A Starbucks employee was fired after she was caught taking home four cake pops, a danish, and a bagel while working there. She told viewers it was how “big companies” treated their employees. But the internet had mixed comments about her firing.
The TikTok creator @claraajanet went viral after updating followers about getting fired as a shift supervisor from Starbucks after working there for a little over a year.
She said she took expired pastries from the display case for her children. When managers confronted her about it, they asked her to reimburse them for the allegedly stolen baked goods that totaled $50.
But they asked her to pay a partial amount of $20, which she agreed to. However, paying them back didn’t guarantee her job security, and she was ultimately fired.
@claraajanet Replying to @zoebeamer be careful who you trust and the people you work with. Not justifying, what I did was not okay.
♬ Storytelling - Adriel
After giving viewers context, she shared her opinion on Starbucks. She said, “Big corporations like Starbucks literally will cry over four cake pops.” The reason she believed they’d escalate matters was that it was all a tax deduction for them.
She claimed that despite Starbucks saying it donates leftover food, the items are disposed of and written off as tax deductions — a claim The Daily Dot could not independently verify.
The timing was also what made her feel disheartened, especially because she wanted to focus on her education; Starbucks was sponsoring her course at Arizona State University (ASU).
She also said she had planned to leave her role to open her own coffee shop. Upon reflection, the woman noted, “You can literally get fired from a big company like this for simple things that don’t make sense.”
She added, “Because that’s how big companies are…” Lastly, she advised viewers to focus on themselves and become their own bosses.
The Internet Had Mixed Feelings About the Former Starbucks Employee
The video had drawn nearly 980,000 views on TikTok as of publication. Some commenters sympathized with her. Others argued she had missed the point.
One user pointed out, “It’s not about the cake pops. You lost their trust; Trust is everything.” The content creator responded with acceptance, saying, “Yes, I understand this point of view.” @WallStreetApes also shared the viral video on their official X account, sparking traction.
Starbucks shift supervisor says she has been fired from Starbucks and now she doesn’t have a scholarship anymore to pay for college because it was provided by Starbucks
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) August 20, 2026
She says she took 4 expired cake pops from the pastry case home for her kids
She says Starbucks doesn’t… pic.twitter.com/ad3lBArvAY
Many users mentioned that although it was expired, the woman shouldn’t have resorted to taking them. A user who resonated with that comment said, “The company isn’t crying about the money.”
They added, “It’s about the fact that they’re paying you to be there, not to take what you want.” The content creator shared follow-up videos addressing her firing and highlighting a conflict with a colleague.
This article is based on a video shared by @claraajanet on TikTok. The Daily Dot could not independently verify the details of her termination or Starbucks' specific policies on expired food. Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment.
