Starbucks — Restaurant in San Diego

⭐☆☆☆☆

I've visited this Starbucks location many times, but it's been consistently disappointing. For someone who enjoys going to Starbucks, drinking a warm cup of coffee, and doing business on their laptop, I expect working outlets, but none of the power outlets work—I’ve tested all of them. When I asked the barista about it, I had to wait to be greeted. One employee was on her phone texting and didn't greet me. She likely went on break, so I waited while another employee, who seemed to be on an important call, was also on a tablet. She didn’t even glance up and say, "Hello, I’ll be right with you." She walked off, fiddled with some things, then halfway glanced at me and said, "I’ll be right with you." I get it; when you're the only one left on the floor to handle the drive-thru, online orders, and the front counter, it's hard to think straight. I respect her for holding it all together in a stressful, busy environment. She was polite and friendly eventually and did an excellent job helping me. So 5 stars for her. I asked about the power outlets, and she said, "I don’t know, it’s something with the DM." Then I asked how long they haven’t been working, and she said, "For the past two months."

It's clear that this DM is more concerned with preventing customers from using outlets than providing a comfortable environment and training the staff on raising friendliness. The staff seems stressed and overworked, which is unfair because the employees overall are great and do a good job delivering excellent beverages. 💯 👊

If the DM does a roundup with employees and directly complains about them answering my questions, by saying, "It's none of the customers' business to know these things," they are wrong. It was a valid question that addressed my needs, and she answered it to the best of her knowledge. It's not on her to hide the truth about the issues that directly affect the customers. But it is the DM's job to stop being passive-aggressive and making changes that don’t affect the well-being of their employees, who are the ones who have to deal with these passive-aggressive actions while the DM doesn’t handle these questions. Get in touch with reality. Come back to earth and make the world a better place, not the shady version you have created. You, DM, haven't fixed it; you have avoided it! Be an innovator and stop this weird blocking behavior.

Has this district manager forgotten Starbucks’ oath that everybody is to be considered a customer no matter if they buy a drink or not? 🤔

I visited on Monday, January 13th at 6 PM. The lady barista who helped me was intentional, helped me order my drink with her best suggestions, and she even personally walked the coffee to my table and made sure it was perfect for me before she left—and it was. Come on DM, show some support for her. "If I worked for Corporate," I would give her a paid week vacation because she seems to carry the weight of the world on her back. I would also send a corporate coach to work behind the line for a few days, to raise the levels, help shape the culture of this location, and set a standard with the staff. Additionally, I would pad the staff here with friendly, supportive members.

To the girl with the weight of this location on her back, "You’ve got this—hang in there. We, the customer, have your back. I hope the higher-ups do too."

My tips: Corporate needs to address the atmosphere for employees to feel appreciated, staffed, and friendly so customers will tip greatly to help these employees really enjoy their jobs. If you have issues with people sitting inside too long charging their devices, then up the friendliness and you'll see the paying customers flooding in and filling the space so there is no room for those who are not contributing to the employees' tips and the company's bottom line. This is right at you, District Manager... Lose the attitude and stop sabotaging the outlets. Fix the bigger issue of not properly building a team and creating a friendly environment to fill the seats with the proper...

Worst Experience at Starbucks

So today I went to the Starbucks at Grand & Ingraham, and my kid had to use the bathroom really, really bad. I asked the lady working there for the code and she straight up said, “you have to buy something first.” I told her, “Okay, that’s fine, I’m literally about to order, but can you please just let my daughter go right now?” She still said no. She was rude, nasty, and just flat-out cold about it. Zero compassion for a 9-year-old kid about to pee her pants.

Finally, I went over to the guy at the counter and asked him, and thank God he gave us the code. He could see the situation, he could see I wasn’t trying to pull anything, I was literally about to buy drinks. Meanwhile, the first woman just looked mad that he helped me….clearly pissed cause she felt undermined. He gave us the code and at some point my daughter came back and forgot it…clearly she was all flustered and confused and didn’t even remember the code, and I just felt horrible for her.

I ordered like I always do when it’s just me and her — a grande pink drink for her and a venti brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso with two extra shots for me. That’s $16.20, which is what I clearly normally what typically am perfectly fine spending when I go there. But instead of enjoying it, I just felt disgusted. The whole thing was disappointing, disgusting, and downright frustrating.

Yeah, I get there’s a policy. I even looked it up later. But that policy should be about people abusing the place, not parents with kids who clearly need the bathroom while they’re standing there ready to order. This whole experience was just a reminder that Starbucks really needs to teach their employees about discretion and about how they make people feel. Because this was flat-out infuriating.

And the funniest part? A few days ago I spent over thirty bucks at this same Starbucks. So yeah, clearly I’m not someone trying to get over on them — I actually spend money there. But after this, I don’t even want to go back. Honestly, I’ll probably avoid this location completely. It’s just ridiculous. Rules are great when they’re applied to people taking advantage, but when it’s a little kid about to pee her pants, use some discretion. If it was just me, I would’ve sucked it up. Luckily there wasn’t a line, but if there had been I would’ve just gone to McDonald’s and given them my money. Or maybe Better Buzz — they actually have the Mexican Mocha which m I like. At this point, I’d rather spend my $16.20 there, where they treat people like actual human beings.

And here’s the thing — I used to work for Starbucks. I was an assistant manager in New York City back in 2003 or 2004, at the Broadway location between 115th and 114th streets across the street from Colombia University. My employee number was in the 30,000s, which doesn’t matter but who cares…anyway, I don’t remember the exact number, but either way — I was an employee. I’ve been there. I’ve had homeless people come in and literally smear feces all over the bathroom, and I was the one who had to clean it up. So I get it. I totally understand why the policy exists. But even knowing that, I can tell you without a doubt: there are times when you break rules. You can break the rules for a little kid, right? That’s the moment you show some humanity like that guy did. That’s the moment you don’t act nasty. That’s the moment you choose compassion.

This whole thing was enough to make me never want to spend another dime at Starbucks again and to be quite frank, for six shots of espresso and a drink that’s overly iced makes you think twice anyway it just flat out...

Little Mexican Katie over here with the dark hair and big glasses sure got the biggest Barista attitude I've ever experienced in my whole life coming to Starbucks all across California. If you're not happy with your little Barista job go find another one and stop taking it out on the customers. 😤 Not to mention this place was completely dead inside and in drive and it took me 15 minutes just to get 2 small items w 3 girls working together. Smh.

Update: came into this Starbucks today June 8th 2025, as I am a return customer and have spent plenty of money here several times previously. I was Just informed by the "store manager" that they are no longer offering complimentary water to their guests and will only be offered water if you make a purchase. The same goes for the bathroom as well as being allowed to sit in the lobby and or on the patio. Basically here at Starbucks you got to "pay to play". This is absolutely horrible customer service and I'm sure many Californians and Americans will find this appalling. The "manager" told me that upon each new visit I'm not allowed to stay for any length of time unless I purchase something. That they will not provide me with a simple glass of water unless I purchase something and that I'm not allowed to use the restroom unless I purchase something. This is completely a disgrace to repeat customers and loyal customers who have been coming here for quite some time and have spent plenty of money here in the past. You've been warned. Maybe it's just this location hopefully it's not all Starbucks. Deff go to think twice about coming to this location next time. Smh. Additionally the place was completely dead as far a business goes. Even so the "Manager" still refused. He was polite, I'll give him that, but thats...