A Starbucks employee in Ohio has been fired after scrawling a hateful message on a customer’s cup when she ordered conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s favorite drink. The incident, which unfolded at a Kroger-operated Starbucks in Middletown, has reignited concerns about bias against conservatives in corporate America.
The controversy began when customer Autumn Perkins stopped by the Starbucks and ordered a Mint Majesty tea with two honeys, the same drink Kirk often mentions as his go-to order. Instead of simply filling the request, the employee wrote “racist’s fav drink” across the cup. Perkins was stunned and immediately showed the cup to the store’s manager.
“I felt disrespected, and I knew this crossed a line,” Perkins told reporters. She emphasized that such behavior is not harmless but fosters hostility. “It’s time for people to stop this nonsense,” she added, noting that words have consequences.
Starbucks quickly distanced itself from the employee’s actions. A spokesperson told Fox News the behavior was “unacceptable” and violated clear corporate policy. “We have 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,” the statement read.
Kroger also condemned the incident, stressing that the message was out of step with the company’s values. “This behavior does not reflect Kroger’s values,” a company representative said. The swift termination underscores that neither company wanted the hateful remark associated with their brands.
Perkins, for her part, said she agreed with the decision to fire the worker. “Actions have repercussions,” she remarked. “I would agree that people should be fired if they’re doing something like this. 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.”
Her words echoed Kirk’s own frequent calls for civility in public discourse, even among those who disagree politically. Perkins argued that Americans cannot have meaningful conversations if disrespect becomes normalized. “We can’t communicate and grow if we’re disrespecting each other,” she said.
The timing of the episode is especially sensitive, coming just days after Kirk’s tragic assassination at a Turning Point USA event. Many conservatives see the Starbucks employee’s action not just as immature but as emblematic of a deeper hostility toward people of faith and right-of-center values.
Critics argue that if the roles had been reversed, and a liberal customer had been targeted with a derogatory remark, the outrage from mainstream media outlets would have been deafening. Yet in this case, much of the coverage has been muted or dismissive.
Supporters of Kirk and his organization say the cup incident demonstrates how cultural bias against conservatives is tolerated in some workplaces until it is exposed. For them, Starbucks and Kroger’s statements are welcome but overdue. They argue that corporations must enforce equal standards of respect, regardless of political leanings.
This episode also fits into a broader debate about free expression versus workplace conduct. Some on the left have suggested firing an employee for writing a message is excessive. But conservatives counter that the workplace is not the place for political attacks on paying customers. Respect and professionalism, they argue, must come before ideological expression.
The dismissal also highlights how consumer experiences are shaped by culture wars. For decades, Starbucks has cultivated a brand of inclusivity and community. But incidents like this raise questions about whether that inclusivity truly extends to conservatives and Christians.
Observers note that while the employee’s termination sends a message, the deeper cultural hostility will not vanish overnight. For many conservatives, the episode is another reminder that they are often treated as unwelcome outsiders in spaces where neutrality should be the standard.
Perkins has made clear she does not want to be the face of a political fight, but her simple order has exposed a fault line in American life. What should have been a quiet coffee run became a national headline because an employee decided to inject politics into a transaction.
For many customers, the takeaway is simple: businesses should focus on service, not on policing political views. Whether companies like Starbucks can enforce that consistently remains to be seen, but this incident shows that even small acts of bias carry major consequences when aimed at the wrong target.
Keywords
Starbucks – Charlie Kirk – Middletown Ohio – Kroger – Autumn Perkins – conservative – barista fired – free speech – cancel culture – corporate values