YES to this thread. Realistically, alot of people come into Starbucks wanting to get a cup of Coffee, and leave. It's like they're looking to start a relationship with me or something. I ask " How you doing?" atleast 200 times a day. If I don't make more awkward talk to the customer, who is talking to their friend or is on their phone, I'll get a talking or coaching from my Manager. Like It's not my position cross a personal line with customers. Realistically they came for their PTL light ice, or whatever, not a awkward convo with me.
And this playbook stuff makes no sense, they now have me taking orders, while taking payment in drive thru while somehow completing the duty roster, if they wanted me to make connections with customers, they shouldn't load up the guy talking to customers with more work to do. Like, they tell me to just ask the customer to wait a second if I need to do something else. But it's rush and a customer comes in every second, so now I'm asking every customer to wait as I alternate getting payment and taking orders cause we pulled out DTO. it's stupid.
And now they make dumb competitions on raising sales in the store. Like honestly, people in Drive Thru know what they want already. They don't wanna buy a pound of coffee through the drive thru, or want an extra shot of espresso which changes the taste of a drink, or to be charged an extra 60 cents for caramel drizzle. My store, wants to drive average ticket sales up. I suggest alot of things to customers, and realistically, they know what they want, and know how much they wanna spend. I may get one or two to buy a Cinnamon Swirl Cake. highly doubt 2 / 300 customers I serve over my shift would drive my Average Ticket up that much. Yet, we track it all down, and the top people get their kudos and that. It's all luck really, getting to serve customers who actually want something more than a tall pike.
Like I make coffee and try hard to get it out within 50 seconds, and it's not enough. It's come to the point where there's an obsession with being perfect.
I liked my job, and now it's changed. it's not the same.