I applied in-person. The process took 2 days. I interviewed at Starbucks (Montreal, QC) in May 2010
Interview
There was an ad on a local classifieds website (Kijiji) saying that they were looking for baristas. I called the manager, and asked if the position was still available. He asked a few easy questions (''Do you know Starbucks?'') and told me to come in the next day for a 1:1 interview.
Since he didn't specify an hour, I got there early, to make a good impression. I was there at ten o'clock. I asked one of the baristas if the manager was there, and she told me that he usually starts at 10:30-11:00. She offered me a free beverage, but I declined politely. (I don't drink or eat when I'm nervous...)
I waited outside the restaurant for the manager, and when he got there, he asked me if I was there for an interview. (I thought he was a customer, since he wasn't wearing his uniform, so I had told him to go ahead, that I wasn't waiting in the line-up.) He asked me to go wait for him at one of the tables while he'd go drop off his things.
The questions were very basic, he was obviously improvising. He was very nice, which allowed me to be a lot less stressed than I usually am in an interview. It consisted mostly of a conversation about the company and how they work.
At the end, he said that he was definitively VERY interested in my application and that f he couldn't find me a job at his store, that he would call other managers to refer me. He told me that if he hasn't called back by Tuesday (we're Friday today) to get back to him.
In the end, he offered me a free Frapuccino. I wasn't too sure, but he insisted, and I ended up trying the new Moka Frapuccino.
Easy-going, conversational, friendly. They were understanding and listened well. It was easy to speak to them. However, interviewing in a busy store can get a bit difficult with everyone inside the store.
Basic questions about my personality, reliability, and desire to work. Not very difficult however be prepared to talk about yourself and show a willingness to learn and you should be fine.
The interview was quite easy and relaxed. They asked me about different case scenarios, how I would handle certain situations, and discussed my previous work experience in detail. The interviewers were friendly and professional throughout the process, which made me feel comfortable. As a nice gesture, they also offered me a free coffee while I was there.