Starbucks patrons are ordering a mint tea with two honey packets to commemorate Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was recently killed.
Earlier, Kirk shared his drink choice, noting, “It’s literally Mint Majesty with two honey. I drink it like nine times a day. Otherwise, I’ll lose my voice.”
In the wake of his assassination last week, customers began ordering this specific drink while mentioning “Charlie” or “Charlie Kirk” when speaking to the baristas.
One social media video showed Starbucks staff refusing to write “Charlie Kirk” on cups, citing, “Because it’s political,” when questioned about it.
On Tuesday, Starbucks addressed the situation in a news update, stating, “There are no restrictions on customers using Charlie Kirk’s name for their orders, and we are in touch with our team.”
The following day, the coffee chain reiterated its commitment to “respecting” customer name preferences on coffee cups—this includes the name Charlie Kirk.
“Most customers prefer using their own names, but if they choose to use a different name, like Charlie Kirk, we aim to honor that,” Starbucks explained.
The company did encourage customers to avoid using names tied to political slogans, but confirmed, “With our team, customers can now use the name as they see fit.”
A separate post on X reported that a customer had visited Starbucks and ordered the drink.
Photos shared on social media displayed Starbucks cups with the order “Mint Majesty 2 Honey,” alongside the word “loser” written on the cups.
One user commented, “You shouldn’t be mocked or shamed for what customers order or believe in. This is clear bias, and it’s unacceptable.”
Starbucks responded, stating that the markers used on the cups are available to anyone, meaning once the drink is handed over, others can easily add notes to it.
The company also mentioned that their investigation found that “the remarks did not originate from Starbucks employees.”
“They look like they were added later by someone else,” Starbucks concluded.
“With millions of transactions daily, our dedicated baristas do their best. However, if there’s a misunderstanding or if we don’t meet expectations, we will investigate and address it promptly,” the coffee giant added.
