With the school year starting, coffee shops are getting busier and busier which means you’re seeing your barista more often whenever you need your daily (or bi-daily) caffeine fix. This article is just a quick reminder that baristas are people too and they deserve a decent tip, at least every now and than. Here’s why!
1. Good Karma
We all know that at some point this year you are going to need an act of God to pass the midterm or to not get that parking ticket. Why not tip your barista every now and then to store up some good karma for those desperate times?
2. To help pay for all the supplies to aid our water burns.
This one I definitely did not understand before, but now, the blisters on my hands are a constant reminder that being a barista means that you are dealing with boiling hot water almost every minute of your shift. With each tip I see in my jar, I’m reminded that making someone’s drink as hot as it should be is worth it, even if it’s at my own expense.
3. Because most of us make minimum wage or less.
The barista life is generally not a glamorous one. We have low paychecks due to the fact that are bosses are assuming we make extra money in tips that ups our pay to more like $10 an hour.
4. We try our best to be friendly and send good vibes.
We know that every time you come up to the counter you are hoping for your day to get a little better, gain some motivation, and remind yourself that you can do hard things. With this in mind, I always try to smile and be friendly so that they leave the shop feeling re-energized and positive, in a different way than what the caffeine can do for you.
5. ‘Cause at the end of the day, you know you couldn’t make it through your day without us.
No matter if you agree with the reasons above or not, any true coffee lover knows that you could not make it through your day without us. We fulfill a need in your life, and without us, that essay just might not get done. Shouldn’t that be reason enough to show your Barista some love every now and then?
Make sure to keep these things in mind the next time you order your Strawberry Acai Refresher or whatever your favorite drink is! I’m not saying you need to tip every time you order a drink (ain’t nobody got money for that) but be sure to show some love every once and a while, for the people who try their very best to make your day a little better.