⁠Starbucks issues statement on policy for customer names on orders as a barista is fired for refusing to write Charlie Kirk’s name on a woman’s drink

Starbucks has issued a statement about its famous cup-naming policy after a barista was sacked for refusing to write Charlie Kirk on a customer's cup.

In a now-viral TikTok video, a woman alleged that she went into the outlet without talking about politics. She just wanted the right-wing political activist's name to be penned on her cup. Charlie Kirk, 31, was gunned down on September 10.

In its statement on its official website, the popular beverage company said:

"Starbucks is a company built on human connection. Having a name, rather than a number, attached to a customer order has been a core part of the Starbucks coffeehouse experience for decades. Most customers use their own name. And when a customer wants to use a different name — including the name Charlie Kirk — when ordering their drink in our café, we aim to respect their preference."

It goes on:

"We are clarifying with our team now that names, on their own, can be used by customers on their café order, as they wish." Furthermore, "We’ve reviewed recent social media posts alleging that critical comments were written on Starbucks cups. Our investigation, which included a review of timestamped in-store video footage, confirms that in the cases shared so far, the comments were not written by a Starbucks partner. They appear to have been added after the beverage was handed off, likely by someone else."

The debacle between the Starbucks employee and TikToker explored:

Per The Independent, the woman was referring to an outlet located in California. She wanted a Mint Majesty tea with two honeys, which was reportedly Kirk's preferred order. When asked what name she wanted down, she said:

“The name is Charlie Kirk.”

The barista replied:

“We can’t do political names, but it [the register] didn’t even ask for a name to begin with so it’s going to be $3.75."

The woman shot back, demanding that Kirk's name be written down. However, the barista suggested, with a smile, that she perhaps go with "Charlie" instead. When the former asked her why she wasn't writing his full name, the barista clarified:

“Because it’s political." The customer then said, “forget it. I don’t want it.”

In the caption of her video, she explained:

“The barista walked over to my husband and handed him the drinks instead of using the name ‘Charlie.’ She is the one who brought up ‘politics’ if she would have said ‘okay’ then written the name, no politics would have been mentioned.”

Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more.

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