QUEENS, N.Y. — A shift manager at Starbucks has been fired after a video was posted that shows her screaming at a customer about a cookie straw and ultimately demanding the customer leave.
Business Insider reported that Ruby Chen was accused of stealing a cookie straw valued at 99¢. The woman offers to pay, but, as the video shows, the manager refuses to accept it, saying that when she told the woman the price “you wanted to keep arguing.”
When the customer asked for a manager, she got an earful.
“You’re talking to the manager, get out! You’re not going to be served here.”
“Bye, bye, bye” the manager says over and over in the video while gesturing emphatically.
“You’re not going to be served, so give me the straw and leave,” she says a moment later.
The manager went on to say the woman could give her the candy straw and leave, or she could leave with the candy straw and not be allowed back at that Starbucks location. The manager also threatened to call the police.
The customer seemed to become increasingly confused by the hostility, asking, “Are you OK?” and “What’s going on?”
The manager continued the tirade, saying, “Are you OK? Do you not get it?”
The video was posted to Starbucks’ Facebook page. The chain initially responded with: “Ms. Chen, this experience is not reflective of the service our partners provide to our customers every day. Someone from our leadership team will be reaching out to you shortly to apologize and make this right.”
A follow-up post indicated the manager had been fired.
“We take this issue seriously; this experience does not represent the high service standards we set for ourselves. This partner no longer works for Starbucks,” the posting stated.
