"The 'Skinny' platform is not legendary"

Just in time for New Year's resolutions, Starbucks added a new word to their ordering lexicon: Skinny Latte. That's official SBUX lingo for "nonfat Latte made with sugar-free syrup."

But not everyone's all Cinnamon Dolce with the idea. One New York barista cc'd Starbucks Gossip on her 5-point memo to corporate explaining why she won't be flogging the "skinny platform."

Basically:
1) It'll confuse the staff.
2) It'll confuse the customers
3) "Skinny" is not PC.
4) It's a possible lawsuit magnet.
5) It might make fat employees feel bad.

I have yet to come across a single partner in any store who thinks that this is a good idea. There are several policies Starbucks enforces that I do not necessarily agree with, but this is one that I refuse to adhere to, and I will not let this be something that I complain about to coworkers and do nothing about. I am speaking on behalf of myself, and any partner who shares my beliefs but has decided not to voice their opinion. I love my job. It is a part of my life that brings me joy and makes me feel as though I am making people happy. It is for that reason that I believe this "Skinny" platform is a policy that, if nothing else, should be reconsidered by the company, if not completely eliminated. I will accept any consequences that I may face for not following this policy, but I would hope that it does not come to that.

We wouldn't draw a line in the sand over this ourselves, but we respect Anonymous Barista. How many companies are lucky enough to have front-line employees that care this much about their brand? It remains to be seen whether SBUX considers her a squeaky wheel or a tall nail.

Photo: awungfoo

Contact the author of this article or email tips@seattlest.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By James in Food on January 2, 2008 12:00 PM

Comments [rss]

VJ

Incidentally, I think Cosi has had a "skinny latte" (or maybe it's "slim latte"? Same idea.) for some time.

Beeker

It's official. This political correctness crap has gone too far.

I've always ordered a nonfat latte as a "skinny latte."

Even funnier is when the barista says it back to me and they always say "nonfat latte." It kind of pisses me off. If you understand what I'm saying, why do you change it?

Troy Morris

All I know is, that every time I go to a Starbucks and order an 8oz or 12oz beverage and they try to "correct" me with short or tall or whatever the hell they call them, the barista and I get in a long child-like game of back and forth. Unfortunately, for them, I'm very immature and continue this game for hours.

The longest was 2 minutes of "8 oz" - "short?" "8 oz."

Don't worry, I stop playing if there are others waiting.

PosseAdEsse

Corporate comes up with ridiculous ideas that don't actually reflect the store experience. The skinny, an accepted term for using non-fat milk, is now mandated to refer to non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup. The barista is right, it will confuse the customers and is dumb.

I would guess that she included the points about weight to try and get Corporate's attention. "This is a dumb idea that is not good for partners or customers," will get swept under the rug but "I or someone will bring a lawsuit against you," gets corporate's attention.

KaseyQ

They should adopt 'Fat' for the rest of the drinks. Maybe the 400lb person ordering the Breve Venti White Mocha with chocolate shavings and whip cream on top will think twice when they have to call attention to their fat ass.

COMTE

"Double-short-skinny" has been my order-of-choice for oh, about 20 years or so. Even on the rare occasions I actually go into a $tarbuck$, I've yet to see a barista do more than bat an eye at the call-out, as it has become so common to the point that, so far as I was aware at least, it is pretty much considered a generic, universally understood order - even by $tarbuck$ "partners".

This is just a (rare) example of corporate management bowing to the inevitability of customer preference; presumably so many people order this way, instead of using their prefered "Tall-Double-2%" or whatever, that someone up in the tower eventually bought the vowel, and decided to just make an official policy out of a common practice.

Kim Ruehl

as a skinny girl, i'm offended that starbucks would use my body type to describe a cup of coffee. also, there were at least three dangling participles in anonymous barista's opening statements. wtf?

dangerousdan

I'm a fat guy and founder of the largest size-positive group in the Northwest. I think this is political correctness gone berserk. The NY barista may have a point that the new terminology might initially be confusing, but after awhile it will be second nature. As for her claim that fat people will be offended by use of the term, there will always be people with a victim's chip on their shoulder looking for any excuse to place blame. As for the 13,000 people in our Seattle-based group, we KNOW we're fat! One coffee drink isn't going to make a difference in us being "skinny" and I think anyone who takes offense at these drinks' terminology has bigger issues.

BrokenAlice

Given the fact that the sugar-free syrup they use has an aftertaste like nailpolish remover, I won't be ordering a "skinny" drink of them. Nonfat, yes. Skinny, no. And if my request for a vanilla nonfat latte turns into some damn sugar-free bastardization I am going to get pissed.

Troy Morris

Alright, I'm happy that someone on the battlefront is speaking up, but seriously!?

What the fuck kind of person would get offended if they ordered a "skinny" anything?! It's skinny. It's lighter than the regular.

Point 5 is retarded because those that are fat shouldn't be hurt when something that contains less fat is stated as a skinny X. It's not implying that it will make you skinny, it's implying that the object is a skinny version of a regular. People can infer what they want, doesn't make them less stupid.

And anyone who would get confused by "skinny" anything but not "Venti" "Grande" "short" etc. shouldn't be alive.

And, by the way, as a short, slim built person I am offended by the use of "short" and "grande"

Think I have a lawsuit, Ms. AnonBarista?