I never tip them. The prices are already outrageous.

I sometimes tip at coffee places when i buy a 1.50 coffee but if i am spending 4$ on a coffee that costs starbucks less than 1$ to make, then i'm less likely to throw a few more coins into that tip jar. but im not a starbucks person. it's all about the Tim Hortons for me.

I would just like to say I went to Starbucks for the first time since the changes and I got the new Honey Latte. Absolutely disgusting. Also the barista put about 8 pumps of honey (not real honey btw... sugar syrup) in mine and only 1 pump in my boyfriends. I think they need to de-train the newly trained!

Tipping at a place like this should be when someone does something more or better than the norm. Not a place to put your extra change so it gets divided between everyone.
I don't think they should just get rid of it, it doesn't pay their bills or anything. It's not that big of a deal

tip jars only make sense in restaurants and small, local businesses. if it was a local coffee shop, not a huge corporation, i would totally tip whoever made my coffee. but Starbucks can afford to pay their employees more.

Tip jars are meant to subsidize the difference of their crappy hourly pay? PULEASE. What if they get no tips?

To me it does not matter the size of the coffee shop or whether it is locally owned or a huge corporation. I believe you should tip for good service and have no problem with them having a tip jar.

If I have a bit of change leftover I'll drop it into the jar but if not whatever.

Being a former Starbucks employee, I think the tip Jar rocks. I was making 8.50 an hour (not bad for a crappy job, with health bennies, btw.) and getting tips once a week was like an extra surprise.

i am all about tipping when i am getting good service and usually the service at the 'bucks is pretty decent BUT that said it isn't you true resturant with real servers. starbucks needs to raise employee's pay instead of making them resort to relying on a the tip jar.

Tipping in general has gotten out of hand. It's a cup of coffee/latte that is ordered and you go up to get it. You've paid you shouldn't have to tip.

I don't like how tips have come to be expected, the purpose of a tip should be to recognize an outstanding performance. I think all employers should be responsible for providing a resonable wage of at least minimum wage, and that all tips should be a bonus to encourage the worker to go the extra mile.

I will not tip someone already making $8 to $9 an hour. That's ridiculous.

Yes.

i dont know what starbucks you all go to but the one i worked at barely paid me 7 dollars an hour. the tips ended up giving me a much needed extra $30 a week (on a GOOD week). the tip jar is there if you feel like tipping, and the regulars that came in twice a day and ordered their very specific drinks (down to the temperature) were really the only ones to tip much. so there is nothing wrong with the tip jar being present. if you dont want to tip then dont.

there goes my venting for the day

When you think about it you tip the bartenders and bascially they are doing the same job that a barista does, so why dont we tip the barista. I never tip the barista, i just give them whatever change i got. But it was just a thought.

While I can understand from the employees' standpoint, I find it horribly tacky and inappropriate. They pour me a cup of coffee. Not a hard job. And they get paid decently for such work, far better than servers do on the hourly rate. The only time I ever tip is if they don't get stingy with the refills.

Starbucks already charges and arm and a leg for their coffee, so there's no way in hell I'm going to tip them. Servers get tips because they actually get paid a lower wage (under 'minimum wage') and then tips go on top of that. Baristas already make minimum wage or more. At least in Ontario.

I do not think that $8 or $9 per hour is that great.

I definately do not think you need to put money in these tip jars.

oh please, that tip jar is NOT subsidizing workers pay. i guarantee you that none of those workers are counting on getting many, if any, tips a week. when i handled carry out orders as a hostess i'd occasionally get tipped. it was a perk, nothing more nothing less. nobody's requiring you to tip them. if the tip jar bothers you, just ignore it!

as a company that promotes fair trade, they should be paying their employees more fairly. being on your feet all day and having to be in a permanently good mood is straining, and the pay should reflect this.

Some of these comments make me sick, its like once people get nine to five jobs they forget how crappy it is to work at a chain coffee shop-getting up at 4 am to open, cleaning ALL DAY LONG on your feet, dealing with rude customers, dealing with sticky sugary substances and spilt milk, going home everyday stinking to high heaven of coffee beans and wearing a crappy degrading uniform (that was designed for a mans figure), and for like 8 bucks an hour (if you're lucky) BEFORE TAX. If you're feeling generous, give a dollar, give 50 cents - whatever, if you can afford to drink an espresso drink you can afford to give a little extra to the person who made it for you. (assuming they were polite)

They make above minimum wage. I don't see tip jars at McDonald's (I never go there, but you catch my drift) and those people make minimum wage and don't get to work in a trendy, coffee paradise. I'm going to tip on my rarely-made-right-Frappuccino so someone who I saw for 2 minutes or not at all can enjoy my hard-earned money simply because their employer decided to put out a tip jar? I don't think they'd all be clamoring to get a tip jar if there never was one.

They make above minimum wage. I don't see tip jars at McDonald's (I never go there, but you catch my drift) and those people make minimum wage and don't get to work in a trendy, coffee paradise. I'm going to tip on my rarely-made-right-Frappuccino so someone who I saw for 2 minutes or not at all can enjoy my hard-earned money simply because their employer decided to put out a tip jar? I don't think they'd all be clamoring to get a tip jar if there never was one.

Here's the thing. I used to work at a retail store: all of the same negatives, but I was NEVER tipped -- EVER. I don't tip at Starbucks. If someone is paid over minimum wage, they don't need tips. That said, I do RELUCTANTLY give if I get over-the-top fantastic service. Why reluctantly? A Target associate doesn't get any extra money if they do a good job. (and being a sales associate can be EXHAUSTING)

I don't think this is leading to the downfall of Starbucks. It is a little annoying though.

I drink Diet Coke.

why is every second post on here Starbucks-related? are they paying for ad space???

i used to never even think about it, but now i throw my change in there.

i've read so many blogs of people who work at starbucks who do need the extra cash.

in nyc, my vanilla latte + tax is about 4.25 ish. i throw in my change from a $5.

i think it's just NICE to give a tip. However, the other day I spent 4.01, and gave the guy a $20. he proceeded to count out $15 and 99 cents worth of change to me, when there were pennies right in front of him. I would have tipped him for keeping my last dollar intact instead of changing it to 99 cents!
I'm glad we had this discussion. I'm going to start tipping more at starbucks, just because it's a nice thing to do. Raieven was right. SOmetimes we forget how hard it is to work a job like that.

I used to manage a coffee shop and the tipping ettiquette is not 15% it is actually just any leftover change from the purchase...the coins! So how is that even helpful as income for an employee. With people mainly paying with credit cards and membership cards at starbucks, tips aren't that high anyway...most likely the money that comes out of the tip jar is not taken into account in salary and is just a nice few bucks to take home at the end of the night. Oh and its all pooled together, split amongst 5 or 6 people.....this guy's got no clue. No one forces you to tip and it's not mandatory so it's not going to revolutionalize the store...I think the upcoming changes will turn things around.

Star$ has a tip jar? Lord knows I've never tipped there. Wait, I dont even go there. Ok, that makes sense

Tipping is out of control. To me it would be like tipping McDonald's employee. I have to stand in line to get my order so why should I give the extra change or more? I tip when I am at a sit down restaurant. They should just get rid of them! The Starbucks in Target do not have them and I really like that.

I'm not a fan of the tip jar, but I will say that at Starbucks I usually get better customer service than most other places. The employees smile and greet properly, are friendly and helpful. So sometimes I do tip.

At my 2 local coffee stops (one is a Starbucks) I get great service, and even though I only stop at each twice a week, the employees always greet me by my name and ask if I am having a grande extra hot nonfat vanilla latte. I always get told to have a great day and see you soon when I leave, or some variation.

I have a feeling that either my local spots have exceptional service, or the fact that I tip at least 50 cents each time has something to do with it. Personally, I feel like it has paid off in the long run to tip. Tips are what motivate most people to provide excellent service, it is part of the expense of buying coffee.

Unless someone seats me at a table, takes my order and serves me my meal, I'm not tipping! I agree with those above - it's out of control! There seems to be a tip jar everywhere but the grocery store, which I'm sure is next on the list! Like the way I rang up your groceries? Leave a tip!

i don't feel like i need to tip at starbucks. i feel differently at a restaurant or at Sonic when the waiter/waitress is actually working to bring me the food. the starbucks barista is simply standing behind a desk handing me coffee. not really the same in my eyes.

It's interesting how wherever there is a tip jar, some people think it's a good thing to tip. It's always a good thing to give people free money, but a tip jar seems to flip the "nice" switch in some. I want a tip jar.

With that line of logic, we may as well have tip jars on McDonald's counters too.

Sorry I should add that my comment is to the CEO mentioned in the article not my fellow commenters.

Oh how I hate the tip jar. It is tacky- a real turn off! It makes me uncomfortable . It looks bad that the company reduces it's employees to put one out. Please pay people a decent wage and be done with it! Why must I tip for everything anymore? Tipping is supposed to be special. Not just another way to nickel and dime everyone. My tip is get rid of the jar!

To add to the discussion, what about the overwhelming trend of people using plastic to pay for smaller and smaller purchases? I, for one, do not like to carry around cash. I wouldn't mind putting in a couple of quarters, but I don't get quarters back when using my debit card. Perhaps a new way of tipping is required as well as Starbucks increasing the quality of atmosphere and pay for its employees, which will ultimately make working and visiting a Starbucks more enjoyable for all.

Someone actually wrote this in the comments above
"Some of these comments make me sick, its like once people get nine to five jobs they forget how crappy it is to work at a chain coffee shop-getting up at 4 am to open, cleaning ALL DAY LONG on your feet, dealing with rude customers, dealing with sticky sugary substances and spilt milk, going home everyday stinking to high heaven of coffee beans and wearing a crappy degrading uniform (that was designed for a mans figure), and for like 8 bucks an hour (if you're lucky)"

PLEASE....if it is so crappy to work at a chain coffee shop go get an education. By the way, there are many ,many worse places to work than a "chain coffee store" - this person needs a reality check!

I always tip, even if it's just .25

When i worked at DD years ago i made $4.50 and hour so the tips where very appreciated. The only thing that bothered me about the tip jars were that you had to split them with the other girls that were working. Which was not very fair since some of the girls would never wait on people or take like 15 smoke breaks and i would wait on everybody all day and then have to split the tips with them.

I also want to add the Starbucks is a big company and they should be paying their employees enough so they don't have to depend on tips.

All companies not just large companies need to pay their employee's a fair wage.

Other coffee shops have tip jars as well, and I never feel required to tip unless I've received extremely good service. I don't think Starbucks should have to get rid of their tip jar because a person doesn't have to tip at any shop, it's a personal choice.

I think having the jar out is fine, and depending on the difficulty of drink/level of service you get, you should feel free to tip or NOT tip if you want.

That said, I understand the logic of taking the tip jar away--because it alleviates the guilt of the customers not tipping, and the anxiety of the ones who do want to! What if you pay with a credit card? Guilt. Run out of cash? Guilt. It's just easier on the customer to not have to worry about it at all, which could drive up Starbucks sales in general.

I work for Starbucks. It is nice to get about 50-60 dollars, in winter time, in cash each week. This is grocery/gas/etc. money. My paychecks pay bills and this little bit of cash I can always count on. You all dont have to leave us tips. I dont leave tips but I also work there.

I'm currently a barista at Starbucks and I'm a little put off by some of these comments. I understand where everyone's coming from, but as many people have already said, tipping at Starbucks is not mandatory nor do all baristas expect everyone to tip. It's just an added bonus and no one really expects to receive that much in tips, anyway.
I realize that there are "harder" jobs out there. But to make the assumption that all baristas do is stand behind a counter and pour coffee once in a while is asinine. There is a lot more to working at Starbucks than people think and even I was surprised when I first started. With that said, I want to reiterate the fact that I KNOW there are jobs that require more physical labor and I'm not trying to downplay that at all.

And to ticktock - every job has its perks and downfalls. There are going to be good days and bad days. Like I said, there is more to working at Starbucks than most people think. Cut us some slack. Oh, and don't assume that just because someone works at a coffee shop, that they're uneducated and lack motivation in life. Get an education? Most of the baristas I know are full-time students trying to put themselves through school. Just because someone's working an hourly job, it doesn't mean they don't have ambitions in life.