Starbucks Demanding Names

Dear Ashley,

I noticed that the Starbucks in at the Fashion Mall has begun a disturbing new trend: they ask for your name when you order a drink, just so they can scribble it on a cup. Apparently this is to help the absent-minded barista keep track of several drink orders at once. But really, isn't that what they are paid to do???

Anyway, I think this is a really bad practice; I felt very odd telling my name to a cashier, just so everyone around me standing in line can hear my name. What if there is some kind of weirdo standing in line behind me??? Frankly, I think the people who work there just need to spruce up their organizational skills. Perhaps a nice Carnegie course would do them good ... then we revert back to the good old days when I could at least enjoy a double-cupped extra-whip skim soy latte in privacy.

Since when has Starbucks joined the government in intensifying it's information collection strategy anyway??? Next time I go to Starbucks, I expect them to publicly demand my social security number!

Also, as an advocate of Trixie Public Liberties, can the Society please do something about rude people working behind the counter at Starbucks?? Normally when I go to the Broad Ripple store at the corner of Guilford, there is this nice young lady with pony tails and a scruffy guy behind the coffee machine.. They are really nice, and sometimes they even remember my order. But on Sunday I stopped in before heading over to Restoration Hardware and Whole Foods, and there was a whole new crew of people working there, and they were totally rude (in addition to asking my name, etc).

Thanks Ashley!
Jill Jacobs



Dear Jill:

I completely agree with you! I think Starbucks should stop hiring angry misfits and start staffing their stores with qualified individuals. There are plenty of unemployed internet people with great experience in organizational behavior and operations. Better yet, hire MBA students from Purdue or Notre Dame to come in and run the latte production lines more efficiently.

I think they're already starting to do this at the Starbucks at 56th & Illinois. The other day I was visiting my friend Leslie and we saw the cutest little boy working at the Starbucks there! He was very tall and blond and stood out from all the other workers in the shop. I bet he's a 2nd year business student at Butler!

-Ashley

• Back to the "Ask Ashley" Column

.