Starbucks Barista's Harmful Joke Puts Customer's Life at Risk!

Whenever we browse through our social media feeds, we usually come across a humorous post from a patron of a coffee shop that features an original spelling of their name on a coffee cup.

And while it was evident that a barista at a Starbucks in New Hampshire was trying to convey something cutesy and clever, an unforeseen circumstance threw a monkey wrench into everything.

There's no doubting that humorous, well-known memes have been going viral in a variety of ways for a while now, whether they're typed out on a white background or written on a graphic.

Furthermore, despite the fact that it has been a well-known meme for some time, one that is still going around is based on the unsolicited calls that we have all likely received regarding our "car's extended warranty."

And that was what one customer—who wished to remain anonymous—had to say about the Starbucks barista's wit and cunning. Under normal circumstances, a customer would likely appreciate the humor and be ecstatic to receive a venti coffee with the words "We've been trying to contact you regarding your cars extended warranty" written on it.

In this case, it's not even that the humor was lost on this customer, it was just an issue of a special circumstance.

Common Food Allergies:
This Starbucks patron just so happens to have a tree nut allergy. Not the kind that makes you feel sick to your stomach or confines you to the restroom for several hours, but the kind that has the potential to cause anaphylaxis, sever your throat, and even kill you.

The customer laughed at first when they saw the message on their cup, but then they realized there was nothing more written on it—no information about their order details. The panic started when she realized what the drink was and what was in it.

What if they got the order wrong? What if instead of cream, half-and-half, or soymilk, they added in almond milk by mistake?

One of three things could have been done by some customers in this situation: 1) Put the coffee away or threw it out and moved on, or 2) Brought it back to Starbucks and explained the situation. 3) Hoped for the best and drank it anyway. The coffee shop showed the customer complete understanding when they chose Option 3.

It wasn't to be a Karen at all. I told the manager that it's because of my allergies and they were great about it and refunded me. Which they didn't have to do.

And that's precisely how you keep customers coming back: anytime you combine wit with outstanding customer service.