Starbucks Baristas Get Money From The Courts. Why Are We Tipping Them Anyway?
Mar 21st, 2008 | By moneyking | Category: Editor's Picks
For your consideration: Starbucks Baristas Get Money From The Courts. Why Are We Tipping Them Anyway?
The Money Kings don’t really know where to start with this one.
The supposed breaking news is that baristas of the world have finally been able to deal the horrible, monolithic, uber-coffee giant Starbucks a $100 million blow.
Good for them–we guess.
It seems that Starbucks had a company policy that mandated that shift supervisors and managers get a piece of whatever tips baristas garnered from that little tip box up near the register at every Starbucks on the planet.
Apparently, there’s a law against this type of activity.
The breaking news for The Money Kings, however, is that no one seems to be questioning why people give baristas tips anyway. We remember vividly when Starbucks first hit the scene in our area. There were no tip boxes in the stores. Then after about 2 years, the tip boxes showed up and people really started putting their spare change into them.
Why????!!!
- Real Money Kings charge their $4 lattes so they can get points back on their credit cards–so there is no loose change.
- Who ever said you had to tip a barista anyway?
Do you tip the guy at McDonald’s that puts together your hamburger? Would you tip him if McDonald’s decided to call him a “burgreasta”? That’s right bur-grease-sta.
Look it up in the Urban Dictionary , if you don’t believe us.
The Money Kings feel this moniker denotes the true talent and skill required to pull greasy hamburger patties out of little plastic drawers for assembly onto plain, white buns with one pickle slice, minced onions and ketchup. We’re talking skills here.
Let’s get something straight . . .
Money Kings don’t GIVE money away or supplement the salary obligations of a corporation, no matter how cool the music is in a particular store or how posh the decorum, and neither should you!
Keep YOUR change.
Keywords: burgreasestas, Starbucks, McDonalds, tips, throwing, money, away
I probably wouldn’t tip a barista, unless they had shown some kind of special skill. I’m not going to tip some 16 yr old kid for pouring some hot water into a mug. However, if someone starts doing latte art, then yeah, I’d probably tip them.
I work behind a cash register. Do I get tips for the work I do? Umm, no. Why should a Starbucks employee be more entitled to a tip than me?
So many other professions out there not getting tips. We gotta come up with better branding for those jobs.
That’s the ticket. Branding.
I have noticed the same tip box at the Papa Murphy’s stores that I frequent where I live. I never leave a tip either. If they want to live on tips, then they should be paid waitress or waiter wages of $2.50 an hour. I guess I’m a little bit of a hard-butt on this subject, but I was never tipped working behind the register at Hardee’s when I was 16.
you made me think that out.
burgreasta!!!
Burgreastas unite!
I’m on the fence when it comes to tipping baristas. I rarely get a drink from the espresso bar and its normally just drip (house) coffee for me. Does pumping my coffee really deserve a tip for good service? Not so sure. Admittedly, if its only a few cents left over I usually throw it in the tip jar.
I recently saw a tip jar at the Subway sandwich shop near my apartment. I was shocked by that one…
about how stupid people can be with their spare change!
You are not required to tip at Starbucks, we don’t expect it, but we do appreciate it, and when you order a decaf-grande-2-pump-peppermint-2-pump-sugar-free-mocha-2-equal-extra-hot-soy-no-whip-no-foam-latte and then request one of those stickers that are kept 20 or 30 steps away from my work area, you really should leave me that nickel that you had as change, it’s only fair.
dont tip starbucks….they are not real baristas….they add flavor and press a button…they dont even have to measure the flavor, they just pump it in…i work in a small coffee chain and being a barista actually takes skill and knowledge of what youre doing…you have to steam the milk, grind and tamp the espresso, measure the flavor, and mix everything in a very short period of time…and each one of those takes precision and accuracy which is not easy during a morning rush, especially when someone orders 4 drinks and you can only make 4 shots of espresso at the same time…you get about 45-50 seconds to spend on each drink.
I don’t work at Starbucks, but I do work at a similar place. We also have to grind and tamp, and our pumps ARE a form of measurement (they are standardized). I also go out of my way to deliver drinks to sitting customers, especially the elderly– I do lots of things waitresses get paid at least decent tips to do. I don’t need a lot for a tip and I never expect it, but even your petty change is extremely appreciated by this college student. Minimum wage isn’t exactly cushy living. I’m lucky if I get $2 in tips a shift. It’s not that I suck. If I were being paid for all the compliments on quality, speedy, friendly, non-pretentious service I get I’d be living comfortably.
Frankly, if it were up to me, fast food slaves could also get tips. I’ve worked as one, and the average person can’t even comprehend how badly they’re treated. One time someone nice tried to tip me and my boss yelled at me right in front of the customer for even thinking of accepting it.