Barista - Temporary

Barnes & Noble•Tuscaloosa, AL

26d

About The Position

The Barista is an integral member of the Barnes & Noble Café team, welcoming customers, helping them choose beverages and café items, maintaining café presentation, and supporting efficient daily operations. The role includes operating registers, stocking deliveries, maintaining displays and dining areas, preparing food and drinks, and providing friendly, professional customer service. Baristas are expected to demonstrate reliable attendance, flexibility when scheduling needs arise, a positive and energetic approach, consideration for colleagues, cheerful customer service, and willingness to learn. They must become proficient in café operations, including technology and registers, merchandising, receiving and stocking deliveries, food and beverage preparation, cleaning, FIFO practices, product dating, and relevant loss prevention procedures. They may also support the bookfloor team and, when needed and able, work in other stores within the wider Cluster. As they gain experience, Baristas build product and café knowledge, maintain appetizing displays, communicate promotions and sales objectives, recommend customizations, use training tools, and follow café safety, hygiene, and sanitation procedures. The role is a step in a career path that may lead to Senior Barista.

Requirements

Maintain reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
Be flexible and responsive to store scheduling needs, including filling gaps when able.
Approach work positively and perform assigned tasks purposefully, energetically, and reliably.
Be supportive and considerate of colleagues and willing to help the team.
Provide cheerful, helpful customer service.
Demonstrate aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and acquire store knowledge.
Use registers, computers, tablets, programs, and other technology comfortably and efficiently.
Develop proficiency in café merchandising, visual merchandising, register operation, receiving and stocking, food and beverage preparation, cleaning, FIFO, product dating, and loss prevention.
Perform physical work involving prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking.

Responsibilities

Welcome customers cheerfully, answer questions, and help them select beverages and café items.
Operate registers quickly and reliably while providing professional customer service.
Maintain attractive café presentation, including the bakes case, dining area, counter, and floor retail fixtures.
Unpack deliveries and stock products efficiently and accurately.
Prepare food and drinks correctly using product knowledge, colleagues' guidance, recipe guides, and product specification materials.
Complete daily and weekly café cleaning tasks and maintain cleanliness.
Follow First In First Out (FIFO) practices and date products consistently and correctly.
Support the bookfloor team when needed.
Follow loss prevention procedures and de-escalation techniques, identify theft and problematic behavior, and seek support as appropriate.
Build knowledge of beverage, bakery, savory, gifting, and café retail products.
Communicate café promotions and new limited-time offers to customers and colleagues and support sales objectives.
Make effective food and beverage customization recommendations.
Use café training tools and follow safety, hygiene, and sanitation guidelines.
Maintain reliable attendance, help fill scheduling gaps when able, and support colleagues.
Work in other stores when able and when needed to support the wider Cluster.