Can someone tell me if a barista can keep putting up with a boss like this? I really want some advice.

It's a long story, sorry if my writing is messy. I'm 29, but I'll just say "I" when I tell it. OP here is a barista at a small coffee shop in Udon Thani, been at this place almost two years.

At first I loved it so much—making coffee at a little shop down an alley by the market, regulars who knew the menu and what they'd order, it was fun. But the last six months... I'm just drained.

The main problem is my boss, who is also the owner, about in his 40s. He seems nice when customers are around, but with staff it's a whole different story.

First, the schedule. He changes shifts without telling us. Last week I had a morning shift on Monday and was happy thinking I could sleep in. I tried calling the boss to check and no answer. In the afternoon he messaged me saying my shift was moved to afternoon because a customer group was booking. I agreed, but on the day he asked me to come in for a late special shift too because another staff called in sick, and he said "What will you do if you don't come?" Like... that kind of pressure is heavy.

Sometimes the tasks aren't even in my job description. I'm a barista but he gets me to clean the storage room, brew special coffee for events, and even go buy things at the market at 5 a.m. I can do it, but he never mentions any transport pay or compensation. There's no other manager to handle contracts or anything, so I feel taken advantage of.

Also, he likes me to pick up the shop key around 6:00 a.m. or sometimes carry milk cans from the back at 6:30 p.m. So I have to wake up earlier, grab my tiny wallet and the key, and walk in the dark—about 45 minutes of prep before opening. It adds up to real fatigue. Some coworkers gossip with me—some understand, some just do whatever to avoid getting scolded. The shop culture is quiet and bottled up; anyone who speaks up gets seen as causing trouble.

I asked for sick leave once. I had a bad flu and planned to take two days off. He said, "One day is enough." Even when I did take the day, he kept messaging asking if I was better, like he was following my whole life—too much.

Money is another thing. He always says, "It's a small shop," so there's no clear OT budget, but he promises to buy us meals or give drink discounts as compensation. Sounds warm, but then he forgets—the promises change often. I'm starting to doubt whether I'm giving the shop more than what's fair financially. I have rent, a motorcycle loan, and living costs, and the extra fatigue has no numbers to reassure me.

Once he scolded me in front of customers because one espresso shot had too much milk foam. He yelled loudly in the shop even though the machine was acting up and I had already reported it. He spoke as if I was careless and unskilled, even though I train and follow technique every day. It really hurt. Nobody defended me because they're afraid of getting more work piled on them.

I'm wondering if I'm just overthinking or if I'm bad at handling pressure. Every time I go home I shake, I'm exhausted, and worst is feeling like my dedication to growing the shop is used as an excuse to make me work extra hours without fairness. I've thought about quitting many times, but I'm afraid another place might be worse. In Udon, is it hard to find a barista job with a decent environment? I don't have formal certifications—only real work experience.

Some nights I put an old coffee cup on the windowsill, look at the streetlights at 2 a.m., and think I'm good to this shop: I give time, ideas to change the menu, help train new staff. What I get back is words and rising expectations, not money or concrete recognition.

If I quit, do I have to start from zero? Or should I have one final honest talk with the boss? I'm afraid if I talk and he doesn't change, things will get awkward and my work will become even harder.

Anyone been through this? If it were you, what would you do? Fight to change things or start looking for a new job and set a clear line for when you're ready to go? I don't want to abandon a team I care about, but I also don't want to keep getting taken advantage of. If anyone has real advice, please tell me how to talk so it carries weight—not just another staff complaint.

Thanks for any replies in advance. I'll update later.

P.S. If any baristas in Udon have shop recommendations or know places hiring part-time, please let me know T_T