbucks pay it forward lines are friendly habits baristas don’t always like.
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Ordering from the Secret Menu
While some Starbucks baristas don’t mind creating a secret menu masterpiece, it does take extra time. You should save those special requests for a lull, when there aren’t swarms of people waiting for their drinks. This is how baristas feel about secret menu orders.
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Pouring Coffee in the Trash
Have you ever felt the hot, scorching temperature of a freshly brewed coffee from Starbucks? It may seem easier to pour a splash in the garbage to make room for milk or cream than to ask for room. But that hot coffee could burn a hole through the plastic trash bag. Not fun to clean up!
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Putting Dirty Dishes on the Bar
It’s sweet when a customer wants to corral dirty dishes for the barista, as long as they know where the dirty dishes belong. Don’t put them on the bar—look for a dish bin instead.
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Interrupting the Barista
You may think it’s saving the barista time when you interrupt the barista as she asks if you’d like a copy of your receipt. But cutting off a Starbucks barista is plain rude.
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Telling a Barista to Pocket a Tip
Yes—tips are a great way to show your barista some love! Take note that Starbucks employees share their tips, though. Their manager will collect all tips and distribute them based on hours worked at the end of each week.
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Waiting at the Counter
Baristas appreciate when a customer is listening for their name to be called. What they don’t like? A customer who crowds the hand-off counter anxiously awaiting their drink. See what Starbucks employees won’t tell you.
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Not Asking for a Specific Food Item
Don’t vaguely point in the general direction of the food display case in Starbucks and say something along the lines of, “I’ll have one of those!” It’s a lot easier for the barista (who is behind the counter) when you specify the exact name of the pastry or sandwich you’re ordering.
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Asking “Is That My Drink?”
Starbucks baristas take extra time to write their customers’ names on the cups to make it as easy as possible for a person to find their drink.
Pro Tip: If you didn’t order a venti coconutmilk latte, then the venti coconutmilk latte your barista placed on the hand-off counter is probably not yours.
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Spelling Your Name Out Loud
If a Starbucks barista needs to clarify your name from another customer’s, they’ll ask. Otherwise, taking time out of their busy day to make sure your name is spelled correctly does just that—takes up more time.
This is how to order at Starbucks like a regular.
