Comments on: Starbucks Is Right - They Shouldn’t Have To Pay

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:18:56 +0000

As a “barista-plus”, I concur! The ruling is bad! Without tips, I couldn’t do this job. The coffee company i work for is well known in our town, and throughout, and is very giving. Even our managers take tips. Collectively thought, it’s ok. The managers sling just as much coffee, if not more, and any other barista. They’re entitled to a cut! That’s all beside the point though. I also agree that everyone should work at lease one service job. I live in a college town, and see all types of people. Your biggest tippers are never they doctors, lawyers, and the like, or the sorority girl with daddy’s credit card… It’s the guy or gal that work the same kind of job. They’re the one that will buy a bottle of water, and give you two dollars… Totally undeserved… They do it b/c they understand.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:18:54 +0000

I’m a 4 year partner at Starbucks, one and a half as a barrista and two and half as shift. When i became a shift supervisor i received a fifty cent raise. Thats it. if you took my tips away i would have made more as a barrista at that point. Its ridiculous. there are days at my store when the only people on the floor are shift supervisors. last week i filled in on a shift for friend who was a barrista, it was me and his store manager on the floor alone for 4 hours. in California who would have received the tips?

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:46:59 +0000

That’s so funny. When I was promoted to a shift supervisor at Starbucks I actually made LESS money than I did as a barista. I got a fifty cent pay raise, but that didn’t keep my checks from going down because of my hours getting cut.

See, there was a lot of demand for an experienced barista, not so much for a newbie supervisor. And yes, I still had all the responsibilties I’ve always had, just now I have even more tacked onto the list.

(This story does have a happy ending, I’ve been in my new role for a year now and *am* finally making more than I did as a barista. But I sure had to fight for it… )

That being said, if my tips got taken away I’d find another job. At this moment without tips I’d be making equal pay with the baristas with double the responsibilities. I really couldn’t deal with that again…

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:36:30 +0000

Well said. I am a barista-plus (not at starbucks but similar cafe) and guess how much my raise was… $.50 an hour. Without share of tips that means I would make LESS than the baristas that I have to constantly keep motivated and I work twice as hard as most of them.

To top it off, our managers have a store policy that if we leave the tip on the back counter (because we are not allowed to have a tip cup but still get a small about of tips) then they take our tip!! I am pretty sure that is illegal, does anyone know of a specific law I can site for this? I mean beyond the fact that it is just plain theft.

By: monica

monica — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:33:38 +0000

i agree to the fullest. I am a shift leader at a bar and without my extra tips i would be living on the streets with my six kids. why can’t people just be humane and take care of those who provide a service for them. what would they do without patrons tips or without the help when they really need it?

By: BigJ

BigJ — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:00:12 +0000

yes yes yes