Pros
- Partner discounts, mark outs, and free beverages during your shift - Helped my improve my multi-tasking skills and ability to work under pressure - I've learned a lot about coffee
Cons
- Erratic work hours. There is no consistency in the scheduling. Some days you are closing the store, and you will be scheduled to open it the next morning. This is difficult to manage if you are in school or if you want to sleep more than 5 hours. - Schedules not being released a week in advance (sometimes even less than a week). - Too much emphasis on sales. - High turnover rate for staff, meaning the store is understaffed a lot of the time. - The "just say yes" policy effectively allows customers to treat the baristas poorly knowing they can get a free drink in return. Many customers abuse this policy. - A few rude/mean co-workers who act like bullies can really make the job difficult. - Heavy work load/poor scheduling. In the mornings you are expected to set up the pastry case, brew coffee, make drinks and operate the register all by yourself. - Baristas are underpaid for what is expected of them. You would be better off working a regular retail job where you won't be worked as hard, where the hours will be more normal for basically the same paycheque as a barista gets. - Certain employees who are late/don't show up expect others to be on time