As both a Starbucks barista and a frequent customer, I figured it would only be fitting that I write a how-to-order article. As baristas we see all types of people walk through our doors: half awake, cranky, in a hurry, want to talk to you forever. Not all of these customers know how to order in a way that is both efficient for their experience, as well as make our lives, as baristas easier. Here are the steps of how to order at Starbucks.
1. Start with the size.
One of the most frustrating things as a barista is someone placing their extra hot, no foam, 8 pump, half nonfat, half soy latte without telling you the size. This is especially frustrating when you work in a store like I do, where we still write on the cups. When a customer rambles out their order without letting the barista know the size, the barista must wait until the customer is done talking, and then ask the hated, "what size?" question, and then most likely have them repeat their order - super annoying.
2. Hot or iced?
Knowing whether a beverage is hot or iced is not only important for cup purposes like I mentioned before, but also because it alters the drink recipe. For example, when you order a venti hot caramel macchiato, there are 2 shots in the beverage. When you order this exact drink, but iced, it gets 3 shots. Although this may seem insignificant, it will allow you to have a better and faster experience as well as make the life of your barista easier.
3. Use the side of your cup.
If you order your drink by first stating the size, then stating whether it is hot or iced, your next step would be to name off the modifiers (drink specifications) in the order that they are listed on the cup marking panel. For example, my go-to drink is a venti iced triple vanilla coconut milk latte. If I ordered this by saying I wanted a latte with vanilla, 3 shots, venti-sized, with coconut milk and iced, not only am I confused as to whether I said all the modifiers I want, but I confused the barista. Following the cup marking chart ensures that you are getting exactly what you want and again, makes the life of your barista way easier - thank you!
4. Be open to learning.
If your regular barista is willing to try and help you learn how to make your experience better, be open to it. Yes, sometimes when baristas are trying to teach customers, it can come off rude and condescending, but it usually isn't meant to be that way. When a barista is trying to teach you, they are trying to make your experience and their own a better one.
