A Starbucks barista posted a viral video sharing a secret about the drive-thru—she revealed that the workers can still hear you after taking your order.
Ali (@aalisversionn) reached over 2.5 million views and 325,900 likes on her TikTok video as of publication, and viewers admitted that they didn’t realize that baristas could hear them after they had ordered their beverages.
@aalisversionn when they’re singing taylor swift i give them a free drink if they tell me their favorite song #tarbucks #barista #drivethru ♬ original sound – Eric Cartman: Vocal Genius
Ali writes in the text overlay, “POV, the custies that don’t realize we hear them still after taking their order.” She uses audio of someone scream-singing “Don’t Blame Me” by Taylor Swift, as an example of what workers hear over their headsets.
In the caption of the video the Starbucks worker says, “When they’re singing Taylor Swift I give them a free drink if they tell me their favorite song.”
The top comment on the video with over 30,600 likes reads, “This is why I roll my window back up.”
Another viewer shared, “One time I forgot to and I was having a whole concert, and I heard giggling.”
A customer also admitted, “The number of people who have heard me laugh at myself and say, ‘Why did I talk like that?’”
One person wrote, “No cuz me and my mom will be gossiping at the speaker,” to which Ali responded, “and I be listening.”
A fellow Starbucks barista told the creator, “Once on a headset after this girl ordered she said out loud ‘Why did I make that voice,’ and she was alone, and I really felt that.”
“That is also me taking orders,” Ali admitted in her response.
One viewer also pointed out that this is probably true for all drive-thru establishments. “Hoping this is true at McDonald’s when I finished my order and loudly whisper, ‘$5 for a fry?! In this economy?!’”
The Daily Dot reached out to the Starbucks worker via the TikTok comment section.
