Ohio woman finds hateful message written on Starbucks cup tied to Charlie Kirk drink
Employee fired after note reading 'racist’s fav drink' appears on cup; Kroger says it violated policies and terminated the associate.
An Ohio woman said she ordered Charlie Kirk’s go-to Starbucks drink on Sunday evening and found a hateful message written on the cup. Autumn Perkins, of Middletown, ordered a Mint Majesty with two honeys at a Starbucks location inside a Kroger store and, upon receiving her drink, saw that the side of the cup bore the phrase racist’s fav drink.
Perkins told Fox News Digital she was shocked by the note. 'It's time for people to stop this nonsense,' Perkins said, adding that 'actions have repercussions.' After speaking with the store manager, Perkins said the employee admitted writing the message and was terminated by Kroger.
Starbucks responded with a statement to Fox News Digital, saying: 'Writing this on a cup is unacceptable, and we have clear 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.'
Kroger confirmed the firing in an email Monday to Fox News Digital. The retailer said the associate was terminated by Kroger.
Perkins, who uses Starbucks while traveling because it’s readily available, said she has no plans to return to the brand. 'I don't intend to spend another penny at Starbucks — and as far as I'm concerned, neither will my children or anybody else in my family who will listen to me,' she said.
She added that she believes respect should prevail even in disagreements. '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.'
This incident underscores ongoing sensitivities around public expressions in service settings and how chains respond when employees violate policies. The event occurred at a Kroger-operated Starbucks inside a Kroger store in Middletown, Ohio, and was first highlighted by Fox News Digital, which reported on the details and the immediate actions taken by Kroger and Starbucks.
