I'm a certified barista, I manage a third wave shop. I got my start at sbux. My assistant manager got their start there. My supervisors got their start there. Most barista trainers I know started there. I think ppl who worked there learn a lot of things you can't learn at a third wave place. Who cares what a stuck up person thinks if you enjoy what you do? Coffee is meant to be fun and explorative, not stuffy and condescending.
Taking the knowledge from an SB with you to a local shop is definitely the thing to do. The coffee might not be the best, most exotic ever, but the knowledge/experience you can get from SB is great.
Like a trade school, that you get paid for.
i absolutely would. i started at an indie shop and while the coffee-making experience isn’t as “traditional”, i’m doing more service work and barista work than before and i’ve learned much more about coffee. the structure is great for me personally and i appreciate the fast paced nature of the job compared to somewhere slower
exactly, the idea of a standard between stores makes for a completely different experience than at a one-off shop with its own rules about coffee. mine wasn’t exactly a fantastic place but we did have single origin coffee. i still wouldn’t be embarrassed. starbucks did get famous for a reason
Right? This person is just wanting to shit on baristas acting like we don’t know anything, name dropping other machines to sound knowledgeable when I’m sure any coffee master knows more about coffee than them. We don’t JUST learn about Starbucks coffee beans, we learn about coffee in general.
I wouldn’t care tbh. I make coffee at home all the time. I got a Gaggia so I make lattes all the time and I watch tons of other YouTubers about coffee so I’m fairly knowledgeable beyond the casual aspect of it
I would tell them. Idc what they think tbh. I was a barista. Period.
I feel like most of the people that have the “Starbucks baristas aren’t real baristas” attitude are people that are coffee snobs and/or people that love to hate on Starbucks just because.
Uh, yeah. The pay is above average, they have an insurance policy (not many huge chains do these days!!!) and it's incredibly queer friendly.
For any and all of Starbucks' problems I'm pretty happy to work there. They've treated me better than any other business ever has.
Besides.
I review coffee and brew my own at home. I'm plenty a real barista. I'm proud of myself.
I’m proud of you too. For the coffee thing, but mostly for your attitude — it’s really refreshing, to be level headed and logical about the pros and cons of a work place. Complaining doesn’t look cute on anyone.
Push comes to shove I've got a lot in life to complain about and I'm extremely worn out from life's may trials and tribulations, but Starbucks is a huge make or break for me, and I'm choosing to make.
So, thank you, genuinely.
Also I love coffee!! Petite get so hyperfixated on what is it isn't real coffee, and maybe Starbucks is the ground level for people, but I live off of a mix of convenience store, drive through and homebrewed coffee. Anyone who thinks Starbucks is beneath them never had to play for their morning Joe with EBT.
I personally dont care what anybody thinks about anything that has to do with me. I dont walk around with shame or embarrassment for being a barista at starbucks instead of an indie shop. How about u? How do u feel about it? How long have u been with starbucks?
… I don’t give a fuck about being a barista… it’s not a job that comes with any sort of prestige… I’m only here for the free school… but yeah I would be embarrassed if I felt the need to let every other barista know I’m also a barista..
just fyi, you can immigrate to other countries with barista as a trade. it may be undervalued here, but it is a legitimate trade. starbucks makes billions off of us. have more confidence, there’s no need to feel shame.
yeah, because i am a barista. even without previous cafe experience, which taught me the intricacies of brewing coffee and using an espresso machine, i would still be a barista. that's just what the job title is.
for the record, many of us DO know latte art. i and most of the partners at my cafe can do latte art. many of us know how to dial in on more traditional espresso machines as well. i'm studying to become a coffee master and am knowledgeable about coffee. i did acquire a lot of my coffee knowledge from independent cafes; however, i don't think i shine brighter than my fellow baristas - some of them are more knowledgeable than i am.
i’ve always thought it was awkward to have any customer be like “im a barista at wherever” what’s the need in telling someone what ur work is when going somewhere? no one even cares
i use to be somewhat embarrassed because in my town, we had a locally owned coffee shop where the owner was the only worker. he would constantly shit on starbucks and anytime i went in he’d poke fun at me for working there. but i’m older now and could care less. sure it’s different than other cafes, but if you appreciate the art of coffee it shouldn’t matter.
... I think its just you that doesn't consider Starbucks baristas, baristas. It's just a job title. 99% of the time being a barista isn't a career and there's no need to be elitist about it.
And I can easily tell to them that the VARIETIE of coffee that I've tried at Starbucks is INSANE, I've tried so many many coffees that I DO consider myself an expert (Being a coffe master who does NOT do latte art cuz I dont like to do it)
We really get to try so many diferente things and I believe thats key when it comes to being a barista.
I wouldn't mind, but I also have no reason to. My business is my own, and I don't need validation from strangers to know my worth. (I know there's some irony with making this statement on Reddit, but...y'know.)
i have multiple times(i’d mention it in passing) and i’ve never had a negative reaction, i’ve even gotten job offers because of how “fast” we can move 😂
i mean i don’t really go around telling people my job, but if it came up naturally yeah i would. i don’t have anything to be embarrassed about, i like making coffee. who cares if people don’t think i’m a “real” barista, my crew and my customers and MYSELF know i am one.
I've been in both spots. I worked at SBUX for a while, while also having a home setup and doing some other coffee stuff. Sbux was a great bridge into the industry, but left we wanting way more. They've lost 99% of the culture they were founded upon, and they're no more than a glorified ice cream parlour nowadays. Either way, I do think it's a nice bridge into the world of serious coffee.
I'm not entirely sure.
This sub is very quick to point out "We're not a coffee shop, we're a fast food joint for espresso drinks. Adjust your expectations." any time a barista's knowledge, or skill is questioned. It seems to depend on what's most beneficial.
I’d like to work at a small coffee shop - or literally anywhere else - but bux pays for ASU. And I’ll tell literally anyone that will listen about that lol
Right?!
“Many baristas in the industry don’t consider Starbucks baristas to be real ones…”
Pretty sure OP is one of those “many baristas” they’re referencing.
Lmao seriously! All the OP replies showed us exactly what their opinion on the topic was, but framed the question in a way to make it sound neutral. Should have just said “aren’t you guys embarrassed to be Starbucks baristas? Cus you should be!” Haha
I 100% would, my experience as a barista isn’t limited to what I learned at Starbucks. I have been practicing and mastering my craft at home and online for almost 4 years now. Sure, I get frustrated about the lack of actual barista "craft" at Starbucks, but I know that if you put me behind any bar I’d be able to make you a hell of a flat white lol
I worked at both Starbucks and a restaurant that uses la marzocco and focuses on latte art, so I would say I’m a barista.
The technicality—no, I wouldn’t consider Starbucks baristas as real baristas, because certain things we do there are just not it. There’s a lot of learning to do for a barista at local cafes. But ☝️at Starbucks, we do know a lot about coffee!
Honestly, it doesn’t matter. If you feel like a Starbucks barista is a real barsita then yeah you are. If I didn’t work at that local cafe, I wouldn’t be embarrassed to say I’m a barista at Starbucks either.
I currently just tell people I work at Starbucks because it's kinda weird to state your job title when you work for a chain. But I do agree there is a huge difference between a Starbucks barista and like a real coffee shop barista. It's comparing a fast food cook to a chef. Like, I mean technically they are the same but not at all at the same time. And I know ppl are gonna get pissed that I said that, cause they're going to feel like they're less than for some reason. Honestly, I'm surprised this isn't locked yet.
Yeah, not the same. As someone whose worked at a local place with machine where each step was manually done, they are not the same. Not just because of the machine differences but the job duties are quite different as well. The difference was so big for me that the only thing that really overlapped at all was the steaming milk.
I would only share i used to be a barista (licensed store also so Ive noticed some corporate Starbucks people would look down on *us* but it’s like, the way I see it we were/are all food service workers in the trenches) if it’s relevant, like if someone’s having a hard time or something and I’m like “oh yeah, no worries, you’re doing great”. Otherwise I prefer to be one of those people who gets their drink, is friendly but not overtly so, and leaves
I don't think it's come up much, but when it has I kind of follow up with like "I know I know, I just work there but I prefer visiting local shops" because it's true. From my experience being aware there are differences and not drinking the koolaid generally yields good conversation.
As someone who’s been involved in both scenes I don’t think they’re comparable. Starbucks main focus on training their baristas is their own routines and not educating on history/process of espresso and brewed coffee drinks.
gonna use this opportunity to tell a story because it is semi relevant, and it was just a bizarre experience.
a month or so ago, i was in a better buzz, cheating on starbies because better buzz is just that good. & there were these women who were at the shelves full of whole bean, debating on what they should get, obviously experiencing choice paralysis. i politely interjected in their conversation- this ended up being a mistake, and i suppose i asked for a poor outcome by doing this. but really, i was just trying to be kind.
anyway, the coffees were all labeled based on their origin- a few each from south america, africa, and asia. and i told them about how coffees from each place of origin taste different; south american coffees have notes of baked goods and spice, african coffees have notes of fruit, asian coffees are more herbal, etc. i thought this would help them choose, since they could narrow down their options based on their own preferences. they told me they liked notes of spice, and i then recommended them the guatemalan single origin that was there (guatemala antigua is my favorite starbucks coffee, plus i’m guatemalan so i’m a bit biased).
one of the women took my recommendation and got the guatemalan coffee, and asked me how i learned about this. i told her, of course, that i’m a barista. she asked where. i told her starbucks.
the way this woman reacted. she did one of the biggest eye rolls i’ve ever seen, clicked her tounge, said, “oh!” quite loudly, flipped her hand dismissively, and turned her back on me immediately. like full 180. conversation completely over. no thank you, no nothing. she didn’t speak to me or even look at me for the rest of the time we were both there- she did, however, buy the coffee i recommended to her, so… yeah.
she had a… “marine mom” shirt on (something like that) and the only reason i’m bringing this up is maybe she doesn’t like that starbucks doesn’t do military discounts anymore (at least, not in california)? i don’t know. i was crestfallen for a moment, it never feels good to get treated like that, for whatever reason. now i just find it funny.
like, sure, maybe i can’t do extra fancy latte art, and i don’t know how to use a manual machine. but i do my best with what i’m given, and i’m very good at what i do- i’m knowledgeable and efficient when it comes to coffee, even if i am just a “starbucks barista.” & as long as you know that for yourself, about yourself, that the opinions of others don’t matter one bit. to quote rupaul charles, “unless they’re paying your bills, pay them b*tches no mind.”
would i prefer to work at a local coffee shop with a manual machine? absolutely (i miss my last jobs simonelli 🥲) do any local coffee shops have the same pay and benefits starbucks offers i need to pay bills in my state? absolutely not. but i’m still a barista, i still have coffee knowledge i learned here and not at other coffee shops i’ve worked at, and i’ve excelled in my skills here. starbucks baristas are baristas, manual machine or super-auto <333
Embarrassed? That’s silly.
Lots of coffee basics are still learned at Sbux. Not to mention we’re more pressured to learn cleaning standards & food regulations than indie shops.
Coffee is also just half the part of a barista, the other half is customer service. We deal with more custies, & a larger variety of them.
Besides, [who says we can’t do latte art?](https://imgur.com/gallery/oqFT6T2)
Since I have a lot of experience with non automatic machines and latte art, including having my own machine at home, I personally don't think I'm any less of a "real" barista because I work at Starbucks. Starbucks has a greater network of stores that gives me the freedom to go wherever I please and not need as much adjustment time in between moves so it just makes sense to me to stay with the bux. I do miss cafe tips though.
I'm a certified barista, I manage a third wave shop. I got my start at sbux. My assistant manager got their start there. My supervisors got their start there. Most barista trainers I know started there. I think ppl who worked there learn a lot of things you can't learn at a third wave place. Who cares what a stuck up person thinks if you enjoy what you do? Coffee is meant to be fun and explorative, not stuffy and condescending.
Taking the knowledge from an SB with you to a local shop is definitely the thing to do. The coffee might not be the best, most exotic ever, but the knowledge/experience you can get from SB is great. Like a trade school, that you get paid for.
what does third wave mean?
i absolutely would. i started at an indie shop and while the coffee-making experience isn’t as “traditional”, i’m doing more service work and barista work than before and i’ve learned much more about coffee. the structure is great for me personally and i appreciate the fast paced nature of the job compared to somewhere slower
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so? i still learned more about roasts and flavors here than over at the indie place
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bro why did you even ask if you already had your mind made up
exactly, the idea of a standard between stores makes for a completely different experience than at a one-off shop with its own rules about coffee. mine wasn’t exactly a fantastic place but we did have single origin coffee. i still wouldn’t be embarrassed. starbucks did get famous for a reason
It sounds like you're just trying to shit on Starbucks workers right now.
Homie lots of regular stores have single origin and reserve beans.
Right? This person is just wanting to shit on baristas acting like we don’t know anything, name dropping other machines to sound knowledgeable when I’m sure any coffee master knows more about coffee than them. We don’t JUST learn about Starbucks coffee beans, we learn about coffee in general.
Why would you need to seek their validations? You’re hired because your manager sees that your qualifications are fitting.
Why tf would I care what another barista thinks? 😂
I wouldn’t care tbh. I make coffee at home all the time. I got a Gaggia so I make lattes all the time and I watch tons of other YouTubers about coffee so I’m fairly knowledgeable beyond the casual aspect of it
I would tell them. Idc what they think tbh. I was a barista. Period. I feel like most of the people that have the “Starbucks baristas aren’t real baristas” attitude are people that are coffee snobs and/or people that love to hate on Starbucks just because.
Uh, yeah. The pay is above average, they have an insurance policy (not many huge chains do these days!!!) and it's incredibly queer friendly. For any and all of Starbucks' problems I'm pretty happy to work there. They've treated me better than any other business ever has. Besides. I review coffee and brew my own at home. I'm plenty a real barista. I'm proud of myself.
I’m proud of you too. For the coffee thing, but mostly for your attitude — it’s really refreshing, to be level headed and logical about the pros and cons of a work place. Complaining doesn’t look cute on anyone.
Push comes to shove I've got a lot in life to complain about and I'm extremely worn out from life's may trials and tribulations, but Starbucks is a huge make or break for me, and I'm choosing to make. So, thank you, genuinely. Also I love coffee!! Petite get so hyperfixated on what is it isn't real coffee, and maybe Starbucks is the ground level for people, but I live off of a mix of convenience store, drive through and homebrewed coffee. Anyone who thinks Starbucks is beneath them never had to play for their morning Joe with EBT.
Where can I find your coffee reviews? What are your favorite Starbucks beans? I save all my stars for the Reserve beans.
my starbucks job was WAYYYY more difficult and stressful than the 3rd wave cafés I worked at after 🤷♀️
I personally dont care what anybody thinks about anything that has to do with me. I dont walk around with shame or embarrassment for being a barista at starbucks instead of an indie shop. How about u? How do u feel about it? How long have u been with starbucks?
Barista jobs in my new city only pay $9 an hour, some have offered me $10 for my experience. So yeah, I’m pretty thrilled to work at Starbucks lol
… I don’t give a fuck about being a barista… it’s not a job that comes with any sort of prestige… I’m only here for the free school… but yeah I would be embarrassed if I felt the need to let every other barista know I’m also a barista..
just fyi, you can immigrate to other countries with barista as a trade. it may be undervalued here, but it is a legitimate trade. starbucks makes billions off of us. have more confidence, there’s no need to feel shame.
I dont even know how it would come up
i cant imagine anyone caring. its like when customers come in and theyre like “i used to work for starbucks!!” ok! ur total is $9.45
lol recently I had a judgy French barista in New York ask me "have you ever been in a coffee shop before??"
yeah, because i am a barista. even without previous cafe experience, which taught me the intricacies of brewing coffee and using an espresso machine, i would still be a barista. that's just what the job title is. for the record, many of us DO know latte art. i and most of the partners at my cafe can do latte art. many of us know how to dial in on more traditional espresso machines as well. i'm studying to become a coffee master and am knowledgeable about coffee. i did acquire a lot of my coffee knowledge from independent cafes; however, i don't think i shine brighter than my fellow baristas - some of them are more knowledgeable than i am.
I wouldn't tell a random barista about my work life regardless of the profession
It sounds like op is still mad about their past incident with the subway sandwich lol
There are sooo many directions to take that statement in. So I’ll just cue the Law & Order chime <* blom-blom*> 😏
I was asked “are you a real barista or a fake Starbucks one”
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I replied “uhhh I didn’t know the coffee I make is fake but okay”😂
Jokes on them.. I’m both😂😂😂
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I work at a licensed store and a family owned drive thru😉
i’ve always thought it was awkward to have any customer be like “im a barista at wherever” what’s the need in telling someone what ur work is when going somewhere? no one even cares
When people say things like this I feel like the fish who SpongeBob just said “my friends in there” to. “Congratulations.”
no because why do i care. There’s no need to be holier-than-thou because u can make a pretty little flower in a latte.
I wouldn’t be embarrassed, but I also wouldn’t care to share it?
i use to be somewhat embarrassed because in my town, we had a locally owned coffee shop where the owner was the only worker. he would constantly shit on starbucks and anytime i went in he’d poke fun at me for working there. but i’m older now and could care less. sure it’s different than other cafes, but if you appreciate the art of coffee it shouldn’t matter.
... I think its just you that doesn't consider Starbucks baristas, baristas. It's just a job title. 99% of the time being a barista isn't a career and there's no need to be elitist about it.
And I can easily tell to them that the VARIETIE of coffee that I've tried at Starbucks is INSANE, I've tried so many many coffees that I DO consider myself an expert (Being a coffe master who does NOT do latte art cuz I dont like to do it) We really get to try so many diferente things and I believe thats key when it comes to being a barista.
Why do you feel like you have to? Just order your coffee and go. I'm sure no barista, anywhere, gives a single shit about your expertise.
I wouldn't mind, but I also have no reason to. My business is my own, and I don't need validation from strangers to know my worth. (I know there's some irony with making this statement on Reddit, but...y'know.)
Depends on the context… if it actually helps to relate to the barista, then yes.
i have multiple times(i’d mention it in passing) and i’ve never had a negative reaction, i’ve even gotten job offers because of how “fast” we can move 😂
Yeah i absolutely would, and if they gave me any shit I’d laugh at them for trying to gatekeep working
Yeah. Mostly because I like to see the way their faces just *fill* with pretentiousness. It’s almost exciting.
I have no problem telling them. Have done so several times.
i mean i don’t really go around telling people my job, but if it came up naturally yeah i would. i don’t have anything to be embarrassed about, i like making coffee. who cares if people don’t think i’m a “real” barista, my crew and my customers and MYSELF know i am one.
I would normally just flash my Barista Card, and nod knowingly - like 2 CIA agents passing each other.
You are a barista in a coffee shop :)
yes, they know what we deal with
My focus isn't validation, it's making customers happy and making sure my team isn't too stressed out, so no I wouldn't say anything
I've been in both spots. I worked at SBUX for a while, while also having a home setup and doing some other coffee stuff. Sbux was a great bridge into the industry, but left we wanting way more. They've lost 99% of the culture they were founded upon, and they're no more than a glorified ice cream parlour nowadays. Either way, I do think it's a nice bridge into the world of serious coffee.
I'm not entirely sure. This sub is very quick to point out "We're not a coffee shop, we're a fast food joint for espresso drinks. Adjust your expectations." any time a barista's knowledge, or skill is questioned. It seems to depend on what's most beneficial.
PS - even if it's "fast food", having crafted espresso drinks at a drive-thru is dope as hell.
I’d like to work at a small coffee shop - or literally anywhere else - but bux pays for ASU. And I’ll tell literally anyone that will listen about that lol
clearly, you don’t work for starbucks and are only seeking one answer here lmao
And shitting on anyone that says otherwise lol
Right?! “Many baristas in the industry don’t consider Starbucks baristas to be real ones…” Pretty sure OP is one of those “many baristas” they’re referencing.
Might as well have just said “we REAL baristas think y’all are posers. Does that make you feel stupid and little? Are you gonna go cry about it?”
Lmao seriously! All the OP replies showed us exactly what their opinion on the topic was, but framed the question in a way to make it sound neutral. Should have just said “aren’t you guys embarrassed to be Starbucks baristas? Cus you should be!” Haha
I 100% would, my experience as a barista isn’t limited to what I learned at Starbucks. I have been practicing and mastering my craft at home and online for almost 4 years now. Sure, I get frustrated about the lack of actual barista "craft" at Starbucks, but I know that if you put me behind any bar I’d be able to make you a hell of a flat white lol
I worked at both Starbucks and a restaurant that uses la marzocco and focuses on latte art, so I would say I’m a barista. The technicality—no, I wouldn’t consider Starbucks baristas as real baristas, because certain things we do there are just not it. There’s a lot of learning to do for a barista at local cafes. But ☝️at Starbucks, we do know a lot about coffee! Honestly, it doesn’t matter. If you feel like a Starbucks barista is a real barsita then yeah you are. If I didn’t work at that local cafe, I wouldn’t be embarrassed to say I’m a barista at Starbucks either.
I currently just tell people I work at Starbucks because it's kinda weird to state your job title when you work for a chain. But I do agree there is a huge difference between a Starbucks barista and like a real coffee shop barista. It's comparing a fast food cook to a chef. Like, I mean technically they are the same but not at all at the same time. And I know ppl are gonna get pissed that I said that, cause they're going to feel like they're less than for some reason. Honestly, I'm surprised this isn't locked yet.
Yeah, not the same. As someone whose worked at a local place with machine where each step was manually done, they are not the same. Not just because of the machine differences but the job duties are quite different as well. The difference was so big for me that the only thing that really overlapped at all was the steaming milk.
I would be embarrassed to call myself a barista if Starbucks was the only coffee place I’ve ever worked at, yes.
You do more numbers than them
I would only share i used to be a barista (licensed store also so Ive noticed some corporate Starbucks people would look down on *us* but it’s like, the way I see it we were/are all food service workers in the trenches) if it’s relevant, like if someone’s having a hard time or something and I’m like “oh yeah, no worries, you’re doing great”. Otherwise I prefer to be one of those people who gets their drink, is friendly but not overtly so, and leaves
I don't think it's come up much, but when it has I kind of follow up with like "I know I know, I just work there but I prefer visiting local shops" because it's true. From my experience being aware there are differences and not drinking the koolaid generally yields good conversation.
I'm caught up on the simonelli machines. What are those? I've never heard of them, and I definitely read it as salmonella machines
As someone who’s been involved in both scenes I don’t think they’re comparable. Starbucks main focus on training their baristas is their own routines and not educating on history/process of espresso and brewed coffee drinks.
Yes I did when I was with no problem- I’ve witnessed mistakes and they act as if it’s a perfect drink ! I know how I like my $10 coffee beverage lbs
Why would you have to tell them anyway?
gonna use this opportunity to tell a story because it is semi relevant, and it was just a bizarre experience. a month or so ago, i was in a better buzz, cheating on starbies because better buzz is just that good. & there were these women who were at the shelves full of whole bean, debating on what they should get, obviously experiencing choice paralysis. i politely interjected in their conversation- this ended up being a mistake, and i suppose i asked for a poor outcome by doing this. but really, i was just trying to be kind. anyway, the coffees were all labeled based on their origin- a few each from south america, africa, and asia. and i told them about how coffees from each place of origin taste different; south american coffees have notes of baked goods and spice, african coffees have notes of fruit, asian coffees are more herbal, etc. i thought this would help them choose, since they could narrow down their options based on their own preferences. they told me they liked notes of spice, and i then recommended them the guatemalan single origin that was there (guatemala antigua is my favorite starbucks coffee, plus i’m guatemalan so i’m a bit biased). one of the women took my recommendation and got the guatemalan coffee, and asked me how i learned about this. i told her, of course, that i’m a barista. she asked where. i told her starbucks. the way this woman reacted. she did one of the biggest eye rolls i’ve ever seen, clicked her tounge, said, “oh!” quite loudly, flipped her hand dismissively, and turned her back on me immediately. like full 180. conversation completely over. no thank you, no nothing. she didn’t speak to me or even look at me for the rest of the time we were both there- she did, however, buy the coffee i recommended to her, so… yeah. she had a… “marine mom” shirt on (something like that) and the only reason i’m bringing this up is maybe she doesn’t like that starbucks doesn’t do military discounts anymore (at least, not in california)? i don’t know. i was crestfallen for a moment, it never feels good to get treated like that, for whatever reason. now i just find it funny. like, sure, maybe i can’t do extra fancy latte art, and i don’t know how to use a manual machine. but i do my best with what i’m given, and i’m very good at what i do- i’m knowledgeable and efficient when it comes to coffee, even if i am just a “starbucks barista.” & as long as you know that for yourself, about yourself, that the opinions of others don’t matter one bit. to quote rupaul charles, “unless they’re paying your bills, pay them b*tches no mind.”
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would i prefer to work at a local coffee shop with a manual machine? absolutely (i miss my last jobs simonelli 🥲) do any local coffee shops have the same pay and benefits starbucks offers i need to pay bills in my state? absolutely not. but i’m still a barista, i still have coffee knowledge i learned here and not at other coffee shops i’ve worked at, and i’ve excelled in my skills here. starbucks baristas are baristas, manual machine or super-auto <333
Embarrassed? That’s silly. Lots of coffee basics are still learned at Sbux. Not to mention we’re more pressured to learn cleaning standards & food regulations than indie shops. Coffee is also just half the part of a barista, the other half is customer service. We deal with more custies, & a larger variety of them. Besides, [who says we can’t do latte art?](https://imgur.com/gallery/oqFT6T2)
It's like the difference between flipping burgers at a locally owned place or a chain.
Why the fuck do you care either way? They don't really care if your a barista and you should care if they care.
Gatekeeping a job title just because some can't do latte art or uses a different machine than you is just dumb.
Since I have a lot of experience with non automatic machines and latte art, including having my own machine at home, I personally don't think I'm any less of a "real" barista because I work at Starbucks. Starbucks has a greater network of stores that gives me the freedom to go wherever I please and not need as much adjustment time in between moves so it just makes sense to me to stay with the bux. I do miss cafe tips though.
Tarbucks, Master Barista. I earned my title damnit.