A Starbucks barista is saying some women are misinterpreting the messages left on their cups when their husbands pick up their coffee orders. It’s actually just a corporate policy.
TikTok user Angelina (@amorr.angelinaa) posted a video clarifying the messages on Feb. 7. In the video’s on-screen caption, Angelina writes, “All these complaints about the messages on the cups. Baby, we’re flirting with you NOT your mans!”
In the caption, Angelina adds, “We know that men don’t drink skinny vanilla lattes.” The video has amassed more than 400,000 views.
What is the Starbucks cup message policy?
The coffee chain is in the process of instituting a new rule that requires baristas to write a short note of affirmation on its single-use cups. According to The Economic Times, the new directive isn’t going over well with baristas, and many of them ridicule it online.
Starbucks might be implementing this as a way of boosting sales, which ABC News referred to as “slumping” just last year. Experts pinned the sales decline on inflation, political backlash, and a failure to adapt to the post-pandemic economy.
@amorr.angelinaa We know that men don’t drink skinny vanilla lattes #starbucksbarista #starbucks #starbuckspolicy #fyp #usher #teamwork ♬ Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home) – Usher
Why are the baristas so annoyed?
Most of the criticism surrounds baristas feeling like this is a forced rather than genuine connection between employee and customer. Others indicated they’re already overwhelmed with their existing workload, and this policy further adds to that stress.
However, in the comments section, many viewers said they welcome the encouraging messages and want them to keep coming.
One viewer said, “Had a customer’s wife call the store. We didn’t know he had a wife; never seen a ring on him a day in our lives.”
A second viewer said, “But the ‘we love you’ on the pastry bag made me blush.”
A third viewer wrote, “Not me and my husband patiently waiting for me to get an unhinged message on my cup but all I get is a smiley face.” Angeline replied, “I could write a whole letter to you.”
Another person said, “I would go back and say, ‘Who wrote this because we can be something or friends now.”
Someone else stated, “I was having a rough day. Looked at my cup and it said, ‘You’re so brew-tiful.’ I cried. It was so cute.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Angelina via TikTok comment for comment. It also reached out to Starbucks via press email for comment.
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