I don't get the impression that they didn't. The difference is that now they have a reason to discuss it. "Hey, did you know about the Starbucks initiative to discuss race relations? What do you think of blah blah blah?" This is much more approachable and understandable by the customer than a random barista asking the same question alone. The latter is much more like the crazy person that's talking to you on the bus: you don't get what their motives are, why they chose you specifically, etc. so you are not going to like it. I think the bit about "having the option" basically means they have the option to not do it, as in it's not a mandate that they have to.
It still seems a bit weird... I go to a barista to get coffee (well, tea in my case), I don't go there for extended political discussion. I'm fully behind equality on every front, race, religion, sex, whatever; but when I go to get a drink, I honestly don't care what the barista's political opinions or affiliations are. It's also not my concern to have them probing what my political opinions are... I have them, I'm happy to discuss them - endlessly, in an appropriate forum; but I came in to get a drink, not to get sucked into a political debate - no matter how much I may agree (or not in other cases... ahem, GMO labeling/Monsanto) with it.
A halfway decent barista will likely be able to tell without either of you saying a word. Some customers are all business, others are chatty or want a bit of banter.
I'm guessing this initiative won't change your particular daily interaction at all.
Making customers uncomfortable is always a bad plan. I don't want to contemplate the fact that I work in a mostly white office building above an entirely black starbucks, while getting a cop of coffee.
And I used to be a cashier. I'd rather die than start a talk about a touchy political issue with customers.
Talking about politics and/or controversial topics, which race relations is IMO, is impolite in public. If I owned a coffee shop, I sure as hell wouldn't want my employees making an effort to talk about stuff like that to customers.
Comments
How nice, baristas will now have an option to discuss race relations with their customers. How come they didn't have such an option before?
I don't get the impression that they didn't. The difference is that now they have a reason to discuss it. "Hey, did you know about the Starbucks initiative to discuss race relations? What do you think of blah blah blah?" This is much more approachable and understandable by the customer than a random barista asking the same question alone. The latter is much more like the crazy person that's talking to you on the bus: you don't get what their motives are, why they chose you specifically, etc. so you are not going to like it. I think the bit about "having the option" basically means they have the option to not do it, as in it's not a mandate that they have to.
It still seems a bit weird... I go to a barista to get coffee (well, tea in my case), I don't go there for extended political discussion. I'm fully behind equality on every front, race, religion, sex, whatever; but when I go to get a drink, I honestly don't care what the barista's political opinions or affiliations are. It's also not my concern to have them probing what my political opinions are... I have them, I'm happy to discuss them - endlessly, in an appropriate forum; but I came in to get a drink, not to get sucked into a political debate - no matter how much I may agree (or not in other cases... ahem, GMO labeling/Monsanto) with it.
A halfway decent barista will likely be able to tell without either of you saying a word. Some customers are all business, others are chatty or want a bit of banter.
I'm guessing this initiative won't change your particular daily interaction at all.
Making customers uncomfortable is always a bad plan. I don't want to contemplate the fact that I work in a mostly white office building above an entirely black starbucks, while getting a cop of coffee.
And I used to be a cashier. I'd rather die than start a talk about a touchy political issue with customers.
Talking about politics and/or controversial topics, which race relations is IMO, is impolite in public. If I owned a coffee shop, I sure as hell wouldn't want my employees making an effort to talk about stuff like that to customers.
I'll have a tall drip coffee with room, a toasted bagel and some awkward conversation please.
Cream in that? Yes, make it a III on the Fitzpatrick scale.
I love room in my coffee.