Employee’s cryptic cup message sparks controversy after unusual customer request—what really happened?
So, imagine strolling into your local Starbucks—just a regular caffeine fix on your mind—and boom, your cup hits you with a message that’s as bizarre as a pineapple on pizza debate. That’s exactly what happened when Autumn Perkins from Middletown, Ohio, ordered the now-famous Charlie Kirk drink—a mint majesty with two honeys, no less—and ended up with “racists fav drink” scrawled on her cup. Talk about your coffee order going political! This isn’t just about a rogue barista, though. It’s a vivid snapshot of how deeply divided America is since the tragic, politically charged death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose supporters see him as a martyr and critics, well, not so much. Autumn thought firing the employee was spot-on, but she’s sworn off Starbucks for good, proving that sometimes your morning brew can come with a side of social commentary and consequences. Who knew caffeine could stir up such a storm? LEARN MORE
A Starbucks employee has lost their job after writing a ‘nonsense’ message on a customer’s cup when they asked for the Charlie Kirk drink.
Autumn Perkins, who lives in Middletown, Ohio, visited a Starbucks location inside Kroger recently to order the mint majesty with two honeys, a drink which has soared in popularity since Kirk’s tragic death earlier this month.
The political activist was speaking in Utah on 10 September when he was fatally shot, and a huge funeral event was held for him in Arizona last weekend, with the likes of Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk all in attendance.
Kirk’s politically-motivated murder has split opinion in the US, with the 31-year-old father turned into something of a martyr by those on the right, while some on the left have been more reluctant to mourn a man who had a history of sharing his controversial views online.
Kirk died on 10 September after being shot at Utah Valley University (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
Although Charlie’s wife Erika spoke of forgiveness at the funeral on Sunday, the president spoke more candidly and admitted that he hates his opposition, hinting that anyone who exercises their free speech to share less positive views on the Turning Point USA founder should be censored, as we saw with Jimmy Kimmel recently.
In this case, it was a Starbucks employee who lost their job however, after writing ‘racists fav drink’ on Autumn’s coffee order, and the Ohio mum made it clear that she thought the firing was justified.
She told Fox News Digital: “It’s time for people to stop this nonsense.
“I would agree that people should be fired if they’re doing something like this. Actions have repercussions.
“I feel like Charlie stood for respect — we don’t have to agree on everything. We can disagree on a lot of things, but we respect each other.
“We can’t communicate and grow if we’re disrespecting each other.”
Autumn’s coffee order (Autumn Perkins/Facebook)
Starbucks later issued a statement explaining why the employee lost their job, saying: “Writing this on a cup is unacceptable, and we have clear policies that prohibit negative messages to help preserve a welcoming environment. This Starbucks location is licensed and operated by Kroger. We understand that this associate was terminated by Kroger.”
Despite the strong and decisive action that was taken against the employee, that’s not enough for Autumn, as she confirmed that she won’t be returning to the huge coffee company any time soon.
She said: “I don’t intend to spend another penny at Starbucks — and as far as I’m concerned, neither will my children or anybody else in my family who will listen to me.”
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