What prompts someone to act like this? (Stealing someone else's Starbucks order)

[Anonymous]

So I'm honestly just fascinated by what it takes for someone to get to the point where they're willing to do this.

A couple days ago, I was picking up a mobile order for DH, DD, and me. We were on our way to DD's practice on a Saturday morning and DD and DH were waiting in the car while I ran into Starbucks.

Anyway, the barista went to hand me a bag with a bagel and cream cheese in it. The barista called out my name and I went to take it. Before I could grab it, a woman literally took it from right in front of me and said, "This is mine now. I've been waiting." Then she walked straight out with the bagel and cream cheese.

The barista, a few others who saw it, and I were incredulous. The barista made me another bagel and I went on my way, but I remain just amazed at how someone can do that. I'm not really upset by it, more just flummoxed.

What has to happen in someone's life to lead them to the point where they're willing to literally grab someone's order and walk out with it?

[Anonymous]

An overinflated sense of entitlement. And, being a total asshole.

[Anonymous]

I don't know, but it's technically shoplifting/stealing.

[Anonymous]

I would never do this myself, and I would react in much the same way as the OP.

I DO understand the motivation. The Starbucks mobile ordering system has made in-store ordering a sh*tshow. When transacting as a walk-up customer I’ve waited as long as 15 minutes for my order to come out. With time spent in line, I can wait around longer than I spend consuming my food. I think this customer was trying to express to the employees that they aren’t doing a good job of balancing the onslaught of mobile orders against the people who are right in front of them. However, most rational people understand that’s a corporate policy, staffing, and technology issue, not a choice the baristas are making.

[Anonymous]

Were you at the Chevy Chase Starbucks on Connecticut? I've seen people there be CRAZY, and the food orders take FOREVER.

Here's my Starbucks story - a few years ago, I was at Tyson's during the holiday season, god help me, and I stopped at Starbucks. The line was LONG. I ordered, and then joined the even larger group of people waiting for their orders. I paid attention and watched - I knew who was in front of me in line and who was behind me and I didn't have my phone or something so for whatever reason, I was paying attention.

The barista started handing out orders of people who were in front of my order. I noticed they were handing them out pretty much in order. The barista called out my order, and someone who had VERY recently ordered said, oh that's me, and went ot get it. I mean I had been waiting for more than 5 minutes and someone who had just ordered no more than 1 minute ago tried to claim it. I stepped forward, said, no, it's mine, I've been waiting and I grabbed it and turned to walk out. She tried to bluster that I was rude, but I said, just before this they handed out the person right in front of me, and the person right in front of them. This is mine. Orders take a long time! And I left. I think I appeared rude, but I know I was right. but to this day I wish I had turned the cup and said, oh yeah? Is your name LARLA? But I was too tired of being in line and just wanted out of there.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Yeah, so I assume she also ordered a bagel and cream cheese and I get the frustration with having to wait a long time for your order.

Of course, when that's happened to me, I just ask the baristas about my order, as opposed to just taking someone else's food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Were you at the Chevy Chase Starbucks on Connecticut? I've seen people there be CRAZY, and the food orders take FOREVER.

Here's my Starbucks story - a few years ago, I was at Tyson's during the holiday season, god help me, and I stopped at Starbucks. The line was LONG. I ordered, and then joined the even larger group of people waiting for their orders. I paid attention and watched - I knew who was in front of me in line and who was behind me and I didn't have my phone or something so for whatever reason, I was paying attention.

The barista started handing out orders of people who were in front of my order. I noticed they were handing them out pretty much in order. The barista called out my order, and someone who had VERY recently ordered said, oh that's me, and went ot get it. I mean I had been waiting for more than 5 minutes and someone who had just ordered no more than 1 minute ago tried to claim it. I stepped forward, said, no, it's mine, I've been waiting and I grabbed it and turned to walk out. She tried to bluster that I was rude, but I said, just before this they handed out the person right in front of me, and the person right in front of them. This is mine. Orders take a long time! And I left. I think I appeared rude, but I know I was right. but to this day I wish I had turned the cup and said, oh yeah? Is your name LARLA? But I was too tired of being in line and just wanted out of there.

This was the Starbucks in Kentlands (Gaithersburg). It can get super crowded, but that day it really wasn't.

In your case, you clearly knew it was yours. She was walking out with a bag with my name on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never do this myself, and I would react in much the same way as the OP.

I DO understand the motivation. The Starbucks mobile ordering system has made in-store ordering a sh*tshow. When transacting as a walk-up customer I’ve waited as long as 15 minutes for my order to come out. With time spent in line, I can wait around longer than I spend consuming my food. I think this customer was trying to express to the employees that they aren’t doing a good job of balancing the onslaught of mobile orders against the people who are right in front of them. However, most rational people understand that’s a corporate policy, staffing, and technology issue, not a choice the baristas are making.

Why are you waiting in line? You could place a mobile order while you're standing there and get it faster. Starbucks, Inc would rather everyone use the mobile order so they don't need to pay people on the registers. If you decide to rage against the machine instead of playing the game, you're going to wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never do this myself, and I would react in much the same way as the OP.

I DO understand the motivation. The Starbucks mobile ordering system has made in-store ordering a sh*tshow. When transacting as a walk-up customer I’ve waited as long as 15 minutes for my order to come out. With time spent in line, I can wait around longer than I spend consuming my food. I think this customer was trying to express to the employees that they aren’t doing a good job of balancing the onslaught of mobile orders against the people who are right in front of them. However, most rational people understand that’s a corporate policy, staffing, and technology issue, not a choice the baristas are making.

Mobile ordering, Uber eats, grub hub, etc has ruined the experience for me at a few of our favorite local restaurants (We are in OT) for the reason stated above. There seems to no limit on the number of online and mobile orders people can place and it exponentially increases the number of orders a kitchen has to make without increasing the size and staff of the same kitchen. I was at Momo Sushi the other day, a place I’ve been going to since it opened 15 years ago. We love that place. But the insane amount of delivery drivers waiting for their order to be finished was incredible. It took forever to get our order, same order as always and it wasn’t even a full restaurant. As an in person customer, you’re now competing for service with an unlimited number of people ordering online. Same problem at M2M in Del Ray, especially if a large group (like an office) has placed an order together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never do this myself, and I would react in much the same way as the OP.

I DO understand the motivation. The Starbucks mobile ordering system has made in-store ordering a sh*tshow. When transacting as a walk-up customer I’ve waited as long as 15 minutes for my order to come out. With time spent in line, I can wait around longer than I spend consuming my food. I think this customer was trying to express to the employees that they aren’t doing a good job of balancing the onslaught of mobile orders against the people who are right in front of them. However, most rational people understand that’s a corporate policy, staffing, and technology issue, not a choice the baristas are making.

Mobile ordering, Uber eats, grub hub, etc has ruined the experience for me at a few of our favorite local restaurants (We are in OT) for the reason stated above. There seems to no limit on the number of online and mobile orders people can place and it exponentially increases the number of orders a kitchen has to make without increasing the size and staff of the same kitchen. I was at Momo Sushi the other day, a place I’ve been going to since it opened 15 years ago. We love that place. But the insane amount of delivery drivers waiting for their order to be finished was incredible. It took forever to get our order, same order as always and it wasn’t even a full restaurant. As an in person customer, you’re now competing for service with an unlimited number of people ordering online. Same problem at M2M in Del Ray, especially if a large group (like an office) has placed an order together.

Ok, well that's an issue with the restaurant not sufficiently controlling how many people order online. It's not an inherent problem with online ordering.

[Anonymous]

Presumably she was upset that she was waiting and in her mind, you strolled in and grabbed the first bagel available. People don't understand the concept of mobile orders, and they get angry that someone who got there after them is getting their order first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Presumably she was upset that she was waiting and in her mind, you strolled in and grabbed the first bagel available. People don't understand the concept of mobile orders, and they get angry that someone who got there after them is getting their order first.

Yeah, probably true. Of course, the barista literally called my name, but I suppose she still thought it was her bagel. People are crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never do this myself, and I would react in much the same way as the OP.

I DO understand the motivation. The Starbucks mobile ordering system has made in-store ordering a sh*tshow. When transacting as a walk-up customer I’ve waited as long as 15 minutes for my order to come out. With time spent in line, I can wait around longer than I spend consuming my food. I think this customer was trying to express to the employees that they aren’t doing a good job of balancing the onslaught of mobile orders against the people who are right in front of them. However, most rational people understand that’s a corporate policy, staffing, and technology issue, not a choice the baristas are making.

Why are you waiting in line? You could place a mobile order while you're standing there and get it faster. Starbucks, Inc would rather everyone use the mobile order so they don't need to pay people on the registers. If you decide to rage against the machine instead of playing the game, you're going to wait.

The orders most vulnerable to being picked up by impatient, immoral people are mobile orders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Yeah, so I assume she also ordered a bagel and cream cheese and I get the frustration with having to wait a long time for your order.

Of course, when that's happened to me, I just ask the baristas about my order, as opposed to just taking someone else's food.

I mean, couldn't it have been she ordered the exact same thing so it really was (or should have been, or she tHought it was) hers and she thinks you tried to get in front of her and take her order and defended herself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never do this myself, and I would react in much the same way as the OP.

I DO understand the motivation. The Starbucks mobile ordering system has made in-store ordering a sh*tshow. When transacting as a walk-up customer I’ve waited as long as 15 minutes for my order to come out. With time spent in line, I can wait around longer than I spend consuming my food. I think this customer was trying to express to the employees that they aren’t doing a good job of balancing the onslaught of mobile orders against the people who are right in front of them. However, most rational people understand that’s a corporate policy, staffing, and technology issue, not a choice the baristas are making.

Why are you waiting in line? You could place a mobile order while you're standing there and get it faster. Starbucks, Inc would rather everyone use the mobile order so they don't need to pay people on the registers. If you decide to rage against the machine instead of playing the game, you're going to wait.

The orders most vulnerable to being picked up by impatient, immoral people are mobile orders.

True. They also aren't taking into account the fact that even though the mobile order person might get their order before the walk-in person, the mobile order person probably ordered before the walk-in person. We ordered before we left our house, so by the time I walked into Starbucks, we were easily 10 minutes post ordering.