Starbucks — Restaurant in Virginia

This is supposedly the oldest Starbucks in this area,

I recently found myself moving to a close proximity, and as a former barista for the company, decided to try and make this one my go to caffeine booster.

Probably not a good call...

So let's start off with Kelly:

I believe she was the shift manager at the time.

I will preemt this with she doesn't seem like a bad person,

That being said, after she sold me a drink they were out of, she had all the excuses you could think of for being out.

There is/was/will never be an excuse for a slow Starbucks to be out of an ice tea. You literally out a bag in a container and put water in.

The barista who I assume must have been new (due to her snappy attitude about the drinks) offered to Kamikaze the teas (mix other teas with it) which I did not know was the new drink policy....

After requesting a refund I was rudely pointed towards the counter and told "she will deal with you"

So back to Kelly, who was at the counter cussing with a regular about something or another for 5 minutes in front of me before she placed a drink order, including enough time for children to come in and hear the conversation before Kelly noticed and stopped it.

Insencere apologies are worthless.

Neither of these employees will ever change their work ethic if there is no responsibility on the manager to keep them in line with the companies customer service policies.

I was surprised when my mother (a Starbucks original from Seattle) told me she was boycotting. I can understand why.

Btw, your new drink is disgusting. Not from me, that's what Kelly told me.

My wife adds: her frap was melted on arrival to the counter. Can confirm. Was like...

This is my favorite Starbucks location in the Woodbridge area, as they have the most character (i.e. are the least corporate-y, ambiance-wise) and have the best seating for long-term lingering.

It's larger than your usual Starbucks, divided into two separate, yet open floor plan, rooms. The larger, brighter room, near the store entrance, has your classic dining tables and chairs for potential group meetups, while the other room, near the back of the store, features much cozier 1-2 person leather seating options, complete with dimmer lighting, wallpaper, and plenty of outlets, for the lingering loner and individual seeking a space to work or study.

The employees do a great job and the vibe is personable, quirky, helpful, and friendly. They are currently running a food drive and sometimes play fun Disney songs or showtunes in the evenings. The speakers are located near the front of the store, so if you're there to work, the sound isn't as distracting. All the more reason to love this location.

My only gripe is that it took me forever to first find this location, as I am new to the area, and Google maps takes you to an outdated and incorrect address. This store is NOT located at 3300 Old Bridge Rd, it is actually located at 3290 Old Bridge Rd. I am requesting that the store update their physical address.

P.S. Thanks for providing a nice place to chill and work. Your employees...

So to start off the drinks were on Point, but I believe that's the nicest thing I can say. We ordered foor and drinks, but our hot food was given and he was told to pull up front to wait for the ice drinks. I've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt but after several occurrences of the food being cold, I have realized they don't know how to prioritize. Im not sure, but I do believe they may only have 1 or 2 toaster ovens but if someone is ordering hot food, they shouldn't have to reheat the food when they get home ( 5 min drive). Today was the last straw though, we were given a ham and cheese croissant that wasn't cooked. I tried calling them after and no answer. There is another Starbucks in the opposite direction of me and they are the new go to for me now. I didn't think a bad Starbucks existed until recently. Even with no one behind you they will ask you to pull up, the food is usually cold and it seems like some of the staff doesn't care. I'm sure it's not their dream job but they need a better manager to get that store up to par. If you want a drink then there is a 50/50 safe bet that it will be ready but otherwise I would stear clear. Starbucks is a treat that we get occasionally, so to ask for it to be done right doesn't feel like such a big ask. A one off is sometimes expected but here it's the average. That's been my past several expirences, do with it...