Barista

Barnes & Noble•Northbrook, IL

About The Position

A Barnes & Noble Barista is an integral member of the café team, welcoming customers, answering questions, and helping them choose beverages and café items. The role supports efficient café operations by maintaining attractive displays and cleanliness, stocking deliveries, tidying the bake case and dining area, and serving customers professionally at the register. Baristas are expected to be reliable, punctual, positive, helpful to colleagues and customers, willing to learn, and enthusiastic about the work. Baristas are trained to use registers and other technology, maintain café and retail-fixture presentation, receive and stock deliveries, prepare food and drinks accurately, complete cleaning tasks, follow FIFO and product-dating practices, and support the bookstore floor team when needed. They also learn loss-prevention procedures and de-escalation techniques. The role involves prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking. Employees may support other stores when needed and able. As their experience develops, Baristas build knowledge of beverage, bakery, savory, and gifting products; maintain appealing presentations; explain promotions and new items; recommend customizations; and apply café safety, hygiene, and sanitation practices. The stated career path may advance to Senior Barista after mastery of the role’s skills. Employees must comply with company policies and procedures. The listed benefits vary according to scheduled weekly hours and location. Starting pay is $16.00 per hour, depending on experience, seniority, geographic location, and other legally permitted factors.

Requirements

Reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
A positive, energetic, and dependable approach to assigned work.
A considerate and supportive attitude toward colleagues.
A cheerful and helpful approach to customers.
Willingness and aptitude to learn new skills and knowledge.
Ability to use registers, computers, tablets, programs, and other tools comfortably and efficiently.
Ability to perform physical work involving prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking.
Enjoyment of working as a barista.

Responsibilities

Welcome customers, answer questions, and help them select beverages and café items.
Maintain attractive café presentation, including the bake case, dining area, counter, and retail fixtures.
Operate registers quickly and professionally to serve customers.
Unpack and receive deliveries, then stock products efficiently and accurately.
Prepare food and drinks accurately using product information and recipe guides as needed.
Complete daily and weekly café cleaning tasks and maintain cleanliness.
Follow FIFO practices and date products consistently and correctly.
Support the bookstore floor team when needed.
Follow loss-prevention procedures and de-escalation techniques; identify theft or problematic behavior and seek support.
Build knowledge of café beverage, bakery, savory, and gifting products and use it to maintain appealing displays.
Share knowledge of promotions and new limited-time-offer items with customers and colleagues.
Recommend food and beverage customizations to customers.
Use café training tools and follow café safety, hygiene, and sanitation procedures.
Maintain reliable, punctual attendance and be flexible in responding to store scheduling needs.
Support colleagues and contribute to the wider store cluster when able and needed.
Comply with company policies and procedures.