Why doesn’t Starbucks offer an “advance order” feature? (Everything is known!)
If you need caffeine ASAP and don’t want to wait in line, the Starbucks app is a godsend.
But sometimes the “advance order” feature doesn’t work. Is it just me, a glitch, or does this happen multiple times? We looked into it and here’s what we found…
Why doesn’t Starbucks offer an “advance order” feature?
Starbucks advance order Service is a popular way to select and order beverages and food on the go via a mobile app, then pick it up in-store when it’s ready. The order feature is so popular that many times, the sheer volume of orders overwhelms Starbucks employees and therefore cannot be used for a short period of time.
This article looks at what it’s like to be on the other side of the app by looking at ordering apps from the Starbucks menu and why you might experience service delays, interruptions, or unavailability.
How do you order ahead at Starbucks anyway?
Starbucks offers Order and pay in advance Services that you can access through the Starbucks app. Using it, you can browse the menu, customize your order and find the best store location for you.
Then, you just select the item, place the order and pay on the app. You can indicate when you wish to pick up your order.
After placing your order, you’ve checked that the store has a Starbucks pickup location (not all stores do), then you go in and see your name on the status board.
Why is my Starbucks mobile order not working?
Sometimes there are so many orders placed through the app that the store can’t keep up. At this point, some stores may close the app, which is when the app (to you) appears to be not working.
Unfortunately, this has happened repeatedly and more recently. While there’s no limit to the number of people who can use the app at any one time, there’s a limit to the number of employees at each Starbucks location.
This resulted in an impossible workload and caused severe stress on employees who had to deal with a steady stream of impatient and angry customers.
If you’re having trouble placing an order online, at some point the only solution may be to go to the store in person – if possible.
When will Starbucks stop accepting mobile orders?
The Starbucks app may stop taking orders when the volume of orders exceeds the ability of in-store baristas to fulfill them.
Other order disruptions include:
- Cup/lid/straw run out. Although the app is designed to update supplies, it doesn’t always reflect “real time”
- The ingredients are used up. This is a common problem at the moment and has nothing to do with the app itself, but supply and shipping disruptions.
- Lack of staff – again caused by external issues, not reflected through the app
- Starbucks baristas often prepare orders that are not picked up. These are then thrown away, and when the customer finally shows up, the staff has to prepare the order again. This diverts time and attention away from the present, resulting in in-store delays. Order.
What happened to Starbucks mobile ordering?
The Starbucks app ordering service has become so popular that it now seems to routinely outpace Starbucks’ capabilities.
The recent (global) quarantines and stay-at-home mandates have a lot to do with this issue and also help to avoid face-to-face interactions as much as possible.
So when the app is only used by a predictable number of people, it works well. But for now, the service, and the unique features the app offers, have become problematic.
What is it like to accept mobile orders at Starbucks?
Mobile orders now account for more than a quarter of Starbucks’ U.S. transactions. So many orders! ! These orders start as soon as the store opens and continue throughout the day.
These orders are in addition to walk in and drive orders.
However, when there is an influx of application orders, it creates the following challenges for employees:
- Not giving the staff enough time to prepare the order and then greeting the staff with an angry reprimand
- Place an order through the app while actually in the store
- Came so late to take the order that the barista had to throw the drink away
- Order a drink with used completion points
- Becomes impatient if refunds don’t arrive immediately
- Order complex or even odd mixtures, the app makes this possible and requires a lot of barista time
- Anger and criticism of baristas when drinks (such as creations inspired by Tik Tok) are not made “right”
Want to learn more about Starbucks? Check out these related posts to find out why Starbucks is so expensive, whether Starbucks accepts $100 bills, and what the lines on Starbucks cups mean.
in conclusion…
It can be frustrating (and for no apparent reason) when planning a Starbucks afternoon takeout to find that you can’t order through the app.
However, this dilemma is fairly common and arises for very logical reasons. You may need to be in-person, place your order outside of the busiest hours, or check availability at various Starbucks locations.
