After hearing complaints from customers about their coffees, Starbucks is telling its baristas to stop making more than two drinks at a time and to take other steps that may very likely prolong waiting times for customers.
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, baristas are also being told to steam the milk for drinks one drink at a time, instead of steaming an entire pitcher for several drinks, and to rinse pitchers right after using them. Other instructions include staying at the espresso bar instead of moving around, and using only one espresso machine instead of two.
Starbucks told the Journal that the new procedures, which will be rolled out nationwide by November, will lead to fresher, hotter drinks with fewer mistakes and more consistency chain-wide. They also insist it will eventually quicken the way drinks are made once its baristas adapt to the new system.
Erik Forman, a Starbucks barista in Bloomington, MN, said the new measures have "doubled the amount of time it takes to make drinks in some cases," and longer lines have resulted. His store began implementing the new guidelines in early October.
Tyler Swain, a barista in Omaha, NE, was also wondering how he will meet his store's traffic demands. "While I'm blending a frappuccino, it doesn't make sense to stand there and wait for the blender to finish running because I could be making an iced tea at the same time," he says. His store has yet to adopt the changes.
The Journal noted that both baristas interviewed are members of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union.
Starbucks' documents acknowledge that customers ordering no-foam lattes may have to wait longer for their drinks and instructs employees to "let the customer know their beverage will take a little longer and may be out of order due to the time it takes the milk to settle and the foam to rise to the top (approximately 60 seconds)."
The documents also state that customers have indicated that the quality of espresso drinks at Starbucks is "average" and that the beverages are inconsistently prepared from barista to barista and from store to store.
The New York Post found a few Starbucks customers annoyed by the new procedures.
"It's taking at least twice as long," said Jared McKay, 27, ordering an iced coffee on an Upper East Side location in Manhattan. "If it's going to be that much longer, I'll go to Dunkin' Donuts."
Discussion Questions: How important is speedy service versus ensuring a quality product for Starbucks compared to other foodservice operators? What's the likelihood that Starbucks' customers will be willing to wait a little longer for a more consistent, higher-quality product?