[ClassicBob]

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cb/traz,

i basically never pay for anything at the starbucks i frequent...

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You should start paying, or at least tip really really well. Like, at least 2 bucks. I've never consistently given someone free drinks, and it sounds [censored] up that it's happening. If a regular comes in and forgot their wallet, or has less money than they thought they had, etc, I'll hook them up that day, no problem. But your situation sounds really shady. But, I'm not you, so do what you feel.

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i have a new question about tipping. usually when they do the 'don't worry about it' thing and i've already got $5 out to buy my drink, i just toss it in the tip thing. this is typically once or twice a week. should i instead tip $1-2 every visit? it would work out about the same for me, but i don't know how you guys pool your tips.

i used to be totally okay with the free coffee, because i was regularly hanging out with the people hooking me up outside of starbucks, but now i'm getting free stuff from people i barely know. in some cases, i'm not even sure of their names. i used to work as a bartender though, and it was pretty well understood that all the bartenders would give out a reasonable number of free drinks to regulars and customers they liked. i thought maybe starbucks was the same and my special treatment wasn't that out of the ordinary. now that i know it's not, i think i'll start paying.

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Bartenders make a lot more money than we do, but don't have the benefits. The free drink thing may be expected in a bar setting, you'd probably have to ask a bartender. In Starbucks case, if the District Manager found out, there's a good chance baristas could get fired. The 5 dollar thing once a week is fine in lieu of the 1-2 bucks per visit, if you want to keep with that.