July 2011
1 post
Hey yall!!
What’s up friends? I’m doing most awesomely, and I hope you are as well.
Many of you have been super sweet asking about the book. WELL lemme tell you, I went thru so many opinions on it. At first as I was so ready, writing so much more material, and collecting it all in a format I really liked. Then I got a new job at a cafe as a waitress and barista, and I felt like such a phony...
May 2010
1 post
FOLLOW 147xxxx ON TWITTER
Hey guys! I’m going to be asking for feedback, sending mini updates, and just getting the word out more about the book via twitter! So follow me @147xxxx!!
March 2010
1 post
Its happening!!
Hey 1700 friends still following this tumblr - I’ve decided to actually start the process of turning my blog into a book! I think self-publishing right now seems to be the best route, and I like how cute the name lulu (as in lulu.com) is. I just started seriously organizing the material I have, and I can already tell its going to (obviously) be a lot of work. I want to let you guys know...
February 2010
1 post
Hey You!!
Long time no see - missed you guys! So its been quite a bit since my last entry and my last day at starbucks, but, friends, I have something I wanted to talk to yall about:
Someone suggested that I might want to think about turning 147xxxx into a book… and so I’m thinking about it. The blog was a fun project for me while I was a barista, and a lot of people seemed to really like it....
August 2009
26 posts
You know when you’re a high school senior and the last time you do any event no matter how mundane it is becomes significant and you get a bit sentimental over it? Like last day of summer before you’re in college or last home coming parade or last early morning band rehearsal that you hate because its so early or last time that the year book photographers come and everyone skips class...
IS THIS SOME KIND OF A JOKE? IT SHOULD NOT TAKE...
Yesterday, I was double baring with a new partner. It was maybe his 4th shift on bar, and a few of us have gone over how to mark a cup and call out a drink a few times. I pick up the next drink and asked him how he would call it. It was a decaf venti nonfat latte, which meant the box that was labeled decaf had a big ole X in it, an N in the Milk box, and an L in the drink box. Pretty basic for...
After 2 years of all of those customers thinking...
(Five minutes before this conversation, we ran out of iced grande/venti flat lids, so we had to give out dome lids instead. No joke every customer who got an iced grande/venti drink had asked for a flat lid instead of the one I gave them. I had been nice and smiled saying that I was sorry to inconvenience them SO MUCH by giving them a dome lid. After the 245924th customer asking for a "normal" lid I was pretty sick of explaining that we didn't have flat lids to fit their drink... and that the iced tall lids they're pointing at wouldn't fit either.)
147xxxx: Alright, here's your iced grande iced coffee
Customer: Uhmm... Can I have a flat top?
147xxxx: ... I would have given you one but we ran out. We only have iced grande/venti dome lids.
Customer: Oh... (looks at the stack of iced tall flat lids, frowns, and then looks at me) You ran out? what's that?
147xxxx: This? ...THIS is an iced tall lid. It won't fit, but here you can have this lid as well.
Customer: oh... sorry to have questioned you.
"SORRY TO HAVE QUESTIONED YOU" brilliant.
“Oooh, we got a beverage bandit up in here this morning”
– my coworker referring to this issue while double baring with me this morning. To the woman who took a double venti cafe vanilla frappuccino light instead of the tall misto she ordered: you’re an idiot.
On Monday and Tuesday I worked an eight hour shift...
The new baristas will be good; they’re both eager to learn and are willing to do the cleaning side of our job with no complaints. One of them was double barring with and was great at calling out the drinks correctly. However he smells. The other one is really excited about being there and kept thanking me all night for helping him out. He has a good attitude, but I haven’t been...
“You know, whenever I get drinks for everyone, they always ask “was the...”
– An awesome customer (triple venti caramel macchiato) talking about her coworkers. Totally made my week :)
“Do you want your whip cream?”
– Me on register. I meant to ask if they wanted their receipt. This is what happens when I’m the only one on register and our little starbucks is absolutely slammed for a few hours.
How do these people function in the world?
Customer: Can I have a uh.. shaken... tea lemonade?
Coworker: Sure - what kind of tea would you like?
Customer: grande.
Coworker: ...okay well what kind of tea do you want in your tea lemonade - passion, green, or black?
Customer: uhmm shaken tea... lemonade.
Coworker: right... a shaken tea lemonade is half lemonade and half tea so what kind of tea would you like in it - passion, green, or black?
Customer: oh... wait what kinds are there?
This is an excerpt from my Czech audio lessons.
I...
Dear offices, please stop sending the stupidest...
In the afternoons we sometimes get a few drink orders. I guess at 3 o’clock everyone needs a coffee pick me up, so they send someone on a starbucks run. This person is usually lacking common sense.
Interns, if I ask you a question about a drink don’t stare at me for 5 seconds and then say whatever. I had this one intern who did this with every question I asked. Do you want...
This is why I don't like to pick up the phone.
147xxxx: Hi, thanks for calling Starbucks *street*&*otherstreet*, how can I help you?
Caller: HEYYUHHHH WHEN DO YOU GUYS CLOSE?!
147xxxx: in ten minutes.
Caller: TEN MINUTES!?
147xxxx: yeah.
Caller: OKAYUHHHHHHH CAN YOU MAKE ME A DOUBLE ESPRESSO?!
147xxxx: ... if you come in before we're closed - yes
Caller: ALRIGHTWELLLLLL I'M COMING DOWN RIGHT NOW FOR ACROSS THE STREET SO I'LL COME IN TO PICK UP MY DOUBLE ESPRESSO
147xxxx: ...okay and I'll be waiting right here to ring you up - SEE YOU IN A JIFFY *click*
Sorry but when I have 10 minutes left of my crazy busy 8 hour shift, I'm just not. in. the. mood.
"Oh, Saturday night? I can't. Yeah, I'm going...
Yesterday my coworker commented on the Aretha playing in our store saying that it was so his song. One of our favorite customers (the one who reminds me of this mom video and my coworker, and we gave her a starbucks card when she was having her baby since we figured we weren’t going to see her for awhile… I can’t find these posts but whatever) started teasing him “oh god,...
Listen up, dude with nice hair and a good tan 365...
you are charming no one.
love
147xxxx
p.s. do you only wear muscle shirts
When we’re really busy, this guy will walk up to the counter - of course not waiting in line, take a free pastry sample, then yell for the person on bar to make him an ice water. Then after he gets his water at the handoff counter, he’ll come back to the registers and take another sample. He’s the...
I just make the coffee not the cookies
147xxxx: Hey what can I get for you today?
customer: how fresh are the uhm... cinnamon swirl coffee cakes?
147xxxx: Well we got them in this morning, and we just opened up what they were packed in a bit ago
customer: ...but... how fresh are they?
147xxxx: uhm... really fresh? ha, sorry. We got them in today and they're still very soft
customer: well... don't you make them in the morning?
147xxxx: excuse me?
customer: Don't you make your pastries in the morning?
147xxxx: Like... us personally in the store?
customer: yeah
147xxxx: NO haha sorry, but no, they're shipped from bakeries
customer: ... oh... really? I had no idea
SERIOUSLY?! You really thought that we made them ourselves? Weren't you surprised that where ever you go in the whole world, we were able to make the lemon loaves look and taste exactly the same?
Dear Coworker,
I love that you are super friendly with customers. Its really great that you know their names and go out of your way to make them feel special.
But when you’re double baring with me in the middle of a rush, I’d really appreciate it if you’d help me with the 14 drinks I have and the 9 drink order called out to me instead of drawing stars, hearts, and smiley faces on...
Regardless of how much it stings, I will always...
“This is your first time in starbucks?! Well well well we had no idea. ...”
– My coworker when a giggly European couple admitted to us that it was their first time in a Starbucks. My coworker is absolutely hilarious. He took of his hat and shook their hands while he introduced himself. I couldn’t stop laughing. When they were leaving, they turned around and said...
So yesterday morning at 4:30AM, I’m walking my 2 minute walk to the subway station, and I see a truck from starbucks’s delivery company parked almost right outside of my building. I thought it was kind of odd since there wasn’t a starbucks close by. Well… okay, I suppose there is ALWAYS a starbucks close by, but the truck wasn’t parked right in front of one. As I...
I guess you are what you drink
147xxxx: tall black eye-
Tall Black Guy: EXCUSE ME?!?
147: uhm... a tall coffee with 2 shots of espresso in it... a um tall black eye?
TBG: OOOH oh okay ha sorry
Dear 147xxxx,
My co worker and I both found your blog and we always wish our customers were more entertaining like yours. We were both wondering if your coworkers know about your blog. Are you ever worried that you’re manager or district manager is going to find it and then fire you? Do customers know about your blog? Love your blog tons and please keep the funny stories coming!!! -Leslie...
“Can I get an old doughnut?”
– A borrowed partner asking another partner near the pastry case for a Classic Old Fashioned Doughnut.
I couldn’t stop laughing, and I mention this quote basically every time anyone orders a classic old fashioned doughnut. I absolutely love working with this partner because she’s so...
I'M AN IDIOT WHEN I WORK IN THE MORNINGS.
Everyone told me I’d get used to it, but I just can’t really function at 6 in the morning. I told my manager I hate opening. I sucked it up because we needed someone to open, but I am absolutely miserable and constantly counting down until my shift ends. I figured if other people hate opening and say that they aren’t available to do it, why can’t I? Well, I’m...
Sometimes I wish I could take pictures of my...
I’d really love documentation of these awesome two ladies who come on a daily basis. They’re these two older women, who’s relationship we’re still trying to figure out. At first we thought they were romantic partners, but now we just think they’re partners in crime. Definitely roommates. Perhaps sisters.
They bring in their own mugs and always get decaf coffee....
July 2009
34 posts
Today was kind of stressful. There was a point for maybe 20 minutes or so where we had a constant stream of customers with a new partner and a borrowed on tills and me (of course) on bar. The new partner wasn’t that secure on calling and marking drinks, so I had to double check most of the orders that she called out. The borrowed partner was stressin me out on top of this because she...
We got head sets at work
AND I HATE THEM. I walked in the other day and the all five partners on the floor had them on, and they were dealing with only three customers. It looked all kinds of silly. My store really isn’t that big. We don’t really need to shout except in the morning when there’s a lot of noise in our store. How much more like mcdonalds and less like a coffee shop can we go?
It might...
Customer: Can I have an grade iced coffee?
Coworker: sure
Customer: does it come with a free shot of sugar free?
Coworker: uhm, the sugar free syrups? yeah, it's no cost to add sugar free syrups to iced coffee.
Customer: What kind of sugar free syrups do you have?
Coworker: vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, and cinnamon dolce.
Customer: Okay... sugar free cinnamon dolce.
147xxxx: The iced grande size usually gets 4 pumps of syrup-
Customer: oh god, no
147xxxx: ... alright, so one pump? two?
Customer: yeah, two.
147xxxx: (after I make drink) alright, here's the iced grande 2 pump SFCD iced coffee-
Customer: unsweetened?
147xxxx: ... well it has the 2 pumps of SFCD syrup.
Customer: unsweetend?
147xxxx: it only has the 2 pumps of SFCD that you asked for.
Customer: Okay (takes a sip) - can you pour some of this out. ITS WAY TOO SWEET.
Sometimes I get the feeling that people get more...
than the actual drink itself.
Applying at Starbucks.
About a week ago we got the best job application I’ve ever seen
Have you ever visited a Starbucks Coofee location? Where? Describe your experience. Yes, everything. What do you like about coffee? Everything Why would you like to work for Starbucks Coffee Company? I’d be fun. Describe a specific situation where you have provided excellent customer service in your most recent position....
Oh and the best part of today
was sitting in front of the window next to the door and watching people do this:
pull at the locked door
read the large note on the door saying we were closed & flooded and where the closest starbucks was
frown
pull at the locked door again
look through the window to see what was going on/if we were ACTAULLY flooded
see us through the window chilling in our aprons and mime us the...
“Well it would be nice to know about this BEFORE I ordered my drink. And you...”
– A customer responding to my coworker saying that we were closing. We had to close because water was shooting out of the drains and the water from the drains (i.e. uhm… sewage) was quickly flooding the lobby and blocking every doorway.
SORRY I would have loved to have given you notice...
mliaverage:
Today, the barista at Starbuck’s asked for my name and I told him it was ‘Free’ so that when he called me he would say, “Tall Mocha Frap for Free.” He told me I was clever but I still did not get a free drink. MLIA.
Last night we had this crazy mad scientist lookin...
As my coworker was mopping the lobby, I saw this homeless guy in this awesome outfit circa 1986 just kind of wandering aimlessly around our lobby. He went over to the newspaper stand and swiped an observer. My coworker told him that if he wanted to read the newspaper, he has to pay for it. According to my coworker, the guy said that he wanted to keep his picture in the paper… and then...
you guys have to keep up - This post should clear up some questions
today during the morning rush, I was on double-barring with my store manager. In the middle of the crazyness I accidentally put whip cream on an iced mocha that wasn’t suppose to get it. Instead of remaking it, I was lazy (hey, at least I admit it!) and decided to just scoop off the whip cream. As soon as I did so, I realized that my manager would probably notice and think I was lazy/a...
There’s this morning regular who gets a venti misto, but is always charged for a coffee. One of the first times I was on a register in the morning, I charged her for a misto and then she corrected me. I clarified her order - 1/2 brewed coffee 1/2 steamed non-fat, and told her that it was a misto. She then called over to another partner saying “you don’t charge me for a misto,...
Today was... absolutely fine
Having a floor full of people who are good at their job and want to be there makes a huuuuuuuuuuuge difference in the morning.
I was double baring with one of my regular closers who has never worked a morning rush, and we were pretty golden. We had an extra long line to the door all morning, but the drinks never piled up. The most we had at a time was like 5 or 6, which is pretty awesome. More...
Before i went on my ten, my manager said "You seem...
Yeah no shit I’m tired. It’s Monday morning. My last day off was last Monday and my next is this Thursday. Every barista is working 40 or more hours a week. As my shift and I were opening, the phone rings and it’s a partner saying that she cant show up for the shift that’s starting in 15 min because she isn’t “mentally able to come into work.”. Another...
Can you believe this customer?! RIDICULOUS.
147xxxx: Alright, here's your iced venti unsweetened passion tea! Have a great day!
Customer: ... HEY MISS
147xxxx: yes?
Customer: what uhm... can I have a flat one instead of this?
147xxxx: Oh, I'm sorry - we ran out of flat lids for our iced grande and iced venti cups
Customer: Are you serious?
147xxxx: ...yeah.
Customer: I can't have a dome lid - just put it in a hot cup.
147xxxx: oookay
Customer: (while I'm pouring it into a venti hot cup) can you believe that? ridiculous.
this customer was our favorite of the day.
“Uhm, I don’t know if you’re new here, but my iced soy latte gets a...”
– Little Miss Condescending after I put a dome lid on her drink when we ran out of flat lids.