Starbucks Responds to Viral Charlie Kirk Drink Order Controversy, Says Customers Can Use Whatever Name They Want for Order

Starbucks has made a statement about writing names on cups after some customers began ordering drinks with the late right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk’s name on them.

A video posted on TikTok on Sept. 16, which has almost a million views, showed a customer at a Starbucks in Yucaipa, California, trying to order a Mint Majesty tea with two honeys — Kirk’s favorite drink.

The customer asked the barista to write “Charlie Kirk” on the cup. The barista refused, saying they “can’t do political names,” but offered to write “Charlie” instead.

“Why can’t you write the whole name?” the customer asked.

“Because it’s political,” the barista replied.

On Tuesday, Starbucks addressed “conversations on social media,” saying, “There are no restrictions on customers using Charlie Kirk’s name on their order, and we are following up with our team.”

The next day, Starbucks shared a longer statement about their policy for customer names. They said, “When a customer wants to use a different name [to their own] — including the name Charlie Kirk — when ordering their drink in our café, we aim to respect their preference.”

Starbucks explained that having a name on an order instead of a number has been a key part of their experience for decades, and most customers use their own name.

They also noted that some people have tried to abuse the system by using political slogans, sexually explicit words, or other offensive messages instead of a name. Starbucks said their staff have been trained to ask customers to use a proper name in these cases.

The company added that handwritten notes on cups are a meaningful way for baristas to connect with customers, and markers are available for anyone to add notes after the drink is handed off.

Multiple online videos showed cups with positive messages for Kirk’s favorite drink, while others claimed critical messages were written. Starbucks said their investigation confirmed that these comments were not written by employees but added later by someone else, according to the Pensacola News Journal.

The chain emphasized that if mistakes or misunderstandings happen, they will “work to learn what happened and address any issues quickly.”

Starbucks concluded by saying they want to create a welcoming space where every customer can enjoy a coffee served by a friendly barista.

Kirk, 31, who was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, had previously revealed his Starbucks order. In a video shared by his non-profit organization, Turning Point USA, on Facebook in July, he said he drinks “Mint Majesty tea with two honeys” because he “loses his voice very easily,” and sometimes drinks up to nine a day.