A Starbucks worker’s TikTok is encouraging customers to be mindful of their etiquette whenever they are at the speaker box.
TikTok user Fatima (@fatimashalash), who has over 130,000 followers, shared what it’s like for workers “When a Nissan Altima owner is still sitting at the speaker because the line hasn’t moved.”
Fatima has a headset on and looks unamused in the clip as Coi Leray’s “Players” blasts through the location’s speaker box.
@fatimashalash Me acting like I didn’t used to own one
♬ original sound – TMCnasteh
The Daily Dot reached out to Fatima via Instagram direct message.
Her video garnered over 300,000 views as of March 11, and it left Starbucks customers who frequent drive-thrus evaluating their past behavior. “So you hear me arguing with my husband about his overly complicated order,” one questioned.
How are employees able to hear what’s happening in a customer’s car? According to Daily Meal, “The drive-thru speaker is actually activated by the metal in your car, so the drive-thru employee’s speaker will turn on in their headset as soon as you pull up (per Mental Floss). … Speaker quality does vary — some speakers are older or “grainier” than others — but at the very least, the person taking your order will hear some noise coming from your car (via lifehacker).”
Some commenters on Fatima’s video were aware that drive-thru attendants can hear what’s going on in their vehicles.
“I turn down my radio bc I’m embarrassed. I don’t want my playlist judged,” TikToker @goldbowbear shared.
“Nah, I turn mine down because I’m usually listening to a true crime or psychology podcast and don’t want to be judged,” another agreed.
Others shared how they use this knowledge to their advantage. “I turn my music up so the workers know I’m still waiting,” TikToker @tradds commented.
In addition to turning down one’s music when at the drive-thru speaker, there are other etiquette tips to remain mindful of when at a drive-thru, according to workers. One barista recently reminded customers to turn their windshield wipers off when it’s raining so that employees working the drive-thrus don’t get wet. Some other best practices include placing an order through the mobile app and waiting a bit before hopping in line and waiting patiently at the speaker as opposed to saying and repeating “hello” to get the attendant’s attention.
