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Post by chances on Dec 16, 2022 6:58:21 GMT
http://instagram.com/p/Clv-fZGuyyd Saw this post where a former barista asked people to stop paying for the person behind them bc it is annoying and causes order errors. This is so fascinating to me because the comments are so mixed. There are baristas confirming it makes things more difficult, some who say it’s not that hard, people who were moved by a RAK and others who are annoyed by “fake generosity.” Of course I had to ask the peas. Should people stop the practice? Is the poster entitled? Curious what you think!
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Post by lesserknownpea on Dec 16, 2022 8:24:13 GMT
As someone who seldom indulges in SB, and whose order is always a modest one, I’d hate to be stuck expected to pay for 4 people’s Venti Frappuccinos. And my DIL is a barista there, and I agree with either tipping the barista if you’re feeling generous, or some other hard working, low paid worker.
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snyder
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Apr 26, 2017 6:14:47 GMT
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Post by snyder on Dec 16, 2022 9:23:13 GMT
This makes it sound like RAOK should only happen to the less unfortunate and that a wealthy person that can afford Starbucks shouldn't do a RAOK for another person that obvioulsy can afford Starbucks because they are in line behind you.
People need to get a life and let people alone.
I can't see how it would be that confusing. The drinks are in order and who difficult is it to look at the receipt before handing the person their drink/s?
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Dec 16, 2022 10:26:39 GMT
I don't like coffee. My opinion is "in general" commentary.
I would not feel obligated to "pay it forward" anywhere. As another poster said, if I were treating myself to something, I wouldn't want to receive one treat or item and be obligated to pay for multiple treats or items that someone else is receiving.
If I recall correctly, there was a story on the news quite some time ago, where a college kid on a budget broke the "chain of paying it forward" when he refused and got chastised by the staff.
For some......a daily treat, a daily beverage, daily eating out is commonplace.......but for some it's a once in awhile or rare thing, because of budgetary constraints.
Something sounds off about the claim of "it messes everything up". The orders should be in que--in order when they were placed, and there is either a paper ticket or an on screen order, indicating the next order. At Starbucks, names are placed on the beverages, so a barista would simply need to ask "name please" to give the correct beverage or order to the correct person.
Paying it forward, should be a random act of kindness, done whenever one chooses to do so. Not because the person in front of you did so, and the staff expects the next in line to continue it.
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Post by littlemama on Dec 16, 2022 11:13:30 GMT
But note, in the end it is all about someone working a job that is not paid the tipped-worker wage telling people to tip instead.
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Post by myboysnme on Dec 16, 2022 14:10:16 GMT
I don't really want anyone paying for me, but on occasion I will do it for someone. But not in a drive through. I would break that chain and not think twice.
I prefer to pick up the tab for friends, tip a bit extra, or tip where a tip is not expected. I just invited to breakfast my treat an unemployed restaurant manager whose place of employment closed suddenly in November and an elderly woman I met at that restaurant who is on social security only. Both are very appreciative and I'm glad to have a chance to do something nice.
I went to get my brows done and the proprietor was telling me how slow business is. She wanted to thank me for coming in so she was giving me a 10% discount. I said, "No need for that." I paid her a $15 tip on a $25 service. She was so happy I thought she was going to cry over $15.
I'm telling about these things because this is how I prefer to give my money to make someone's day. All around me are people who are in need and while I can see that wealthy or non needy people certainly appreciate a RAK, but I have limited financial resources and I choose to try to help out people who I know need it more than me.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Dec 16, 2022 14:31:31 GMT
I've always thought the Starbucks pay-it-forward thing was silly. Forced altruism isn't really altruism at all.
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milocat
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Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
Mar 18, 2015 4:10:31 GMT
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Post by milocat on Dec 16, 2022 14:37:58 GMT
It should be a one person thing, not go on for hours and many cars. If I pay $5.25 for the person behind me that's a RAK. When the next person pays $4.95 for the next person and etc and etc. It's as pointless as 2 friends/family exchanging $20 gift cards. It's like exchanging $20 bills which would seem silly, but now it's a $20 bill that can only be spent at one store.
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Post by scraplette on Dec 16, 2022 14:39:15 GMT
I haven’t read it yet but anticipate I’ll be sending the article to my DH. He’s a daily drinker and rants doing a RAK in a Starbucks line is misguided. He has debated with the poor window cashiers insisting on paying- we’ve told him that creates other problems! I know one guy who’d be happy if the practice ended.
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pantsonfire
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Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
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Jun 19, 2022 16:48:04 GMT
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Post by pantsonfire on Dec 16, 2022 15:00:17 GMT
I hate those pay it forward things.
Like another poster, I help out when I feel the pull to do so.
Higher tip during the holidays, paying for groceries for the person who doesn't have enough money to cover basics, giving a meal to a family or person going through a rough patch, helping a teacher cover funds for students in the class for a trip or event so everyone can participate, etc.
I also am over the tip me thing. I don't tip drive thru workers.
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Post by mom on Dec 16, 2022 15:04:20 GMT
Eh, if you want to buy someones drink, then buy it. But if you don't, then don't feel pressured to.
Same with giving the barista a larger tip. If you want to, great. But if you don't then don't feel pressured to just because some random person said you should.
The older I get the more I am in the camp of 'you do you'.
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Just T
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Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Dec 16, 2022 15:08:53 GMT
I don't mind a little bit of pay it forward. But once years ago, when this first became a thing, someone in front of me paid for my coffee in the drive through at McDonalds. Then the cashier tried to shame me into paying for the car behind me, whose bill was over $20. I said no, and I felt like such an asshole.
Now, I never do that because I don't want the person behind me to feel obligated to do the same. I try to find other ways to do kind things that don't involve shaming someone else. Kind of defeats the purpose.
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Post by lisacharlotte on Dec 16, 2022 15:17:26 GMT
Why does it feel like we are always hearing from Sbux baristas bitching about customers ordering coffee “wrong” or publicly shaming customers on social media for ordering what they have on their menu? Sbux is famous for allowing customers to customize their drinks as well as offering cold drinks that they apparently should be ashamed of ordering. Either get on board with the company’s options or go work in a coffeeshop where customizing is forbidden and only coffee is served.
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Post by kachilyn on Dec 16, 2022 15:18:11 GMT
I don't love the pay it forward chain at Starbucks. I often go after a morning workout and a close friend often does as well - we have a little game where whoever ends up in line first treats the other to coffee and then drives away laughing. So - if I end up in the drive through directly in front of a friend, I treat them to coffee. BUT I don't expect them to continue it and if they treat me, I don't continue the chain.
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Deleted
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Oct 5, 2024 20:10:05 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2022 15:20:10 GMT
I hate pay it forward in drive thrus. I will not participate. I'm generous elsewhere but these "pay it forward" in a drive thru is just annoying. A good chunk of the time, I'm getting a $2 frappe at McDonald's. I'm not paying for Joe's 4 happy meals!
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bethany102399
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Post by bethany102399 on Dec 16, 2022 15:20:31 GMT
As someone who seldom indulges in SB, and whose order is always a modest one, I’d hate to be stuck expected to pay for 4 people’s Venti Frappuccinos. So much this. we are at the wall right now with bills. If I'm in line at Starbucks then it's because I've saved back enough for a small treat. It would really tick me off to be suddenly faced with a huge bill I feel embarrassed to not pay.
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Post by psoccer on Dec 16, 2022 15:29:25 GMT
I broke the pay it forward. I ordered a small coffee and was told that the person in front paid for my coffee, did I want to pay for those behind me. I asked how much and was told their order was 30 something. I declined. I’d pay for a drink but I couldn’t, or didn’t, want to pay for such a large order.
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SweetieBsMom
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Jun 25, 2014 19:55:12 GMT
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Dec 16, 2022 15:32:04 GMT
I don't go to SB but do do this a Dunks, especially during the holidays. I don't go to Dunks often but when I remember, I will do this. If I have to pay $20+ for someone's order (which has happened) then so be it, I do it to be nice and hopefully put a smile on someone's face or make their day a little better. When someone does it for me, it makes me smile.
I think in today's day and age, don't discourage people for doing something nice for someone else. We (collective we) don't do that enough.
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Post by katlady on Dec 16, 2022 15:53:01 GMT
I don’t care for pay it forward. I know a simple gesture can really help someone. If I am going to help someone, I’ll help them inside the store, unless I can tell the person in the car behind me is really having a hard time. I don’t go to Starbucks too often. When I do it is usually to order black coffee, nothing fancy. I don’t want to pay twice as much for someone else when I wasn’t expecting it. I would probably give the barista the tip I would have given them and then drive on.
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Post by chaosisapony on Dec 16, 2022 16:07:25 GMT
I don't drink coffee so I've never been in a Starbucks drive thru but this happened to me once in a Taco Bell drive thru. When I got to the window to pay the lady told me the car ahead paid for me and told me the bill of the car behind me but made sure to tell me "It's ok if you don't want to pay for them". I was so glad to not be pressured because I really couldn't afford the order of the car behind me.
While I think the whole pay it forward thing (I like the term "forced altruism" some used above) is stupid and I know it makes the worker's jobs more difficult I also do not think it should be yet one more thing people use to try to drive more tips. That super low tipped minimum wage doesn't even exist in my state yet the tip percentages we are supposed to give continues to rise and now we are supposed to tip even more workers. I don't think so.
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huskergal
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Jun 25, 2014 20:22:13 GMT
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Post by huskergal on Dec 16, 2022 16:14:51 GMT
I rarely go to coffee shops and have never participated in a pay-it-forward.
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peaname
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Aug 16, 2014 23:15:53 GMT
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Post by peaname on Dec 16, 2022 16:35:09 GMT
If I owned a Starbucks I would not allow this but instead pas out a flier for the local food pantry for people looking for a way to do a random act of kindness.
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Post by wholarmor on Dec 16, 2022 16:48:34 GMT
I've had someone pay it forward in front of me. If there was a chain, I broke it, lol. I'd rather give any extra money I have(which these days is not a lot) to someone in need. Pay it forward is nice, and I've been happy to receive them, but those chain ones aren't really in the true spirit of Pay it Forward.
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Post by epeanymous on Dec 16, 2022 17:03:13 GMT
I genuinely do not get the point of this at all. It makes no sense.
And I do tip at Starbucks anyway.
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Post by ~summer~ on Dec 16, 2022 17:16:08 GMT
I don’t go to coffee drive thru places and have never participated and it does not appeal to me. I honestly don’t want someone paying for my coffee.
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pinklady
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Nov 14, 2016 23:47:03 GMT
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Post by pinklady on Dec 16, 2022 17:27:12 GMT
Tip your barista. Um no, I don't tip fast food order takers. I loath tipping with every fiber of my being.
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Post by chances on Dec 16, 2022 17:43:13 GMT
I think it’s helpful to know this practice can cause unanticipated problems. I’ve never done it and now it’s off of my list of things to maybe do.
But it’s so weird that people are being pressured to participate.
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tracylynn
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Jun 26, 2014 22:49:09 GMT
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Post by tracylynn on Dec 16, 2022 17:43:46 GMT
I've continued a chain, and I've broken a chain. If the order behind me is the same as I would have paid, then I'll pay for it. If it's significantly more, sorry, broken chain.
I feel no obligation at all to continue the chain and have zero guilt over it.
As far as tipping at Starbucks, I rarely do.
If I get my favorite barista at Christmas, then I'll throw her some extra cash - usually $5 - (I know it goes into a pool, I'm OK with that too).
A few months ago I pulled into one our local Starbucks that had Unionized and there were signs up where they had walked out that morning on a half day strike because of scheduling issues. They were open again and I tipped them the cash I had in my wallet - it was somewhere around $20-30. She was shocked when I handed it to her and I just told her that I supported their Union and their right to stand up for their workers rights. Most of them came to the window to thank me. Of the 5 Starbucks located in our city limits (not including grocery store ones) 3 of them have unionized.
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pilcas
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Aug 14, 2015 21:47:17 GMT
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Post by pilcas on Dec 16, 2022 17:56:44 GMT
I rarely buy Starbucks coffee because a $5 coffee just seems too much, my little Nespresso keeps me super happy but the whole thing seems absurd. If someone wants to pay for the person behind them it’s a lovely gesture but once that person has to pay for someone else the point is lost. Like someone said it’s like exchanging gift cards.
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Post by Aheartfeltcard on Dec 16, 2022 18:01:23 GMT
I think everyone should do what they want. No pressure. If I want to pay for the person behind me it’s because I chose to. I don’t give to get or give with expectation of the receiver.
If I were the Barista and didn’t want to encourage it I would say I’m not allowed.
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