‘YOU TIPPED TOO??’: Starbucks barista refuses to remake customers drink in drive-thru. Then she asks them to throw it away
A Starbucks customer was trying really hard not to be "that person," but viewers agree that the manager was the one in the wrong.
This Starbucks manager definitely doesn't believe in the common expression that the customer is always right.
And while there are plenty of situations in which the customer is outright wrong (or plain rude), when it comes to simple requests to improve the taste of an item, you'd usually expect, even if it's done begrudgingly.
After all, they did pay for it.
Starbucks customer asks for help
In a viral video with more than 1.3 million views, influencer Gabrielle Emerson (@gabrielle.emerson_), who's known for her wildly popular "dead hair" videos, shared the perplexing experience she had at her local Starbucks.
"Can you guys tell me if I was being rude?" Emerson asks.
Emerson says that she ordered the Blackberry Sage Refresher (which, according to copycat recipes, is basically just water, blackberry sage syrup, and freeze-dried blackberries).
Since she likes hers to have a more potent taste, Emerson says she ordered it with extra base (aka syrup). But when she got it, she says she noticed it's the "lightest color" she's ever seen for the drink, even compared to when she gets it without extra base.
"So I try it, and it doesn't taste like how I like," Emerson says.
Emerson says she asked the Starbucks worker if they could add some more base to the drink. But the manager, according to Emerson, said that it was filled up enough, so Emerson has "had plenty."
Given the manager's reaction, Emerson says that the worker ended up handing the drink back to Emerson, unchanged.
"'She said she added enough,'" she recalls the worker telling her.
Emerson says she tried to drink the weak beverage, but she didn't like it. So she says she asked the same worker if he could throw it out for her.
"So tell me if I was being rude. I genuinely don't want to overreact, but I'm a little confused," Emerson says.
Emerson says that it normally isn't a big deal. But after paying $7 for the drink and tipping $2, she says she would have appreciated them adding the base to make the drink to her liking.
"Truly, if I'm being rude, please let me know," Emerson says.
Commenters react
"*as a Starbucks employee* why are they acting like adding more base comes out of their pockets? We’re literally told during training to do whatever we can to make the moment right," a top comment read.
"That’s terrible costumer service. Not your fault bby," a person said.
"It’s actually their policy to remake it," another added.
The manager went against policy
That last commenter was right.
As it turns out, the Starbucks website clearly states that if "for any reason you are dissatisfied with your food or beverage item," a barista will remake it for you.
@gabrielle.emerson_ #storytime #gabrielle #starbucks ♬ original sound - gabrielle.emerson_
The Daily Dot reached out to Emerson for comment via email and Instagram direct message and to Starbucks via email.
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The post ‘YOU TIPPED TOO??’: Starbucks barista refuses to remake customers drink in drive-thru. Then she asks them to throw it away appeared first on The Daily Dot.