How Does a Barista Spend a Workday?

Custom Drink Orders

Most baristas spend a majority of their day taking and making custom drink orders. The popularity of Starbucks, which touts numerous blends of coffee, flavored syrups, milks and toppings, has caused many coffee shops to train their employees on the options customers may order. Some may want extra foam, a double shot of espresso, a "splash" of milk or sugar-free syrup instead of the normal variety. Most seasoned baristas have the numerous customizable options memorized, and can spend much of their time taking these drink orders, writing any preferences on the coffee cups in shorthand, interpreting others' shorthand and making the drinks.

Openings

The hours before the workday starts are usually the busiest for a coffee shop and, therefore, for a barista. After arriving at the shop before it is officially open to the public, a barista must sort, open and display any overnight deliveries. She must also brew a fresh pot of the shop's standard drip coffee, as well as any other popular coffees that are ordered so frequently that the pot rarely sits. Keeping the coffee fresh and hot is a task a barista will have to undertake all day long, as is ensuring that the machinery is clean and that the ingredients are sanitary. Multiple trips to the supply room also are made whenever any ingredients or supplies run dry.

Closings

Most coffee shop owners make it a point to keep the place clean throughout the entire day. This means that in addition to taking orders, restocking supplies and making coffee, baristas must also engage in chores throughout the day that can range from wiping down tables, straightening up any condiment stations to washing away any major spills in front of or behind the counter. Baristas may also have to clean large, heavy pieces of equipment, such as cappuccino or espresso makers.

Resources

• Confessions of a Starbucks Barista