Starbucks

We all miss Tony who managed this Starbucks so well. Most mornings now there is between 14 – 20 people in line due to the understaffing. Noticed almost black bananas on display. Came in last week at 7:45 am and the outside tables were still in the store where the long line was forced to weave through. This store is now poorly managed and has been for weeks. Starbucks Regional management must be AWOL.

Have been coming here for years and have always loved the service. Seems lately though that although the employees are good they seem to be consistently understaffed. Long lines were rare in the past but seem to be common now. A bit more efficiency is needed in the mornings.
Again, veeeery long line. Why only three working on a busy Monday morning??? They’re working hard but understaffed. Would consider another coffee spot if there were one on this side of orinda.
Please staff up!

I miss Tony! He managed this Starbucks so it was friendly and efficient. Now the lines are frequently long (I’m standing here in a 10 deep line at the moment). Why is this place so understaffed now?

I come to this location most mornings & it is a disaster! It’s on my way to work, so this is my weekday location, I go to another on the weekends. The Orinda location is very inconsistent when making drinks. Too often my lattes taste like just steamed milk. The lines are becoming increasingly long in the mornings. They need to staff better for the morning, and get our drinks out faster. I will definitely stop coming soon if this persists.

Conveniently located across the street from the Orinda Safeway along a busy stretch of Camino Sobrante.
This location’s «core competency»? They open at 4:30am Monday through Friday.
This place offers fast and friendly service, as well as all of the other things one would expect from their local Starbucks.

I have been going to the Starbucks ever since it had opened. Great Group of workers! BUT It is currently under new management and has not been the same since Tony (previous manager) has left. New manager can’t seem to get the store open on time in the mornings. She is not the cheerful soul that we are used to having greet us in a Starbucks. It’s very unfortunate because of its great location. Very sad to see…

Your average Starbucks. This Starbucks is located in the heart of Orinda, right across the street from a Safeway. Parking isn’t too difficult — there is nearby street parking, a parking lot, and, if desperate, there’s also the large Safeway parking lot across the street. Although that parking lot is supposed to be for Safeway customers, but, shh, you didn’t hear this from me. The employees at this Starbucks are friendly and appear to know the regulars well. This location is clean and larger than the other Orinda location, so it’s definitely my preferred location is eating and drinking in.

Nice location, since it’s right off the freeway. And drink are what is to be expected. The staff could be a little more welcoming, however. Perhaps, smile?

Very friendly and cozy. It was definitely a typical Starbucks. The staff was super nice and efficient and they made a big group of us feel very welcomed. The chai I had was made perfectly. The only complaint I have is that there are not enough outlets accessible to everyone. So if you’re going on a busy day or with a large group, have all of your devices charged up.

It’s your basic starbucks… came in for a Venti PTL and that’s exactly what I got.

I usually like this place — I’ve been going for 14 years, but recently on Saturdays its staffed by a bunch of young women who WILL NOT SHUT UP!
They talk very loudly and its laced with pseudo-​profanity (f’d up, etc) and its the most irritating sort of soap opera girl talk — I have to leave because its impossible to think or read.
Bummer!

I just gotta say this is the best Starbucks I have ever been to. They have the best baristas, the best manager, and the most kick butt customer service. Never in my life have I ever been so pampered and satisfied with my experience at a coffee shop. Iza, Grace, Marissa, Bria, and Kirsten (yes! We have the same name! How cool is that??) are so quick and efficient at making my drink and getting my pastry, they had it all ready before I walked into the store. Love those ladies!

nice place…
nice green tea…
nice time…
yummy yummy yummy
Yummy yummy yummy
Cool cool cool

Super friendly baristas that treat customers like personal clients. While I occasionally visit as an out-​of-​towner, there always seems to be an abundance of regular customers and smiling faces.
Sure, it isn’t the fastest-​paced starbucks, but Orinda is a suburb, and this particular Starbucks is located in a neighborhood shopping center.
I couldn’t decide between two beverages– the barista surprised me with one of each and only charged for one.
Will definitely return!

I have been here numerous times and every time I seem to have a similar experience. While friendly, the staff is for lack of a better word, incompetent. While I’m sure that sounds harsh but the continued poor experiences I have here are getting frustrating. The staff moves with no sense of urgency, and it typically takes 2−3x as long as any other coffee shop to complete an order for a simple drip coffee. Lack of urgency then means longer lines. I’ve been here numerous times from 6−9am when they run out of one or two of their drip coffees. I feel like Starbucks can figure out peak demand times and adequately prepare themselves but I guess that is impossible here.
I don’t think I should have any expectation from a Starbucks other than to serve coffee in a timely fashion and this place sorely is in need of a managerial change.

I regret tipping anything. The petite brunette barista was so annoyed, I assume at being at work on a Saturday, she got my order wrong. Skinny mocha isn’t hard to understand. She left out the skinny part. She acted so put out when I pointed out it wasn’t made as I ordered, I just said forget it and left. I had my husband and sleeping baby waiting in the car, I didn’t want to wait another ten minutes for her slow, disgruntled behind to make the drink right. So I drank half the mocha, figured it was about the same calories as a skinny, and wasted half my money and drink. Will not be coming back to this location.

Yep, I’m a regular. I always used to make fun of those people that walk into a Starbucks and the employees already know their name and order… then that became me. I go in maybe a couple times a week, but sometimes I’ll stay for a few hours to study or get some work in. I get the same thing every time (Venti Passion Tea, unsweetened, no ice), and always bring my own cup. My container is a bit larger than 20oz but the workers always add a little extra to fill it to the brim. I usually just tell them to water it down, though, because I like my tea a little diluted anyway.
I’ve always been greeted with a smile when walking in, and all the employees are very friendly and start up conversations. It’s such a nice environment to be in, and I don’t mind giving them my money.

If you can walk into a starbucks and they know your name and order, that to me says their staff cares to remember you, which comes in really handy if you’re in a rush. That or you frequently visit that location ;)
Jan 20^th — Their morning crew was awesome! Finally a friendly and efficient staff! Not so high strung and rude like 2 of their previous team members. I have to go back and check their names to give credit where it is due…
The only reason for not getting a perfect 5 star is because twice I have ordered my SGTL double the scoop of matcha, once a tall and yesterday a grande and was disappointed that my cup was only ²⁄₃ full and the rest was foam. Basically paying for grande with tall quantity.

starbucks’ defacto coffee isn’t that great: blonde, pike’s peak, even the dark roast (sumatra).
pour: dark roast (sumatra)1.75 (s)
–brewed a cup separately since they don’t keep coffee in the afternoon
so cool!
–brew tasted heavy not smooth. acidity heavy.
drips:
–service very good,
coffee ready in .2 minutes.

Today my roommate and I went to the Starbucks location on Camino Sobrante, as we do from time to time. I usually order an iced latte. Although this time he and I both wanted to try something different. I ordered a salted caramel latte, and he ordered a chocolate chai.
The girl who took our order was very kind and sweet, just as someone taking an order should be. We shared a laugh over here name tag, which really was a label to something caramel.
The girl behind the bar didn’t seem to know how to read the cup out, she sort of called out my drink with a question. I took a sip of my soy salted caramel latte with whip, and it felt like I took a sip of warm air. We got in the car and I took the lid off to see that half of my drink already fizzed away and the caramel sat in a clump of cream and I took another sip and the salt made me gag. There was absolutely no flavor to the rest of the drink, it was very much unbalanced. My roommate said his drink tasted awful like a watered down loaf of pumpkin bread. Not good:/
I wasn’t happy, I suggested we go to the other Starbucks by the Orinda theater. I took the drinks in, and Brett, I believe his name was, took excellent care as he immediately remade the wrongful in so many ways lattes.
I believe it is time to retrain the staff. I find something of this manner often happens with the baristas at most Starbucks, they just don’t care about the product, they are just there to work. Its quiet disappointing. Although Brett saved the day today. I will much rather go to Pete’s, at least I know the entire staff is trained to make a well crafted beverage.
If we are paying over five dollars for a beverage it should very well be well crafted. I order soy all the time, I happen to know it can be foamed beautifully. The staff should know how it is done. The foam shouldn’t have bubbles of air taking up space in the cup. It should blend smoothly with the espresso/​flavor.
Peet’s Coffee here I come.