Starbucks — Restaurant in Alhambra

I am extremely disappointed with the service at the Starbucks on Valley and Almansor. Over the past few visits, I've experienced long wait times, inconsistent drink quality, and an overall lack of customer car. First and foremost, I want to give a shoutout to Monica, who has taken it upon herself to be the policy enforcer, or as I call it, the barista police. While I understand the need for policy enforcement, the way it's done here is beyond frustrating. For instance, enforcing a refill policy strictly based on whether I physically finish my drink on the premises is unreasonable. Instead, it should address issues like the prolonged wait times for drinks. Often, I find myself waiting over 40 minutes for two refreshers during busy times, despite the Starbucks app estimating a 5 to 8-minute wait time in light traffic. It defies logic and is unacceptable, especially when I’m trying to think ahead and not spend another 10 minutes waiting for a simple green tea refill—which sometimes isn't even properly shaken or stirred. If Monica insists on enforcing policies, then she should focus on more pressing issues. For instance, for three weeks during December, this location did not have essential syrups or any drink customizations available in the app, yet they were physically present in the store. It's baffling that heavy customizations are consistently met with eye rolls and occasional comments. Even with light customization, they lie to your face, saying they don't have certain items. This leaves customers dissatisfied and making use of the barista promise, which only brings more disgusting attitudes from the staff. Furthermore, the staff here could benefit from sensitivity training. In a community with a significant Asian population, it's crucial to be respectful and considerate of all customers. Many Asian customers face language barriers, and the personnel at this location often come off as plain rude. While I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt and not believe it's discrimination, the mistreatment seems to be escalating across different races. In summary, Starbucks on Valley and Almansor needs a complete overhaul in both their service delivery and staff training. A more efficient and polite approach would go a long way in enhancing customer satisfaction...

Ignoring the constant stream of smokers outside, this is without a doubt the BEST Starbucks in the "626"! The baristas here are almost all AMAZING. Always a smile and happy to help you whether it's just a quick bite or a drink or even both! Drink prep is on point, regardless of order. And if anything is off, they'll fix it or get you another one, no problem! (It is corporate policy, but they do it very willingly without any disdain at all.) The lines here can sometimes be a bit trying, but they do their best with the staffing on hand. Afternoons on weekdays can be bad with local students overwhelming the place, but an easy way to reduce your wait is to not order Frapuccinos during peak hours as they are the most popular drinks. Restrooms are generally well-kept too, as with most Starbucks. ALL IN ALL, this place deserves a strong...

THERE IS NO CURB-SIDE PICKUP. Know This.

As mentioned in other comments, they are very short staffed. If you order curbside, you'll have to go in yourself to pick up your order from the counter. We got an iced green kiwi refresher and an iced caramel macchiato, both were made very well. Food orders were correct.

They should STOP offering curbside pick up, and take away the reserved curbside signs, since obviously they don't have the staff to offer this service. It is unfortunate, because during this pandemic, curbside pick up is really important.

The parking lot is very cramped and crowded. Very difficult to pull in and out of the curbside reserved parking spots. Parking spots are far too narrow.

P.S. We got COVID here....ah,...