The coffee industry is expansive and full of demand as it relates to flavor and delivery of drinks. Customers frequenting some of the nation’s most popular chains are looking for the speed and taste of their coffee drinks to make an impact and stay consistent.
There are two main commercial coffee bean variants. The arabica and the robusta. The choice you make can affect your coffee’s flavor.
Coffee making of the traditional and the variety is developed through timings and methodologies developed by individual cafes and companies. However, there are still some standards in place or explained by the National Coffee Association USA.
The kind of coffee drink you are producing is dependent on multiple factors but to guarantee the best results, you have to time it accordingly. The fastest drink to make is an espresso and the slowest are cold brews which require overnight steeping, around 12 hours of it, to be made correctly.
Starbucks is well-known for its regular selection of drinks and also for its secret menu with choices like Pink Drinks and, at one point, the Unicorn and Mermaid Frappacinos.
In the last few years, especially during the pandemic, Starbucks employees have found themselves at times unreasonably challenged with the orders coming through the pipeline. A policy at Starbucks states that baristas should be able to produce 10 customer orders, from purchase to preparation, in 30 minutes, according to a Fast Company piece.
According to the article, one-fifth of drink orders that Starbucks baristas were fulfilling came through the mobile order feature on the Starbucks app. The speed changed with the introduction of products that exhausted workers with their complications and intricacies. These baristas were already frustrated by their low wages and issues with Covid-19 safety handling.
Looking at the Starbucks on Broadway outside of Columbia University, they occasionally turn off mobile orders. When asked about it, a barista explained that it’s because they couldn’t keep up with the rush especially when they were understaffed during the winter holidays. Even during some of the slowest times, which are Saturday and weekdays after rush hour according to a barista, mobile orders may be turned off just to compensate for the number of people that come into the small location.
The kinds of drinks you choose can vary when you order at a place like Starbucks depending on their methodologies regarding coffee production. However, looking into the drinks that are easiest for them to make or the typically fastest for them to push out could help you help your baristas move through orders. And even if you still choose to go with your drink of choice, knowing the timings of your drinks will create a lot more appreciation for how quickly and expertly your barista does their job.