Why You Shouldn't Expect Starbucks Baristas To Remember Your Order

Whether you visit your neighborhood Starbucks on the daily, a few times a week, or once in a blue moon, there should never be an expectation that your Starbucks baristas know your drink order by heart. According to USA Today, Starbucks was selling more than 4 million drinks per day in the United States in 2016 and that number has likely gotten higher in the years since. Albeit, some Starbucks locations may sell more beverages than others (i.e. a NYC-based Starbucks probably sells triple what a Starbucks in Iowa sells, just based on population), but that's still a lot of coffee nonetheless. And even so, that doesn't give you an excuse to be rude to the baristas working behind the counter.

In a recent Reddit thread, several Starbucks employees pooled together to discuss their thoughts on the whole "memorizing a customer's order" debacle, and the general consensus was that it's not in their job description to know a customer's everyday drink order to the tee. While some said it's from a lack of being able to memorize that many orders, others argued it has to do with the organization in which the employees work the drive-thru station. As they explained, not every barista works the same station each day at the exact same time. Hence, this could lead to a new barista taking your order, who has maybe never met you before.

If you find yourself constantly complaining about Starbucks baristas not being able to remember your daily order, then listen up. In addition to pointing out that you may get different baristas each time you visit your local Starbucks, the Redditors said that just because you're a regular, doesn't give you the authority to order your drink by shorthand. One employee shared, "We have regulars who never figure out how to order properly but because they're regulars they expect everyone to know their order. Like 'I come here every day you should know me by now' yah you and the 20,000 other people that come here every day."

Mobile ordering and drive-thru pickup has proven to be another problem area. All the baristas noted that you must use the speaker-box to say you're picking up a mobile order, even if you are going through the drive-thru. This isn't only respectful, but ensures your drink is prepared and ready to be handed off. Clearly, the best way to have a seamless Starbucks experience is to first be courteous, detail your order in full, and never assume the barista knows what you want just by looking at your face.