‘I will lose my job’: Customer tries to buy a coffee for an unhoused person, can’t believe store’s response
A woman says she was blocked from buying an unhoused person a cup of coffee. The worker who blocked her cited store policy.
TikTok user @superheroeveryday2 says the incident took place at a cafe called The Copper Moon in Cleveland, Ohio. Her brief video has over 3.5 million views.
The TikToker shares the alleged details in both the caption of the video and a follow-up video posted later. She says she was entering the cafe when she was approached by a person who appeared to be unhoused. The TikToker says the person requested that she buy him a coffee. She says she then entered the cafe, leaving her dog with the person.
The TikToker says that, when she was placing her order, she was asked whether it was for her or the man standing outside. She says she told the worker the order was for her. She says she then questioned whether it would be a problem if she was buying an item for the unhoused person. It was at this moment that the interaction in the video took place.
“If somebody wants to buy a homeless person something, you guys don’t—” she starts.
“We are—I would lose my job,” the employee says.
“If I buy him something?” the TikToker asks.
“Yeah, that's against company policy,” the employee responds. “I'm sorry.”
The employee seemingly explains that providing food for unhoused people would cause a problem for employees and other customers. He says both could be harassed by people outside.
“I told him i didnt feel harrassed,” the TikToker wrote in the caption. “He said ‘im sure you dont but othersssss do.’”
“I said hes a human being he just asked for a coffee sir,” the caption continues. “His response ‘So why doesnt he get a job like the rest of us.’”
An alleged employee of the cafe responds
In the comments section of a recent Instagram post for the cafe, numerous internet users are calling out the business regarding the alleged incident shown in this video.
In response, one person who appears to work for the cafe wrote, “I’ve been briefed on who we’re talking about now and you don’t know the dynamics of the situation, or the person. That woman has stolen from the store. Plenty of decent unhoused people have been aided in the past by the establishment, I’ve witnessed it, I’ve bought people’s coffees. That particular woman, has been unkind to customers in the past.”
This is in line with a response the cafe offered in a comment on a review. The TikToker shared its response in a follow-up post. In that post, the cafe appears to claim that “The lady steals the Baristas tips and defecates on the sidewalk. You don't understand what led to that point.”
However, this would seem to conflict with the TikToker’s version of events, as she states that the person who asked her for a coffee was a man, not a woman.
The TikToker shares her thoughts
In a TikTok direct message exchange with the Daily Dot, the TikToker emphasized that she is not trying to "ruin" the business in question. She also said that she has not heard from the business directly since posting the video.
She then clarified the statements she says the employee made.
"He said 'others' are bothered by it and it causes problems for other employees. Very vague and generic," she wrote. "The policy was never the issue—he never greeted me with hello good morning. The first thing he said was if that's for him I can't serve you...His predisposition was clear!"
She said that she is not currently seeking a response from the company, citing the owner's alleged responses to negative reviews left about the business since posting her video as "unprofessional and rude."
Instead, she simply pleaded with viewers to "Be kind. Show grace leave the world better than you found it."
@superheroeveryday2 I jokingly said this week why cant i ever run into a karen . Then boom i meet a KEN ! He witnessed me speaking to a homeless man and the first thing he said is if the coffee is for him I CANNOT SERVE YOU . I told him i didnt feel harrassed ! He said “im sure you dont but othersssss do “ I said hes a human being he just asked for a coffee sir ! His response “So why doesnt he get a job like the rest of us” …. I was utterlly disgusted !! Why does someone feel so inferior they can choose not to serve me because i wanted to help a BLACK MAN . NOT ON MY WATCH Tiktok do your thing . If this is their policy they dont deserve OUR business . #racism #karen #discrimination ♬ original sound - Super hero
Commenters share their thoughts on this alleged policy
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on this apparent policy as well as the employee’s way of conveying it.
“As someone in the food industry I understand. But also as a human I don’t,” wrote a user.
“Honestly why ask ? With all due respect if you’re buying something, what does it matter what you’re doing with it after the [purchase]?” added another.
“Ngl I hate it too but when I worked at Dunkin’ we would literally get in trouble if we sold stuff to go to a homeless person outside,” claimed a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to The Copper Moon via email and Instagram direct message and to the TikToker via TikTok direct message.
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