Starbucks Coffee

i haven't watched the video yet, as i am at work, but thank you is such a simple sign.  i think it might be an easy thing to have baristas be able to do, although, generally, i do not think baristas should be forced to learn sign for the job.  it's a huge language and as hard to learn as any other language out there.

but thank you is an easy sign to pick up (hand forward from the mouth, i believe).  i bet it would make deaf customers extremely happy to see occasionally :)

-lyra

I appreciate what this person is saying, er, rather signing, however, sign language is another language, what about blind people, do we give them thank you cards in braille? What about other languages? Do we need to take orders and say thank you in spanish, french, farsi, mandarin, etc? Once you go down this road, it will get slippery.

Thommie: Most blind people can hear the barista. ;)

Now while, I agree that it does seem kind of slippery to start teaching  languages (as everyone here knows, ASL is a full language), this sign looks very simple. Why not put a page in the barista handbook (if they have such a thing) that explains how to do sign "Thank You"? That way baristas would be encouraged to learn it but not forced.

In response to Thommie. ASL is American. In the US you need to only support English and ASL is a version of that. Other countries support their own languages and other countries have their own signed language. When I went to France, or Japan I didn't expect them to speak English. I had to learn how to communicate to them, not the other way around. It would save the US millions of dollars if they did what the rest of the world does.

Okay, let them learn sign language. The Baristas have enough problems doing what they are supposed to be doing. They cant make a consistent order of oatmeal. They don't know the paninis are to be warmed. I rarely get a decent tasting latte anymore. Now they have to learn sign language....

I'm a long time Barista in Vancouver, and I remember a few years ago we hired a deaf partner to work in the store. The staff were apprehensive about being able to communicate with her, but were excited to give it a shot. The partner was soon a part of the team, and while we had some challenges, it taught us all to listen more to each other.

She taught us some signs, including one for "Americano" and "Thank You". Even though several years had gone by since I'd worked with that partner, I remembered the signs she taught me when a deaf customer came into my store a few weeks ago. The look on her face when I read "Americano" on her slip of paper and signed it back to her was amazing and I will never forget it.

I'm totally for us learning more than "Thank You". Even a basic alphabet chart that partners can study in the back room would be amazing.

Thank you for this!

@thommie: You're making it about yourself now.  Sorry that you would be inconvenienced by the baristas learning the (very simple) sign for "thank you" but, with all due respect, get over yourself.  If you don't like the current quality of your local Starbucks then a) go to a different one, if available, or b) find another coffee shop.  Your problem is solved...and the Deaf can still have their courteous "thank you".

Just to put this in perspective, 6-month old infants are able to learn and produce signs. I think that Baristas learning to say "Thank You" is a wonderful idea. I can also vouch firsthand for how relevant this is: I'm not Deaf, but I'm learning sign language and meet with a group of hearing and Deaf people every week at our local Starbucks to practice.

@thommie Oh, the horror! People learning to say "thank you" in <em>multiple</em> languages!

when i worked for starbucks, we had a deaf customer that read lips. but i still LOVED signing to her (i'd rather not feel pressured to speak/sign another language though)

:)

I have taken 2 years of American Sign Language. First of all, ASL is not derived from English at all.  It is most closely related to French Sign Language.  Some deaf people have learned to speak what they sign to communicate with others.  Others might prefer to have their order written on their cell phone or something like that.  Deaf or not, people can only lip read 30% of words so learning such a simple and easy sign as "Thank You" would be a small gesture that means a great deal.  Some people don't know how to react or communicate when they realize someone is deaf.  If they know even the smallest amount of ASL they would be more comfortable and the deaf person would feel better about it as well.

I think learning to sign "Thank You" is a really great idea. It's a simple and courteous sign, and like everyone else has said, it would be a pleasant surprise.

I think that baristas should be able to sign if they want to, in addition to thanking a customer in another language if they choose (gracias! toda!).

In the video, Adam mentioned the idea of having picture cards available for customers to point to, or even an order form to fill out.  Not only would having a picture card to fill out be helpful for deaf/hard of hearing customers, but also for customers on the autism spectrum.  I work with this population, and sometimes my students know exactly what they want but are unable say what they'd like - they might be non-verbal.  Having pictures to point to would be VERY helpful in those instances (similar to communication devices/books that are used by some individuals who are non-verbal).

I hope that other forms of ordering at Starbucks actually come into being!

Frankly, I'm kinda surprised you would have to teach anyone of working age at all, really. To me it's like "hola" which it seems everyone kinda automatically picks up around here. This isn't to say that there are a crazy amount of deaf people which I see a lot as there are Hispanics, however, ASL is a language of beauty which I happen to know the alphabet of as well as a few words and phrases from simple, every day sources. And yes, while ASL is a language all it's own, I don't think it should be compared to all the foreign languages you can find here. It's not as though foreigners are coming in and demanding accommodation. These are normal, every day Americans. While the deaf community is a culture in and of itself, they are not outsiders in any way, shape or form simply because they cannot hear. YOU could be a hearing family and have a child born deaf. Seriously, what? Would you want your child treated differently like that? I personally recognize it as being a valid language for our country (signs used vary from country to country as well!). Not saying everyone should be REQUIRED to learn it, but come on, who is it gonna kill if they did. Americans are too whiny about such things.

I'm able to hear, however I used to know "whole word" ASL (loose what you don't use). Now I can only finger spell (slowly at that). But, when I have been out at a theater or restaurant and am waiting to be seated or seeing that a person signing needs help; I try to. So, I say go for it Starbucks!

I also with agree the idea of the picture menus or at least a PDA like device that can be offered to a person ordering since some Starbucks have their orders now print out in the back (from what I have seen at a local one).

I said awhile ago I think it is a great customer service gesture to have baristas use sign language.

I think that being able to say "thank you" in sign language is the least they could do. Anyone who watched blues clues could say "thank you" haha. It would be extremely simple for baristas to be able to say simple phrases like "what can I get you" or "Is that all?". You could have beverage cards for ASL speakers to fill out just in case baristas couldnt understand that well...

That's why you lay out a piece of paper. and a pen. smile, nod, and take your right hand from you chin, outward.

thats how i handle deaf customers.

they appreciate it.

Hello, Two years ago, My Starbucks Idea (MSI) debuted at Starbucks Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The

If customers are using their phones to display the order they want already, why not enable them to transmit the order to the register they're waiting at? Regardless of language you could get your order ready in line and simply text when it is your turn...no more repeating long orders to make sure they were heard correctly