07/07/2025
Appreciation for all....even Starbucks associates!
One morning I was ordering a coffee from Starbucks and as I walked in, I noticed something I'm sure I had seen many times when I ordered a coffee, but for some reason this time, it really stood out. People were walking in, including me, grabbing their drink or food and walking right out. People ordering at the register placed their order and walked to the end of the counter and worked on the next email, text, or post while waiting. I stopped and watched the baristas and service associates work very hard pumping out drinks left and right. Then for a moment I thought, I wonder if they know they are appreciated?
In any career you will hear people say they want a raise to know they are appreciated or promotion, but that isn't always at the available and has to be worked on. But what about just a little something to show they are acknowledged and seen. Even in your job. What about just someone saying "Hey I know that took a lot of work and you did a great job" from your leadership, fellow associates or even customers. What about that? So I decided to make a change.
First Step, I decided to say "Thank You" out loud (literally loud) to all and hold up my drink in a "Cheers" type of way to show the Starbucks associates I was acknowledging them and appreciated them. So I did this for a few weeks and as time passed, a few of them would pause for a moment to look at me with a smile or straight face and say "Your Welcome", "No Problem" or "Have a great day". It was nice, super nice. Taking the time to communicate with one another and acknowledge each other, even for a moment. But I didn't stop there.
Second step, goodies! Who doesn't love goodies or a little treat. So I started with a dozen donuts. Picked them up at my local donut shop and as I walked up to the counter and said the associate, "These are for you all, Thank You!". It was funny cause they were shocked. It can also be scary right, cause in this day in age, they may not want to take the donuts from, really a stranger. But I thought, I'm going to go for it. Guess what happened, THEY LOVED IT! The smiles I saw when I walked in to pick up my coffee after that, it was like time stopped for a moment for all of us to acknowledge each other and see each other. See one another. Now I don't know what they are thinking but I realized it was helping me, even more for me than them potentially! It was giving me a moment to also see I'm not alone and even if it was for the treats only, hahaha, I was appreciated.
This is now a weekly thing, just about, at my Starbucks. I change it up and bring bagels, and tacos but I try once a week just to share something with my morning people as I head off to work. Today when I picked up my coffee, they let me know I was appreciated.
Even if I had to pause on the treats to save some money, I know I would still take the time to say Good Morning and let them know they are seen, and they would do the same for me.
