In 2011, Starbucks introduced its mobile app, allowing customers to place their customized orders at the tip of their fingers. By 2015, the coffee chain added a feature that allowed customers to place their orders ahead of time. Although this has made it convenient for customers, baristas have to juggle two mobile order lines in addition to the two physical ones simultaneously.
So after one customer pulled up to the drive-thru to pick up her mobile order, she felt the urge to cry when a Starbucks barista politely reprimanded her.
What happened at this Starbucks?
Throughout the clip with over 676,000 views, TikTok creator Gracie Kern (@graciekern3) shares her experience.
“Pov: you’re a people pleaser & something this small makes me want to cry while sitting in her car at a Starbucks drive-thru,” she wrote in the text overlay.
“Hi. I placed a mobile order for Gracie,” she tells the barista in the speaker. Then, the barista’s response triggers waves of emotion. “It looks like you placed it in-store. If you don’t mind in the future trying to place it for a drive-thru, we would appreciate it,” the male barista replies.
Immediately, she is apologetic. “I am so sorry. I didn’t realize,” she says, flashing an awkward grimace.
To remedy the mistake, the content creator proposes, “Do you want me to come in instead?”
“Oh, no, you’re fine. You can come to the window,” the barista says nonchalantly. But Kern doesn’t feel this way while driving to the front window. “That made me sad. I’m scared,” she expresses nervously.
When she pulled up, the barista greeted her with kindness. “It’s not a big deal,” he says. Despite this, she replies with a flurry of apologies, “It throws you off. So sorry. I had no idea. I didn’t even realize,” accepting her coffee.
“Something so small has me spiraling & overthinking,” she captions the video.
Viewers weigh in
The barista’s response caused outrage in the comments section. Many criticized him.
“Girl he was doin WAAAAY too much it’s really not a biggie,” the top comment with over 20,000 likes wrote.
“He spent longer complaining that it took to go walk and grab that drink,” a second remarked.
A Starbucks worker chimed in, “As a barista, that’s such weird behavior. I’m so sorry.”
Meanwhile, others who defended him found no fault with it.
“He’s literally just communicating,” one commentator stated.
“These comments? Is everyone ok? The employee wasn’t rude at all. Just gave a heads up for next time,” another explained.
Why do mobile orders grind Starbucks’ employees’ gears?
According to Business Insider, a quarter of Starbucks’ transactions were mobile orders. Due to the endless modifications, constant flood of orders, and staffing shortages, it made it challenging for baristas to keep up. As a result, it has increased wait times, leading to frustrations from both customers and baristas alike. If customers head to the incorrect pickup location, it can create additional stress for both parties, especially during peak times. However, CX Drive revealed that Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is developing an algorithm that will optimize the best sequence as orders roll in.
@graciekern3 Something so small has me spiraling & overthinking? @Starbucks #peoplepleaser #relate #relatable #starbucks #coffee ♬ original sound – Gracie Kern
The Mary Sue reached out to Kern via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment as well as Starbucks via press email.
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