I think people at work being a major downer is pretty universal. I go into work every morning with a great attitude but I have a fellow barista who just thrives on misery. It seems that the happier people around him are, the more depressed and quiet he is. That by itself wouldn't be a problem but he is a supervisor, he needs to set the tone for the day. Its a weird transition from my shift to his, he literally starts to perk up once everyone else is coming down. The unhappier everyone around him is, the more perky he is. I can't find a way to work with him, we're polar opposites, always trying to do the reverse of the other. Hes burned out on his job, has no motivation and voices his lack of respect for the store manager. Hes still there because he is 'highly trained' and an 'invaluable member of the team'. Can I just scream or something?

Any chance you could get bumped up to shift supervisor or something?  I put in some time at Starbucks and it was quite a lot of ups and downs. I coped by making a few barista friends, talking to the customers, perfecting my foam technique (now I can't be satisfied by cappucinos made by other people ), and cleaning. I'd say that at least turnover is pretty high, but it sounds like he's the type to stick around.

Sorry, forgot to mention. He and I are both Shift Supervisors, the SM seems to prefer me, but the DM likes him and his "go get em" attitude. Heh, turnover is usually pretty high, but we've had the same partners since the store opened 5 years ago. Only maybe three or four of us weren't there for the opening.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's particular about my cappuccinos now