An ex-Starbucks employee from Washington has a lot to say after Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol made some alarming comments. Now, as someone who lost her job with the company, she’s speaking out about what she noticed. And it’s safe to say she thinks the company is being greedy in their decisions.
Recently, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol defended the fact that Starbucks drink prices are getting more expensive. He called it part of a “premium experience” that customers pay for when they buy from the company. In a podcast, he made comments about their $9 average drinks being seen as a “splurge.” Why? He thinks the company offers something special to customers from various income levels. Though many people are supporting the company, others are saying he’s disconnected and out-of-touch for these comments.
An ex-Starbucks worker, @mamioli, has some comments on the matter herself. She says she worked as a Starbucks barista for two and a half years in Seattle, Washington. Unfortunately, the store where she worked is now closed as of a month ago. She claims that Brian Niccol doesn’t really care about the “Starbucks experience” like he claims. She asks him personally why he closed down The Roastery, which operated in Seattle and offered signature drinks and experiences.
As this TikToker says, a “lot of tourists” would travel to Seattle just to visit The Roastery. But now it’s gone and they didn’t even give notice to the people working there beforehand. Instead, they walked up to the store where they work to see a sign that said “permanently closed.” Because of this, she says the “Starbucks experience” he speaks of doesn’t exist. She says of the CEO, “It’s about you filling up your little pockets with a little bit more money bags.”
Commenters poured in on her video, sharing their own opinions on the matter. One commenter questioned, “I just wanna know how I’m meant to have an ‘experience’ when the baristas are supposed to get me in and out in like 30 seconds?” Another mentioned, “We baristas know that it was closed down cause it was a union.” Meanwhile, other commenters debated over why The Roastery closed and what the Starbucks company did to the Teavanna company. One commenter explained, “Starbucks destroyed my favorite tea shop, Teavanna, years ago. They bought out Teavanna and were supposed to give them a month before closing the stores. Starbucks gave them a week without notice.”
Commenters continue to debate over various subjects involving Starbucks and how the company has downgraded over the years, especially with the new CEO at the helm. As one commenter stated, “Baristas and customers deserve better.”
