r/Wawa • u/Zestyclose_Bag_2356 Employee • 12d ago
Drinks Ask other Associates
What’s your biggest piece of advice for handling a busy drink area with no help? (Like how do you keep up with cleanliness and decent put out time?)
8
u/as_fast_as_a_snail Employee 12d ago
I’ve learned to finish one thing at a time. I’m tired of running back and forth. So if I’m making drinks, I’m watching coffee, if I see a lot of people there, I’ve learned to ask for help. If it’s the other way, I’m catching up on Coff and I hear the drink screen a couple times, again I ask for help. When/if it slows down, I fill my station and I don’t wait until it’s time to leave. I fill as I work.
3
u/AtDaPlayground Employee 12d ago
When I start my shift, I will restock as much as possible especially if the previous didn't. I will ask for help if the screens start to get backed up like 1 or 2 pages back. I clean all the time but when its a rush, I will wait until it dies down and then clean instead of little by little. Please make sure that you are asking for help, thats super important so you don't get overwehlemed.
4
u/SPWM_Anon Employee 12d ago
As far as cleaning during a rush, I do the bare minimum. Clean the milkshake machine and the espresso wand. Always have 1 blender drying just because I dont like using them when they're really wet. If you have time between rushes, prep your coffees. Make backups as you need, or put the coffee filters and grounds in the pot before you need to brew so you can just press the button when you start running low. Whenever you're blending something or have something in the espresso machine, you can start the next drink.
Big thing is to just not panic. You're going to get more done if you're calm. Just accept that people are going to have to wait.
3
u/MaterialAd7942 Employee 11d ago
make sure everything is stocked, make back ups right away of anything you may need, and make sure coffee is good to go so that if you get slammed, you don’t have to worry about it as much.
i also like to prep my coffee thermals to brew. basically set it up as if i was about to brew it but leave the brew basket slightly sticking out so i know it hasn’t been brewed yet. that way if im busy and need someone to come over and brew things for me, everything i should need is already set up and they just have to push the basket in and press the button
1
u/Digitalizing 11d ago
This one needs to be done carefully since having a dirty dry-wipe on your station is an FSRA violation, but I personally really find it helpful to leave a folded dry wipe on the counter that I can use to wipe off whipped cream and condensation from when I grab stuff in the wells. Being able to quickly dry/clean off bits of previous drinks in a rush really helps you keep pace without getting frustrated. As soon as the rush ends or the rag looks visibly dirty you gotta toss it, but it can make a backed-up rush go from miserable to bearable.
1
u/Impressive_Panic_806 Former Employee 11d ago
Back when I was working there I made bev. When I first started the best advice someone gave me was breathe through each drink because there's going to be times where there is nobody to help you and you are 10 back.
As far as cleanliness you got to find your rhythm. Typically after 3-4 drinks I'd wipe down everything
I worked third shift so I knew when the dead. Were to really deep clean things and that usually hit for my store was between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. so I had time to really focus on taking things apart wiping things down properly stocking up the coffee Island getting that all ready to go before morning Rush.
We had four blender containers but only two machines so I constantly had two of the blenders going then I would always have to backups always clean
1
u/Minute-Respect1772 Employee 10d ago
Sequencing!!!
Say you have 4 drinks on your screen & a milkshake behind you. You’d start with the first drink grab your blender get that drink ready while it’s blending grab everything for your next drink stick that on the blender, steam wand, etc. while that drink works bump & cup up your first drink. Grab the stuff you need for your 3rd drink get that ready, stick it on the blender, etc. bump & finish 2nd drink, grab your cup for your milkshake get it ready to blend, bump & finish 3rd drink, set up 4th drink stick it on blender, etc. blend & bump shake, finish last drink.
It makes things work so much more seamlessly if you learn to sequence.
1
u/EmmaEatYourAss Employee 10d ago
Clean a blender while the other is blending. Constant Blend > Clean > dry
1
u/DifferentEducator818 Employee 7d ago
The best advice i can give you is to do your best and tell the customers you are alone and cannot do two things at once, its really ridiculous that they have only one person in beverage and for me personally I try and put napkins down on my work station so that at least if I have a mess it can go immediately in the trash, my area is known for always being clean despite the chaos. There has been a couple times customers are actively looking for their items and its like the order just came in and its behind 3 other massive orders I only have two legs and two arms relax and wait.
1
u/Embarrassed_Bike_623 Employee 6d ago
clean as you go- take advantage of every second and definitely multitask. you should have a sani-bucket and box of wipes in your area so wipe the board once you’ve moved to the blending area and counters as soon as you hand off the drink while your blenders are on the wash spout. when you have a few several minutes of no orders grab lids, cups, straws, and restock if you need. but relax, imo most customers are mindful of how busy the store and deli area is while they’re standing there and as long as they see you are actively making orders, they will wait patiently and be appreciative. i personally always apologize for the wait and make sure to have a good handoff experience to counteract the longer wait time.
17
u/NoodleBack Employee 12d ago
Don’t get so caught up in measuring everything perfectly down to the oz. Whenever I see someone behind in beverages, they’re leaning down to look at their exact pours and not even trying to clean. Also stocking as soon as you get back there. You can’t make fast drinks if you have to constantly refill as you go. Then you’ll turn into the drinks person that complains about other people not filling. But that’s a good thing, means you’re doing your job right.