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Lead Barista
Food ServiceYou're the one they call when the espresso machine starts making that noise, when there's a line out the door, and when the new hire can't tell a cortado from a cappuccino. You still make drinks all day, but now you also train people, handle shift logistics, and hold the keys. The pay bump is modest, the responsibility bump is not.
Salary Range
Low
$30k
Median
$36k
High
$44k
10-Year Growth
5%
US Workers
85K
Education
No formal education required — promoted from barista
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Espresso machine operation & troubleshooting
- ▸Milk steaming & latte art techniques
- ▸POS systems & shift reconciliation
- ▸Opening & closing procedures
- ▸Inventory management & ordering
- ▸Staff training & onboarding
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Leadership
- ▸Multitasking
- ▸Communication
- ▸Customer service
- ▸Stress tolerance
- ▸Teamwork
- ▸Patience
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Inventory management & ordering
What you'll actually do
- 01Open the store at 4:30 AM and pretend you're a morning person
- 02Train new baristas who think latte art is the whole job
- 03Troubleshoot the espresso machine when it decides today is the day it dies
- 04Manage the morning rush while also being the fastest person on bar
- 05Handle customer complaints about drinks that are 'not what I ordered' (it was exactly what they ordered)
- 06Count the till, restock the pastry case, and close out the shift
- 07Keep morale up when everyone's been awake since before sunrise
Related Shifts
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