Coffee is just the beginning

When you work as a barista, you are expected to do many things such as have a positive attitude and know how to make coffee.

Ava Forrester has worked at Starbucks for about two years. Over that time, she’s learned a lot of things, as is typical in a first job. Now, with about two years of experience, making drinks and cleaning the restaurant are almost second nature.

There’s a lot more to working at Starbucks than just making coffee, greeting customers and having a good attitude, but there are several rules that the employees are expected to follow. “I can’t paint my nails, which is a bummer because I love having painted nails,” said Forrester. “I also (of course) have to be nice to customers and make sure the drinks are made correctly.”

The title of barista has many levels and the positions employees work tends to rotate based on the situation. “The less experienced baristas usually do register and take orders while the more experienced baristas make drinks” she said

Besides her love for coffee, Forrester also enjoys the job because it includes getting free drinks and making friends. She has met friends at work that have fun on the job because they are pretty like-minded. While she has fun at work, she also has to deals with rude customers sometimes, and there are often super busy days.

“Even though working at Starbucks is not my career choice, I’m going to stay for the time being,” said Forrester. “Even though I make slightly above minimum wage,  I am also a  firm believer in raising the minimum wage, when rent goes up wages should go up too!”