‘Entitled’ woman’s wild request in Starbucks queue leaves customer gobsmacked
A Starbucks customer was waiting in line at their local venue for a coffee when a woman standing behind her made a “wild” demand – and then branded her “selfish” for refusing to play along
The odd incident happened while queuing up at Starbucks (stock image)(Image: winhorse via Getty Images)
A Starbucks fan was gobsmacked after a fellow coffee shop patron in the queue made a “wild” request as they waited for their daily caffeine fix. For many, a decadent barista-made drink or a straightforward cup of coffee is an essential start to the day.
Stopping by an indie site, or a neighbourhood café or a well-known retail chain is part of lots of people’s routine each day. With roots tracing back to 1971, Starbucks has expanded its reach to more than 40,000 stores worldwide.
No matter your personal preference, Starbucks’ popularity is clear for all to see. On a routine visit to their local branch for the customary “grande iced caramel macchiato”, one Starbucks customer became aware of another patron standing behind them – a woman, who was noticeably agitated, “fidgeting and sighing like she’s in a rush”.
Initially paying no heed to the woman, the customer was taken aback when she brazenly inquired: “Hey, are you gonna pay for my coffee too, or should I just use your card? You look like you could.”
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Caught off guard and grappling with bewilderment, the confronted customer could only muster a puzzled “what?”, which was met with the firm response from the woman. She said: “You’ve got a fancy drink, you could afford to get me a small coffee. Come on, I’m not asking for much.”
The Starbucks fan was taken aback by such a bold request and declined, pointing out the fact that the woman was a complete stranger to them. She also questioned the audacity of expecting a random person to foot the bill for her coffee.
Undeterred, the woman said: “Wow, selfish much?” before flouncing out, empty-handed and apparently offended by the refusal.
After sharing the strange encounter on Reddit, social media users rushed to the comments section to voice their opinions. One user said: “It’s wild how some think they can just demand free stuff from strangers!”
Someone else remarked: “Sometimes after having a rough day, trying to use the last few dollars for a beloved treat to feel better is necessary. Doesn’t mean I’m rich. But really, who had the audacity to say that to a stranger?”
Another individual noted: “Wow, projection much? Pretty audacious to suggest that someone is selfish because they don’t want to buy a random stranger a coffee. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and walk away.”
A different user commented: “Wow, so entitled to think they can legit ask that of OP [original poster]. Doesn’t matter what someone else orders or how much money they may or may not have, it doesn’t mean you get to ask for some random stranger to cover the cost of your drink.”
Someone else added: “If she asked nicely rather than saying it like how she did, she would’ve been more likely to find someone to buy her a coffee.”
To which the original poster responded: “FR (for real)! Like if she’d just been like ‘hey, I’m short a couple bucks, mind spotting me?’ I probably would’ve said yes. But the entitlement?? Nahhh.”
Some commentators pointed out how the customer had labelled the woman as “fidgety” and pondered whether this indicated another issue at play. One commenter speculated: “Sounds more mentally unstable than entitled to me.”
Some speculated that her actions might be a sign of substance abuse issues or cravings, although there is no evidence to support this. Most people labelled her as “entitled”, while others questioned the authenticity of the incident entirely.
Man awarded $50 million after Starbucks hot tea causes permanent disfigurement
Michael Garcia was picking up a Postmates delivery when the drink spilled in his lap, causing third-degree burns to his penis, groin and inner thighs.
California man awarded $50 million after suffering burns at Starbucks drive-thru
By Bill Feather and Doha Madani
A California delivery driver was awarded $50 million in damages after a jury agreed a Starbucks location was negligent in its handling of a scalding hot tea.
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Michael Garcia sued the cafe chain after a tea spilled in his lap at a drive-thru and caused permanent disfigurement to his penis. His attorney Nick Rowley said in a press release that Garcia’s “life has been forever changed” by the accident.
“No amount of money can undo the permanent catastrophic harm he has suffered, but this jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility,” Rowley said.
Starbucks said it plans to appeal, adding that it has “always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores.”
“We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive,” Starbucks said in a statement.
Garcia was working as a Postmates delivery driver on Feb. 8, 2020, when he arrived at the Los Angeles Starbucks to pick up three venti “medicine ball” teas, according to his attorneys. He was handed a cardboard carrier with the drinks at the drive-thru when a cup fell directly into his lap and the top popped off one of the drinks.
Video provided by Rowley’s firm shows the Starbucks employees preparing the drinks and the moment the tea spills into Garcia’s lap. Garcia’s attorneys argued in court that the employee at the window failed to properly secure that drink in the carrier.
Garcia suffered third-degree burns to his penis, groin and inner thighs.
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Rowley’s firm said Garcia had two skin grafts to his penis at Grossman Burn Center and that any friction to the area causes Garcia pain.
The court case is reminiscent of the infamous McDonald’s coffee lawsuit. In 1992, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck suffered third-degree burns after a McDonald’s coffee spilled in her lap at a drive-thru in New Mexico.
Liebeck’s case is sometimes criticized as a frivolous lawsuit, but evidence at trial showed that McDonald’s coffee was significantly hotter than that of other restaurants. According to the American Museum of Tort Law, at least 700 other people had been burned before by McDonald’s coffee, yet the company hadn’t changed it’s policy of keeping its coffee between 180 and 190 degrees.
The 79-year-old initially asked McDonald’s to pay her medical bills and only filed suit after the company refused, according to the Journal of Consumer & Commercial Law.
She was initially awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages, but a judge reduced the jury’s verdict. Liebeck and McDonald’s settled for an undisclosed amount.
