Don't fall for Starbucks' "warmhearted" reputation.. the company is just as ruthless as any other Fortune 500 company
Pros
Most of the people that work at the corporate office are very warm and accommodating. Whenever there's a problem, you can guarantee that many of your fellow Partners will be ready and willing to help you fix it. The culture is very consensus- driven, so everyone gets a say before decisions are made, which is an extremely validating aspect of the company that you won't find at many corporations that are of the same size and respectability.
Cons
There is an overwhelming amount of bureaucracy at the senior level. Strides have been made to decrease the effect of this issue on the company, but it will take a lot of time as well as a massive overhaul of the company's core values/priorities to address this issue. For instance, I didn't have computer for almost a month and it took the intervention of a VP to get the ball rolling. That's unacceptable--VPs and senior directors should not be bothered with issues such as this. Again, the company not only needs a massive overhaul from the top-down, but the bottom-up as well. HR/PRO is absolute GARBAGE. Very few of the people in this department are qualified to do what their job responsibilities entail. In my case, I was told a week before my job started that I was being moved to an entirely different team/position that I was not qualified for. Consequently, I was not equipped with the tools I needed to do the new job that I was given and was forced to leave my position at Starbucks within 5 months. I also reached out to PRO about a time sensitive issue regarding my housing situation and it took them over a week and half to respond to tell me they could not do anything. Do not expect to get any help out of PRO if you have a legitimate issue such as your housing or the state of your career because they will not be helpful. Lastly, while Starbucks promotes a culture of "inclusion and diversity", it is seriously lacking in true diversity or inclusion--especially in the technology department. It was extremely disorienting to be the only person of my race and gender on my team as well entire department. The fact that my on-boarding experience was so poorly handled in comparison to my peers only illuminates to me that inclusion and diversity are not a real priority for the company. If you are a young woman or person of color in the tech industry, please do your research before considering a becoming a part of this company.