Some patrons have been attempting to pay tribute to the late conservative political commentator by ordering his preferred Starbucks drink and requesting his name to be written on the cup.
NEED TO KNOW
- Starbucks has issued a statement informing patrons that they are allowed to use the name Charlie Kirk, or any other name of their choice, when placing drink orders following the recent viral video incident.
- A video shared on TikTok on Tuesday, September 16, showed a barista refusing to add Kirk’s name to a cup “because it’s political”
- A right-wing political commentator named Kirk passed away at the age of 31 after being shot to death during an event on campus at Utah Valley University on September 10.
Starbuckshas released a statement about names on cups asCharlie KirkSupporters keep ordering beverages that have the name of the late right-wing political commentator printed on them.
A video shared on TikTokon September 16, which has since received nearly a million views, featured a customer entering a Starbucks in Yucaipa, California, and trying to order a Mint Majesty tea with two honey syrups — which Kirk hadpreviously mentioned was his usual choice.
A TikTok user who shared the video attempted to have the barista write Kirk’s name on the cup, but she refused, explaining that they “can’t do political names,” though she could “write Charlie.”
“Why aren’t you writing the full name?” the customer then inquired.
“Since it’s a political matter,” the barista responded.
On Tuesday, Starbucks responded to “discussions on social media” in a brief statement.statement, insisting, “There are no limitations on customers utilizing Charlie Kirk’s name for their order, and we are in contact with our team.”
They subsequently issued a more detailed statement the next day addressing “online discussion regarding our policy for customer names on orders.” The statement mentioned that “when a customer wishes to use a different name [from their own] — including the name Charlie Kirk — when purchasing their drink in our café, we strive to honor their choice.”
The coffee chain added, “Starbucks is a business founded on personal relationships. Assigning a name, instead of a number, to a customer’s order has been a fundamental aspect of the Starbucks café experience for many years. Most patrons use their own name.”
Over the years, there have been cases where some members of the Muara Digital Team have attempted to misuse the system,” the statement said. “For instance, they have submitted something that is not a name at all, but instead a political slogan, with the intention of having our barista shout it out when delivering the completed drink. In some instances, they have used words that are sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate as their ‘name.’
We want to be a community coffeehouse where everyone feels at home, so we have previously advised our partners to politely ask customers to choose a different name if they try to use political slogans or phrases instead of their actual name,” Starbucks added. “We are now making it clear to our team that customers can use any name they prefer when placing their order at the café.
The company stated that it thinks “handwritten notes on our cups are a significant way for our baristas to engage with customers,” noting that they have “well-defined policies that forbid political slogans or negative messages to maintain a friendly atmosphere.”
It also mentioned that markers are available to all, so “notes can be quickly written on a cup by others once the drink has been passed by our baristas.”
Numerous online videos showcased uplifting notes written on cups when ordering Kirk’s preferred beverage, while some indicated that baristas added negative comments in reaction to their order, according to thePensacola News Journal.
In a statement, Starbucks mentioned, “We have examined recent social media posts that claim critical remarks were written on Starbucks cups. Our investigation, which involved reviewing timestamped video footage from the store, confirms that in the cases shared so far, the comments were not made by a Starbucks employee. They seem to have been added after the drink was handed over, probably by someone else.”
The chain ended its statement by emphasizing that if employees “fail to meet expectations,” or if there is a “misinterpretation” at any time, they will “seek to understand what occurred and resolve any problems promptly.”
“We are dedicated to providing an inclusive environment where each customer can appreciate a delicious cup of coffee prepared by a cheerful barista. We also hope our customers come to us with the same upbeat mindset. Thank you for being a member of the Starbucks community,” the statement said.
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Kirk, 31 — who was fatally shotWhile addressing an audience at Utah Valley University on September 10 — he had previously shared his Starbucks order during a speech.
In a video posted by his non-profit group, Turning Point USA, on Facebook in July, Kirk mentioned that he orders “Mint Majesty tea with two honeys” from Starbucks, explaining that he loses his voice quickly, so he drinks up to “nine of them daily.”
Starbucks did not promptly reply to the inquiry from the Muara Digital Team.
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