Viewers are defending baristas of a Starbucks location after a TikToker shared a video calling them out for making her beverage in a single-use cup when she brought in a reusable one.
Starbucks has long offered a small discount to customers who bring reusable cups for their drinks but has raised eyebrows over the years when customers learn that the beverages must still be made in single-use plastic cups behind the bar.
In the video shared by Nicole (@sustainableslays) which has drawn over 479,00 views as of Saturday, she calls out her local Starbucks for using the single-use plastic instead of the cup she brought.
@sustainableslays sad #starbucks #recycle #zerowaste #ecotok ♬ Despicable Me Whistle Theme By TheBoisBeVibin V2 – :)
“When u give them ur reusable but they still make it in plastic,” a text overlay on the video reads.
The Daily Dot reached out to Nicole via comment on the video as other means of communication were unavailable, as well as to Starbucks via email.
Some viewers suggested that it might be due to sanitary reasons, defending the baristas of that store for following protocols.
“Former Starbucks employee, by standard we had to make it in a separate cup and transfer,” one commenter wrote.
“You’re supposed to use the cups to measure the drinks, they don’t know if her cup is clean so it’s obviously for sanitary reasons,” another user said.
“That’s the policy yea,” another echoed. “You have to use the single-use cups for preparation. If certain stores aren’t doing it they are breaking the rules. It’s lame.”
Others suggested she might have ordered a beverage size that is mismatched with the cup she provided.
“It’s because you ordered a grande size, they have to make it in a grande cup (unless your reusable cup is grande!)” one commenter wrote.
“It looks like you ordered a grande and gave them a venti cup, so they used the other cup to get the right measurement,” another offered.
