An Oklahoma police officer went to a nearby Starbucks and bought a series of sweet beverages to reward the dispatchers for their hard work. When his order was called, he picked up the drink container and went to the station, only to learn that his ticket didn’t include the name he’d given the barista only minutes before, and Kiefer Police Chief Johnny O’Mara was not pleased.
The officer’s name was substituted in bold font on the beverages by the term “PIG.” Surprised by the intolerance displayed by a total stranger to one of his cops, the chief resorted to social media to decry the fact that workers can’t manage to serve clients without expressing their political ideas.
When O’Mara phoned the Glenpool Starbucks to report, the manager said they would happily change the coffee with a correct label. The chief, however, rejected, later explaining that he was concerned about the service he may get. Only after O’Mara’s diatribe about the event did the corporation tackle the issue.
According to reports, the business apologized to O’Mara and stated that they had “started an internal investigation into this incident.” Starbucks acknowledged that the staff was first detained while the investigation was underway before being dismissed. The woman who lost her job, on the other hand, has filed her own lawsuit.
Lola Price, a former Starbucks manager, claims she was unlawfully fired because of the “PIG” designation. She rejects printing the label, alleging that the name was input by a barista and that the corporation was merely seeking for an individual to blame for what was turning out to be a public relations disaster.
Price had been a manager at the cafe for 9 months before being let go without notice. She informed the local media that she was unaware of the occurrence until Chief O’Mara contacted to express his displeasure with the label. She stated that she then attempted to make amends by providing a substitute drink.
Price believes she has never had a problem with the corporation and thinks she was used as a scapegoat to safeguard the brand’s reputation. Despite the corporate office’s allegations, she insists that she had no participation in the label’s printing.
According to Chief O’Mara, the staff who printed the insulting label eventually came out to him and apologized, claiming that the term was intended as a joke. Nonetheless, he refused to identify the perpetrator or their location at the cafe.
Chief O’Mara is glad that the corporation apologized and has taken all necessary steps to rectify the problem. He does not intend to return to the café, though, noting his worry that his order may have been tampered with in more ways than simply the label.
Price maintains her innocence, blaming the mislabeled drink on an unknown barista. However, Starbucks has reaffirmed its decision to fire the former manager, prompting many to speculate about who was engaged in the event.
