A former Dutch Bros employee is letting off some steam after quitting her job for reasons she said included sexual harassment and workplace regulatory violations.
TikTok creator Sadie (@sadieknx) shared her experiences in multiple videos—including one where she shares the secret to making a Dutch Bros chai beverage.
In the recipe video—which was originally posted on Dec. 30 and has received more than 600,000 views as of Friday—she shared the different products her Dutch Bros locations would use and their methods to making the perfect hot chai.
“I recently quit my job at Dutch Bros because they treated me like sh*t. So, let me tell you all their secrets,” Sadie said with a smile in the video.
She listed the ingredients she used: Oregon Chai Tea Latte, 2% milk (although she prefers almond milk), Torani white chocolate sauce, and cinnamon. She mixed half the chai tea latte and half the milk and steamed them together using a steam wand. An alternative to the steam wand is using the stove top or microwave, just now you may not get as much foam, she explained.
After steaming, she adds the white chocolate flavoring and later tops her beverage with cinnamon in a coffee mug.
“You can do cinnamon, you can do nutmeg you can do little sugar sprinkles….do a little whipped cream on top,” Sadie said. You can do whatever you want. This is your f*cking chai.”
Although many commenters were grateful for the recipe, some wondered what was the specific reason Sadie quit her job.
“So what was the exact reason you quit Dutch Bros you never really point out what happened?” user Kat Marie (@mskkatt) asked.
@sadieknx dutch bros secrets ep 1 #dutchbros #dutchbrosrecipes ♬ original sound – sadie
In a later video, Sadie specified a long list of grievances. In it, she had a green screen grab from her notes app. Sadie listed the following reasons for her quitting her job: high school-level gossip from adults, working outside in extreme weather, regulatory violations, signing away right to a lunch break, sexual harassment being dismissed, “fake-ness” of the management, and “toxic positivity.”
“I’m convinced that this is the reason so many customers think that we’re all 16 years old because why are we gossiping about each other and to customers too?” Sadie said.
Regarding the sexual harassment, Sadie said she had reported her manager but then found out that her manager’s boss is best friends with said manager.
@sadieknx Replying to @Kat Marie why i quit dutch bros and will never go back #dutchbros #barista ♬ original sound – sadie
“Then there was retaliation after I reported her and nobody treated me the same anymore,” she said. “And because nobody else reported her, I was an outcast [afterward.]”
Commenters who identified themselves as former Dutch Bros employees related to Sadie’s experience.
“Former dutch employee—CAN unfortunately confirm,” user Quincy (@whoisquincy) said.
“As a 5 year DB employee, i can confirm,” user Joe (@thejoemckay) echoed.
According to Toast Tab, the average tenure for a restaurant employee is just one month and 26 days. Some of the top reasons employees quit involve compensation, lack of opportunity for growth, unsafe workplace environments.
Sadie later revealed in the comments section that she worked for a Dutch Bros location in Oregon, where the chain originated.
“We’re in Oregon, where Dutch Bros originated! And it’s gone to sh*t,” she lamented.
The Daily Dot reached out to Sadie for further response via TikTok comment and to Dutch Bros via the media relations form on their website.
