Starbucks encourages baristas to engage customers in racial conversations
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Is it a good idea to encourage baristas to engage in racial conversations with customers
Yes
10%
 10%  [ 3 ]
No
58%
 58%  [ 17 ]
May help improve race relations
6%
 6%  [ 2 ]
Won't help improve race relations
6%
 6%  [ 2 ]
Will results in heated altercations
13%
 13%  [ 4 ]
Other options
3%
 3%  [ 1 ]
Total Votes : 29

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jodeke
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:38 am    Post subject: Starbucks encourages baristas to engage customers in racial conversations

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Race is a hot topic in the country today. Hope engaging in racial discussions don't result in McDonald hot coffee suits.

If this becomes a norm at Starbucks I don't think it will change the way race is handled. It may open the eyes of some.

I don't think it will be only a Black White conversation. Other ethnics cultural differences will be discussed.

Race discussion can become heated. I harbor angst concerning the ability of baristas to engage in such conversations.

Good or bad idea? Discuss.
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ContagiousInspiration
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:46 am    Post subject:

With more than 21,000 stores and an outstanding barista training program I think this could change a lot

I am wondering how it will be undertaken.

Thich Nhat Hanh was one of the first to create engaged Buddhism where he went out to the people suffering during the Vietnam war and consoled them instead of waiting for them to come to the monastery

Martin Luther King and the sit down movements
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Cutheon
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:51 am    Post subject:

Where is the "i just want my (bleep) coffee, don't talk to me" option?
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jodeke
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:00 am    Post subject:

Cutheon wrote:
Where is the "i just want my (bleep) coffee, don't talk to me" option?

You just introduced it via Other options.
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Don Draper
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:16 am    Post subject:

I can't remember the last time a barista had anything resembling a conversation with me. Most just engage in witty banter with fellow baristas, or ignore you/look at you like you are scum.
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ContagiousInspiration
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:28 am    Post subject:

Don Draper wrote:
I can't remember the last time a barista had anything resembling a conversation with me. Most just engage in witty banter with fellow baristas, or ignore you/look at you like you are scum.


There is truth to that. I have had better conversation with smaller independent type coffee houses than at most Starbucks.
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DaMuleRules
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:29 am    Post subject:

The idea is nice, but no one is looking to engage in discussing social issues with someone behind the counter when they are jonesing for their cup of joe. It's not going to affect anything socially, but I'm sure it will rub some impatient customers the wrong way.
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rwongega
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:36 am    Post subject:

Reminds me of the time my cousin (who is half black) tried to make a barista nervous by demanding why there isn't black cream and only white cream As a joke.
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vanexelent
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:32 pm    Post subject:

Joke from 1990:

Why do the Lakers drink their coffee black?

Because they don't have any more Kareem.
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lakerjoshua
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:42 pm    Post subject:

I've yet to meet a Starbucks Barista who could hold a genuine intellectual conversation.

I can imagine the conversation would be like this:

Patron: Hello, may I have a venti coffee, black.

Barista: Oh man, you're black too! Cool! Is that why you like black coffee?

Paton: Shut the hell up you idiot and make my coffee.
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jonnybravo
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 1:26 pm    Post subject:

DaMuleRules wrote:
The idea is nice, but no one is looking to engage in discussing social issues with someone behind the counter when they are jonesing for their cup of joe. It's not going to affect anything socially, but I'm sure it will rub some impatient customers the wrong way.


Honestly, when there is a line, I (bleep) can't stand it when the asshat in front of me decides to make small talk with the cashier. Happens all the time with the Traders Joes I go to. It's a Stepford town so these "Hi, howya doing?" conversations can take a minute or two.

Seriously, zip it up, pay up and keep the line moving.

In any event, with regard to the Starbucks suggestion, walking in and out for a quick cup of Joe is painful enough with the number of nimrods that stand their slack jawed and zombied eyed deciding what to order (just as bad at Subways but I digress). Let's encourage the employees to make the process even longer. Brilliant.
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KobeBryantCliffordBrown
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 5:26 pm    Post subject:

Seems like a stellar idea. I mean, seriously, what could possibly go wrong?
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 6:08 pm    Post subject:

This could get out of hand anytime someone asks for extra caramel.
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leor_77
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 8:29 pm    Post subject:

Starbucks isn't real coffee anyway. Just get a decent espresso machine, and some Lavazza Quality Oro (my favorite for quite some time now).
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Theseus
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:58 pm    Post subject:

I can't wait to ask for coffee like I like my women, handed to me by a teenager who is forced to talk to me about race
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Omar Little
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:06 pm    Post subject:

I Saw a werewolf drinking a macchiato at starbucks, and his racial commentary was perfect.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:09 am    Post subject:

Starbucks ‘Race Together’ campaign backfires: Communications VP deletes Twitter account

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This is not unexpected. With all the hate relating to race I felt negative tweets would be the norm. I also feel face to face conversations may turn into hostile confrontations.
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lakersken80
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:22 am    Post subject:

A coffee shop is a great place to have conversations about social issues and stuff that matters politically....
That being said, it would be kind of annoying to have the barista asking every customer about such an issue. Some people just want to have their coffee and move on with their day. Maybe the customer isn't a social butterfly. I just can't see anything productive coming from this, not to mention they are putting their employees in an uncomfortable position.
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the association
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:37 am    Post subject:

Horribly bad idea ... (sounds like Starbucks killed the plan anyway)

I agree that the responsibility placed on the employee isn't equivalent to vascular surgery (and I read above about the purportedly stellar Barista training program), but I also know how the telephone game can distort even the most well-intentioned of messages. This plan spells d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r to me ...

And as a couple of others pointed out above, there are enough annoying clowns who find a way to extend the conversation with the employee at the POS when the next consumer is just trying to order their beverage and move on. We don't need more socialization tryouts for those people ...

Anyway, who patronizes Starbucks when CBTL is still in business?
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jodeke
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 12:42 pm    Post subject:

A better forum would be AH's smoke shop. AH, do you guys engage in race relation discussions?
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KobeBryantCliffordBrown
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:13 pm    Post subject:

jodeke wrote:
A better forum would be AH's smoke shop. AH, do you guys engage in race relation discussions?



AH's smoke shop





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jodeke
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:57 pm    Post subject:

KobeBryantCliffordBrown wrote:
jodeke wrote:
A better forum would be AH's smoke shop. AH, do you guys engage in race relation discussions?



AH's smoke shop





Now that ain't nothing nice KBCB.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:07 pm    Post subject:

jodeke wrote:
KobeBryantCliffordBrown wrote:
jodeke wrote:
A better forum would be AH's smoke shop. AH, do you guys engage in race relation discussions?



AH's smoke shop





Now that ain't nothing nice KBCB.



I keed, I keed!
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:13 pm    Post subject:

the association wrote:
Horribly bad idea ... (sounds like Starbucks killed the plan anyway)

I agree that the responsibility placed on the employee isn't equivalent to vascular surgery (and I read above about the purportedly stellar Barista training program), but I also know how the telephone game can distort even the most well-intentioned of messages. This plan spells d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r to me ...

And as a couple of others pointed out above, there are enough annoying clowns who find a way to extend the conversation with the employee at the POS when the next consumer is just trying to order their beverage and move on. We don't need more socialization tryouts for those people ...

Anyway, who patronizes Starbucks when CBTL is still in business?


People who actually like coffee?
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:55 pm    Post subject:

24 wrote:
the association wrote:
Horribly bad idea ... (sounds like Starbucks killed the plan anyway)

I agree that the responsibility placed on the employee isn't equivalent to vascular surgery (and I read above about the purportedly stellar Barista training program), but I also know how the telephone game can distort even the most well-intentioned of messages. This plan spells d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r to me ...

And as a couple of others pointed out above, there are enough annoying clowns who find a way to extend the conversation with the employee at the POS when the next consumer is just trying to order their beverage and move on. We don't need more socialization tryouts for those people ...

Anyway, who patronizes Starbucks when CBTL is still in business?


People who actually like coffee?


http://www.coffeereview.com/starbucks-coffees-rate/

Setting aside the above for a moment, I seem to recall that Starbucks never really ranks very high on the list of best coffee brands. In fact, I was under the impression that Starbucks persists as the coffee purveyor of choice for women with self-esteem issues and unemployed dudes attempting to pass themselves off as screenwriters ... no?

As for me, I'm actually not a major coffee consumer. I sporadically patronize CBTL, consuming medicine ball tea and an occasional black forest ice blended with NSA and no whipped cream. Starbucks couldn't earn a dollar from me to save Howard Schultz's life ...
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