Featured Image Credit: Jam Press/Alamy
Topics: Starbucks, UK News, TikTok, Food and Drink
Claire Reid
A former Starbucks barista is sharing his secrets from his time working at the multinational coffee chain – including how staff deal with rude customers and how Frappuccino are really made.
Shabaz Ali, 28, has gone viral on TikTok after lifting the lid on what it’s really like to work at Starbucks.
Ali, from Blackburn in Lancashire, started working at Starbucks part-time back in 2014 and has said it’s ‘one of the most fun but stressful jobs’ out there.
You can see him revealing some of his insider-info here:
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Since leaving the company to go into teaching, Ali has been sharing his experiences on TikTok and racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
Sharing some secrets about working at the chain, he said: “I was going through training and the manager told me about purposely writing names on the cups wrong for free publicity.
“[They also told me] to look out for influencers or younger people who seem the type to make a scene about it on social media, as they’ll definitely post about it.
“I was shocked, as this was probably the reason my name would be spelt wrong in the past.
“Frappuccinos don’t have espresso coffee; they have a fake flavour version – so if you want real coffee, you have to ask for an espresso shot.
“I was also told to pretend that something wasn’t in stock if it would hold up a queue.
“Frappuccinos would usually take a long time to make, so on a busy day, I would tell them some syrups were out of stock or the ice machine was broken.
“This really shocked me, as I know other companies must do this as well.”
He also claims team members would give rude customers decaf coffee - but on a more positive note said regulars might land themselves some freebies.
He went on: “You get a free drink on your birthday if you tell the barista.
“At the end of the night, the bakery items need to be thrown out – so if you ask a barista, they might give these away to you.
“Some of this is taken to homeless shelters or given to the homeless, but most stores just bin food waste.
“If someone is a regular, you can give them syrups and other goodies for free.
“Most food is tried by the staff before it comes out, so always ask for their recommendations.
“They will also try a combination of all sorts and have their own secret special drinks, so ask them for advice and they’ll always get you what you want.
“Drip/filter coffee can be refilled for free if you sit in.
“If you hate your drink, ask for another one, as the barista will always change this for you.
“If you ask for a medium drink, but want it in a large cup, chances are the barista will fill the cup for you because they always make a bit extra – so you get a large drink for free.”
UNILAD has contacted Starbucks for comment.
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