Starbucks worker sparks outrage with photo of 'wasted' mobile orders destined for the trash: 'That's my rent for a week'

Mobile ordering is seemingly a great invention for consumers — order your coffee before you leave the house, pick it up a few minutes later, and zip off to work. 

Unfortunately, the process isn't quite as smooth as that. Mobile ordering makes it easier to forget your drink or food altogether, wasting your money and the restaurant's food. 

One Starbucks employee posted a prime example to the subreddit r/Anticonsumption. The photo featured over 20 drinks and a few food items from mobile orders that customers never picked up. 

"Over $150 of unclaimed mobile Starbucks orders wasted," they wrote in the caption. 

One person commented on the money being wasted, writing, "That's my rent for a week."

The issue is part of a larger trend plaguing restaurants and grocery stores — perfectly good food and beverages that are thrown away at establishments like Krispy Kreme, Panera, and Pizza Hut. 

In some cases, this food could be donated or sold at a lower price. Apps like Too Good To Go have partnered with food establishments to get users a discount on food that would otherwise be tossed. 

In this case, because the drinks would melt or get cold, that isn't as realistic. Instead, ordering in-store may be less wasteful and ensure you'll never forget about your drink. 

Another aspect of this, however, doesn't fall on the customer. Many comments pointed out that their Starbucks stores are so overwhelmed with mobile orders that they can't get them out in a timely manner. 

One user recounted a recent Starbucks experience. "My drink was out around the 45 minute mark," they wrote. "Most times people can't wait that [long,] I get it." 

Starbucks workers run the risk of getting overwhelmed with or without mobile ordering, but you have a better idea of whether you can wait for your drink by ordering inside. 

Corporate establishments throw out around 74 billion pounds of food each year, which doesn't account for the disposable cups Starbucks drinks are packaged in.

While you may forget about your coffee, mobile ordering doesn't ensure that it'll come out in a timely fashion and runs the risk of technical or user errors, such as ordering it from the wrong store. 

So, next time you're on your way to work, it might save you some time and money to order in person or go through the drive-thru instead of doing it online. 

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