Can I Quit Starbucks Without Notice

Life can be unpredictable, and some opportunities should be taken as soon as they’re presented. Other situations cause immediate moves to be made. This can complicate things, especially in a work setting. Can I quit Starbucks without notice? 

You can quit Starbucks without giving notice, though giving some notice (typically two weeks) will give you the opportunity for a good reference and the possibility of getting the job back if needed. 

Continue reading to learn more about quitting Starbucks and the potential ramifications of not sending in a notice. 

How to professionally quit Starbucks without a notice

Quitting without notice gets a bad reputation, though it’s not always well deserved. Family emergencies, unsafe (or unethical) work environments, or personal reasons are all perfectly acceptable grounds to immediately end your own employment with a business. Here are some ways to go about quitting without notice. 

Letting your Shift Manager Know

Starbucks doesn’t have a formal process for resigning, so if you need to quit the job immediately, it can be done in many ways, but the most professional way to do this is to go to the Shift Manager to let them know. This may be at the beginning or end of your shift or on a day you’re not working.

Calling and speaking to the manager on duty that shift may be necessary depending on the conditions that brought about quitting. Calling may be in your best interest if you feel unsafe or the job is asking you to do illegal or immoral things. 

Writing a Formal Letter

Writing a formal letter of your resignation is somewhat of a formality, especially when leaving without giving notice. The items on the letter must include your full name, a signature, and the last day you will work there.

Specifying reasons for quitting is entirely up to the employee: the employer isn’t entitled to this information. If you’re quitting due to hardships or personal reasons, it may be beneficial to let the Shift Manager know just in case you want to return to Starbucks at some point in the future.

The Shift Manager can notate this in your personal file in case you apply again, and specific circumstances (and how understanding of a manager you have) may be able to mark you as rehirable. 

Not Coming Back

While this is the most extreme and least professional way to quit a job, there are no real ramifications the employer can take against you if you stop showing up to your shifts or even leave in the middle of a shift. You will still get your last paycheck, but your employer will likely not give a reference. 

What are the consequences of quitting without notice? 

Quitting without notice has its time and place, but there are consequences to not giving the typical two-week notice. Consider your reasons for quitting and determine whether the pros outweigh the cons before quitting without any notice. 

• No reference provided: Asking for a reference from an employer after quitting abruptly will likely not work in your favor: the employer now considers you unreliable and risky. If you have been employed for a while, it’s best to give some notice, barring extenuating circumstances. In the case where you must leave immediately but typically would work out a two-week notice, speak with your manager about your circumstances. They may be able to give you a positive reference if the situation is right. If you’ve just started your time at Starbucks and decided it’s not for you, leaving the job off your resume may be more beneficial. 
• “Burning Bridges”: If you don’t give a notice, your employer will typically mark you as ineligible for rehire. Just know that without providing notice, it is very unlikely you will be able to return to the job in the future. This may also leave a bad impression on your coworkers, who will have to pick up the slack of a missing employee. 

Those are essentially the worst consequences of quitting abruptly from Starbucks. Other jobs may have a contract in which you must give notice, or your last check will be at minimum wage, or other “punishments” to incentivize a notice upon quitting. Fortunately, this is not the case at Starbucks, at least for Baristas and lower management. 

What benefits are there to giving a two-week notice?

Giving a two-week notice is a courtesy to your employer and an excellent way to secure a positive reference and keep the door open in case you need to return to the job in the future. It’s the most common way to resign, as this gives management time to get somebody hired and trained as a replacement if necessary and adjust future schedules as needed. 

This also maintains professional relationships with your managers and fellow coworkers. Fellow baristas may have to pick up the slack for someone who suddenly quit, and while there certainly are appropriate reasons to up and leave a job, it can still wear on the existing employees.

Otherwise, there may be a financial incentive to work out a final two-week period, though if there’s already another job lined up with no lapse in employment, this isn’t too attractive of a reason to stay at a place you intend on leaving. 

If you cannot fulfill a two-week notice, the best thing to do is let the Shift Manager know the situation and sever ties as quickly and cleanly as possible. 

When giving a two-week notice, you’ll want to include your full name and signature, the date the notice is written, and the last date you will work. Hand it into the manager on duty that shift, and that’s it! There’s no need to explain the reasons for quitting, even if asked directly. 

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is in the US and Canada, there are no real obligations to give formal notice for quitting your Starbucks job. Circumstances beyond the control of the employee can arise, and at the end of the day, it’s essential to take care of oneself first.