You look out at Del Oro’s courtyard during lunch, the hot sun is beaming down on the glorious campus. Your eyes move past the library, then the cafeteria, until they’re met with an abundance of students jumbled up in lines outside of our very own Sunshine Cafe.
The Sunshine Cafe is Del Oro’s student store, a hotspot for hungry students looking to buy a quick bite. The shop is stocked with inviting snacks varying from chips served with hot nacho cheese to ice cream.
The low prices are enticing, drawing students in, but what most students don’t realize when buying from one of the campus’ major hubs is that the people serving their food are students attending Del Oro.
Several students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, voluntarily relinquish their lunch, something many students wait for in anticipation all school day. Instead of enjoying a calming break after hours of school work, these students spend their lunch in the hustle and bustle of the busy shop, getting a taste of the work force during school hours. Why do this? Why give up the highlight of many others’ day? To find out, The Sunburst spent a day in the student store to take a look at what students don’t consider when buying from the Sunshine Cafe.
Haley Ramos, a senior cashier who has been working at the student store since her junior year, began her student store journey in an attempt to escape the hot Bakersfield sun during lunch, but eventually became enamored with the work environment and her coworkers.
“It’s so fun in here, I love all my coworkers and my supervisor.” Ramos said as she did her daily cash report after closing. “I’ve learned a lot of lessons in customer service and just about my community in general.”
Regarding rude students, Ramos had little to say.
“Pretty much almost every day.” she said, explaining how often she faces ill-mannered peers. “There’s this specific group of customers who will literally laugh in your face, but they still buy from the student store.”
One pivotal factor that keeps the Sunshine Cafe running is their supervisor, Dallas Barrera.
Barrera took the job in hopes of educating the next generation of retail workers, giving them the advice they need to survive the rough environment when it comes to customer service.
“I’ve had my experience there in the retail world for about ten years and I just wanted to come back to my own community and work with the younger generation,” she said. “There’s not too many opportunities for them to sit there and actually learn, so I wanted to come back and give them their real-life experience so that they already have something when they walk out into the real world.”
Barrera said her goal is to get her students out of their shell and standing up for themselves.
“Whenever I first came here, there were a lot of young people who were very quiet and who really didn’t say stuff back to the students.” she said. “In the real world, [students] have to understand that they cannot speak to people that way. So, I have them voice their concerns, like ‘Hey you guys, treat us like real people.’”
While Barrera will be leaving Del Oro’s Sunshine Cafe following spring break, her influence on the Sunshine Cafe’s staff will continue to shine through.
Jocelyn Lucatero, a junior cashier, described her experience in the Sunshine Cafe.
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a rude customer. I’ve experienced dumb customers,” she said as she restocked an array of chips.
“I think the craziest experience I’ve had is just crowds of people coming in and saying they’re gonna buy something and that they’re gonna buy it for their friends and then they get mad that you charged them for what they asked for.”
A newer addition to the Sunshine Cafe, sophomore Autumn Alvarez, had some input – better yet, advice – for customers.
“Someone asked for pizza and then they asked for ‘chips and a drink,’” she said. “I need you to tell me what you want, guys, please. Please.”
