My experience at Starbucks so far
I’ve been lurking on this sub for a while now and finally wanted to make a post about how positive my experience at Starbucks has been. I know most posts on here lean heavily negative and a lot of people see Starbucks as a terrible company to work for, but honestly my experience has been the complete opposite.
I’m in my mid20s now and finally feel like I’m getting my life together. I struggled with addiction during my late teens, but I’m now 3 years clean and sober while going to school full time. Working at Starbucks has genuinely helped me rebuild my life in ways I didn’t expect.
A huge reason for that has been the benefits. I only work around 20-25 hours a week because of school, but I’ve still been able to take advantage of so many programs that have helped me financially, mentally, and personally. I also pick up shifts at other stores through Shift Marketplace when I want extra hours and have the time to spare.
Some of the benefits I’ve personally used and appreciated:
-Full medical, dental, and vision insurance for around $36 a paycheck(I’m in CA if that matters). Most places I worked before wouldn’t even offer benefits unless you were full time, so this was huge for me.
-Headspace has honestly been great for stress and sleep. I use it almost every night before bed.
-Lyra gives partners 20 free therapy sessions. I’ve used a few virtual sessions already and as someone in recovery, having easy access to mental health support means a lot.
-My Starbucks Savings gave me an extra $250 just for setting up a savings account through Fidelity.
-Free Spotify Premium. Saves me money every month and I use it daily.
-Free Lyft rides during certain hours. I don’t have a car right now, so this has saved me a ton on transportation since I mostly work closing shifts because of school.
-The Future Roast 401(k) has honestly been one of the most underrated benefits. Starbucks matches 100% of the first 5% you contribute. I’ve been here a little over a year now and between my contributions and Starbucks matching them, I’ve already built up around $5,400 in my 401(k). No other part-time job I had ever offered something like that.
-Protected sick time and PTO for part-time workers is also something I didn’t really appreciate until I started comparing it to other jobs I’ve had.
-The Siren Card surprisingly helped improve my credit score over time just by using it like it’s a credit card but it’s your own money
-The food and beverage benefit has helped me save a lot of money as a college student living on my own. Since I close, my SSVs and managers usually let closers take home food that would otherwise get tossed or donated, and that honestly makes a difference financially.
-And last but definitely not least, the Starbucks College Achievement Plan has probably been the biggest life changer for me. A few years ago I genuinely thought I was going to end up dead from addiction. Now I’m in school working toward a finance degree and have met amazing people along the way.
I completely understand why some partners dislike working here because management and store culture can vary a lot. I’m not trying to invalidate anyone else’s experience. I just wanted to share mine because it’s been overwhelmingly positive so far.
I know this probably sounds like corporate propaganda lol, but it’s genuinely just me talking about how much this job has helped me turn my life around. If I could redo my early 20s, I’d choose Starbucks over jobs like Walmart, McDonald’s, Marshalls, or movie theaters every single time.
To my fellow partners: please take advantage of the benefits. They really can make a huge difference if you use them!