I don't know if this happens at all Starbucks, but I assume it's a wider corporate directive that asks the baristas working the drive-thru to make small talk with customers. I get the idea behind it, especially given Starbucks' focus on community, but it drives me nuts!

I'm totally cool with exchanging niceties, but the fact that they've asked me things like: where do you work? what are your plans for the day? where are you headed next? what do you do? etc. just crosses the line with me, and I'm not even a particularly private person!

Am I just a huge grump? Do you like making conversation with the baristas at Starbucks?