Starbucks has issued a statement clarifying its policy after a barista refused to write the name of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk on a customer's cup. The incident, which occurred at a California branch, was captured in a viral TikTok video.
In the video, a woman orders a Mint Majesty tea with two honeys, Kirk's preferred drink, and asks for the name 'Charlie Kirk' to be written on the cup. The barista responds, 'We can't do political names,' and offers to write only 'Charlie.' The customer declined and left without the drink.
Starbucks initially stated on Tuesday that there are no restrictions on using Charlie Kirk's name. The company followed up with a longer statement, saying, '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.'
The company noted that it had previously advised staff to politely ask customers to avoid using political slogans or offensive phrases as names, but clarified that names alone are permitted. Starbucks said it is following up with the team involved.
