Starbucks is a monolithic corporation , the largest coffee chain in the world, but it’s managed to hold onto its reputation for serving excellent coffee and remains a favorite of many java aficionados.
The company is constantly expanding and reinventing itself — and one aspect of that reinvention, shared on TikTok, seems like it might not be particularly well thought out…despite what Starbucks says.
Starbucks likes to try new stuff out.
Perhaps you’ve seen those Clover machines , which transform a $3 coffee that takes five seconds to pour into a $6 coffee that makes five minutes to make. We’re about to see a similarly weird idea.
Meet the Siren System Cold Bar.
As shared on the official @starbuckspartners TikTok account (Starbucks employees can buy stock, so the chain calls them ‘partners’), Starbucks showed off its new system for making cold beverages like frappucinos.
The old system involved pouring drink mix up to a line in a blender, adding a precise scoop of ice, and blending. The new system is basically just a fast food machine.
The new process is smoother.
There are a few steps that the barista needs to follow, but it basically boils down to sliding a pitcher under the cabinet, punching in a few specifics, and waiting for a blended mix of ice and syrup to pour into the pitcher.
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Finish with whipped cream and it’s good to go.
To recap, a barista slides a pitcher under the machine, beep-boops a few commands into said machine, and gets the finished beverage. All they have to do at this point is pour it into a cup, top it off, and hand it to a customer.
Do employees love it or hate it?
Some comments seemed to love the idea, and Starbucks was quick to thank them for their kind words. But the majority of comments didn’t view the changes so favorably.
It’s just one more thing to break.
The lower-tech older system was easier to keep tabs on, since blenders were the only real tech involved. But the new system involves a complex machine, one with many parts that can break and need servicing.
It seems cumbersome.
Other Starbucks baristas pointed out that this system wouldn’t seem to be much faster than the old one, to which Starbucks responded, “Nuh-uh, it’s totally faster.” You’d think the actual frontline employees would know, but fortunately Starbucks is there to prove them wrong.
Are they even craft beverages anymore?
Other commenters pointed out that this machine pushes Starbucks even further into fast food automation territory and makes it tougher to customize beverages — something that Starbucks is famous for. Once more, Starbucks was quick to respond and shut down any dissenting opinions.
We’ll have to wait and see how it works in the real world.
Starbucks likely didn’t get the praise they were looking for with their big reveal, but this feedback is unlikely to change their plans. We’ll see these machines in Starbucks locations soon enough, and it’ll be interesting to see whether frap fans love them or hate them.
Let us know about your favorite Starbucks drink — or your biggest Starbucks complaint — in the comments section.
