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‘The barista was too stunned to speak’: Starbucks drive-thru employees work through flash flood and hail storm

‘And like 90% of the customers have their wipers on full blast sending more water through the window.’

Photo of Cecilia Lenzen

Cecilia Lenzen

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@marlaabee/TikTok Remix by Cecilia Lenzen

A viral TikTok video shows what Starbucks baristas have to go through when there’s both rain and hail outside their store.

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A TikToker and barista named Marlabee (@marlaabee) posted a video Tuesday showing one of her Starbucks coworkers, who appears to be already soaking wet, manning the store’s drive-thru window. Outside, heavy rain and hail pour down and through the open window, but a customer is still seen waiting in their car for their order.

“The barista was too stunned to speak,” a voiceover says in the audio.

“When there’s a flash flood warning + hail but customers still need their coffee,” Marlabee added in the video’s caption.

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In less than a day, the video went viral with over 593,000 views on TikTok.

@marlaabee When there’s a flash flood warning + hail but customers still need their coffee 🫠 #starbucks ♬ The Barista Was Too Stunned To Speak – ashton ツ゚

Some viewers cracked jokes about the scene in the video’s comments section.

“80% sure they ordered a caramel frappe w extra caramel,” one viewer commented.

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“2 grande ice waters please,” another user joked.

Other food service workers commented about their own relatable experiences of having to work through concerning weather conditions. Multiple drive-thru workers commiserated about customers leaving their windshield wipers on—which threw even more water on them.

“I used to work at a place with a drive thru and people would also leave their windshield wipers on so all the rain would be flung at us,” one user said.

“and like 90% of the customers have their wipers on full blast sending more water through the window,” a second user wrote.

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A third commented, “OMG flashbacks. People legit got mad when we wouldn’t open the window when it was as like this.”

Some viewers said they wouldn’t tolerate working under such conditions.

“Id leave a sign saying come inside to get your coffee lmao thats a nightmare,” one viewer said.

Another viewer wrote, “you see, i don’t care if I get in trouble by management, I ain’t opening that window.”

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“It’s called ‘I quit,’” a third added.

The Daily Dot reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and to Starbucks via email.

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