I work in Starbucks – there’s a reason the lighting is so low and it’s not only about setting the mood for customers
A STARBUCKS barista has revealed why the lighting in stores is extremely dim.
Workers have shared a series of secrets online about the hugely-popular coffee chain that customers may not be aware of.
Low lighting is used in stores as part of the company's strategy to be more environmentally friendly, revealed.
Apparently, it has nothing to do with setting the mood for customers.
Starbucks is renowned for championing sustainability and became a member of the US Green Building Council in 2001.
The group is committed to changing how buildings are designed and built so they are sustainable for the future.
Starbucks opened its first LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) store in 2008.
In 2018, the coffee chain vowed to build 10,000 greener stores around the world by 2025.
Kevin Johnson, who was CEO between 2017 and 2022, told in 2018: “Woven into the fabric of Starbucks is the view that the pursuit of profits is not in conflict with the pursuit of doing good.
“We have been on a sustainability journey for many years, it starts with the way we grow our coffee to the work we do with LEED-certified stores, to the work we do around greener cups and plastic straws.”
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Meanwhile, others claim Starbucks uses dim lighting in a bid to encourage customers to spend more money, according to .
Coffee drinkers will have noticed that the shelves and displays in coffeehouses are illuminated.
Experts claim that Starbucks uses lighting to create a premium look, known as the “Starbucks effect”.
They added: “The idea is that consumers like the feeling of being elite and brands like Starbucks cater to this desire by decking out stores with sophisticated interiors and premium lighting.”
'STARBUCKS EFFECT'
Meanwhile, marketing expert Rachel Haines has revealed the strategies Starbucks uses to keep customers in a spending mindset.
She explained it starts before you step through the door of the store – when you open the app on your phone.
Haines added: “Everything in the mobile app is laid out like a game: rewards, milestones, checkboxes, bonus stars.
"You're always encouraged to buy more, to hit the next milestone, to get the next reward."
Haines added the placement of merchandise – which is positioned in a line before customers order their coffee – is no accident.
Starbucks baristas have also revealed that dog-lovers will be able to order their pooch a Puppuccino.
And, employees will fill any cold beverage up with ice, but customers have the option to request less.
Coffee-lovers will be able to get that extra shot they need if they tell their barista “less ice” or “less milk” when ordering.
The Sun has shared stories from baristas who say they've served rude customers decaffeinated coffee.
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One Redditor vented online: “Feel like I’m pretty universal when saying this, but when you think you’re entitled to anything and complain about a non-issue, you’re getting decaf and I’m not apologizing about your minor inconvenience.”
, who claim to work at the chain, have also revealed that they previously served decaf coffee as a type of punishment.
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